Further brainstorming
Nov. 9th, 2007 09:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarigwaemirHaste Street on the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica
More on the online book club idea. The most pressing question: what should it be called? I thought of a few unwieldy options, but I'm generally inept at coming up with names, so I would really appreciate any input you might have.
[Poll #1086130]
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sub_divided and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
worldserpent both suggested using sign-ups and multiple recommendations, which I think works better than the initial scheme I had in mind, since it would also allow people to opt out if they're busy one month or can't think of good recommendations. Several people also brought up the salient point that not everyone has easy access to English-language books; I think the policy will be that books can be read in translation into any language and each recommender will include one title that is available as a free e-text (on Project Gutenberg or elsewhere) in their list.
How it would work:
Week 1: The theme for the round is decided and announced. The sign-up list is presented, and people can sign up to be recommenders. In their comment, they will include a list of five titles that match the theme, including one book that can be accessed online for free. (Or at the very least, one of the moderators should be able to obtain an e-text copy for free and forward it to any potential reader. I know I have access to some databases that aren't publicly available through my university's subscription. Hm, a resource page will need to made so people can consult it.) The list can only include books that the recommender has read and would truly recommend to another reader (not just a list of all the books that they know fit the theme). Comments will be screened so that no one feels obliged to avoid recommending books that have been already recommended by others.
By default, if you recommend for a theme, you'll also be expected to read for it. "Reading for a theme" implies that you will receive a recommendation list, attempt to finish at least one book on the list (although completion is not required) and make a post about your reaction to the book before the discussion period begins.
The recommendation lists are emailed to the readers; match-ups, instead of being random as I initially planned, should try to match the readers' profiles, which will list their preferences and degree of access to books. The full list of all recommended books is also posted after the lists are sent out. Members of the club who did not sign up to recommend are free to read any of the titles on the list and post about them as well.
Weeks 2-5: Readers are given four weeks (i.e. about a month) to read the book. During this period, they can post to the community with their thoughts on the book as often as they wish at their own convenience. All posts to the community are moderated during this time to avoid spoilers. They can also post on their own journals (or blogs) and link to their entry from the community journal. In any case, readers will need to make at least one post before the end of Week 5 that includes a brief introduction to the book and their thoughts on it.
I think it would also be nice if people posted about the experience of finding the book and reading it--did you look for it in a new library, did you read it late at night and find yourself unable to fall asleep afterwards, etc.--but of course none of that is mandatory. Also, if a member of the club who didn't sign up decides to read a book, they are free to post as well. (The only difference is that they're not actually obliged to make at least one post.)
If people were really thorough, they could even construct a reading guide, but that's probably asking a lot.
Week 6: All posts made to the community journal are unlocked. There will be a post with links to all posts and a few theme-related questions to start off discussion.
What do you think? Too complicated? Too simple? Any more details to consider?
I already, haha, askedsub_divided to help run the community, but the system I have in mind could benefit from a third moderator. Anyone interested in helping out? I think one person should be in charge of the themes (coming up with themes, polling the club if necessary to decide on themes, making a list of theme-related discussion questions), another person in charge of the sign-ups and match-ups (making the sign-up posts, assigning the match-ups, obtaining e-texts if necessary for readers), and a final person for overseeing the discussion (keeping the posts moderated until the discussion period begins, posting reminders before the reading period ends, making the long post of links to start off the discussion).
More grandiose ideas, which will be further considered if the club actually works:
1.team7 suggested an overarching book club coordinated with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
maybesparrows and reading_mix. I think if the current recommendation-based discussion group gets off the ground, it can probably be easily combined with other groups under the aegis of a larger organization later on. Tin also mentioned making maybesparrows into the "magazine" of the club. Perhaps there could be a team of editors to compile and perhaps expand the reaction and discussion posts and turn out issues. (I think the club would have to grow to a large enough size though before such a venture could be possible.) For the present, we can probably definitely manage to post each round's list of all recommendations on reading_mix.
2. Another crazy idea that I've been considering, which might work as a side project of the book club, was a community where you post "reviews" of different bookstores and libraries you've visited in your area. Each bookstore or library has a certain character (even different branches of Barnes and Noble are subtly different), and I think it would be fun for a group of dedicated readers to talk about where they like to go to look for books. (Who knows, with enough entries, it could even function as an informal librocentric travel guide: where should you go to buy books when you're away from home?) We could even include photos (who, after all, tires of looking at gorgeous libraries).
3. An intraclub version of BookMooch?
4. Borrowing from Daimira's weekly feature Famous First Words, members could take turns doing the first lines meme and having the rest of the club guess. Other fun book-related guessing games: five-word summaries, name that character, etc.
5. Another possible side project: reading a book, then reading all the books mentioned within that book, then all the books mentioned in those books, etc., while keeping track of all the references. (Not for the fainthearted, as it is an unending process.) Perhaps a more feasible project: reading a book then watching all the movie adaptations made of it.
Well, before I get ahead of myself, first thing would be to do a pilot round with the recommendation exchange model. >_> Which means...I need to figure out a name for the comm. Help! ::points up to poll::
Yours &c.
More on the online book club idea. The most pressing question: what should it be called? I thought of a few unwieldy options, but I'm generally inept at coming up with names, so I would really appreciate any input you might have.
[Poll #1086130]
sub_divided and worldserpent both suggested using sign-ups and multiple recommendations, which I think works better than the initial scheme I had in mind, since it would also allow people to opt out if they're busy one month or can't think of good recommendations. Several people also brought up the salient point that not everyone has easy access to English-language books; I think the policy will be that books can be read in translation into any language and each recommender will include one title that is available as a free e-text (on Project Gutenberg or elsewhere) in their list. How it would work:
Week 1: The theme for the round is decided and announced. The sign-up list is presented, and people can sign up to be recommenders. In their comment, they will include a list of five titles that match the theme, including one book that can be accessed online for free. (Or at the very least, one of the moderators should be able to obtain an e-text copy for free and forward it to any potential reader. I know I have access to some databases that aren't publicly available through my university's subscription. Hm, a resource page will need to made so people can consult it.) The list can only include books that the recommender has read and would truly recommend to another reader (not just a list of all the books that they know fit the theme). Comments will be screened so that no one feels obliged to avoid recommending books that have been already recommended by others.
By default, if you recommend for a theme, you'll also be expected to read for it. "Reading for a theme" implies that you will receive a recommendation list, attempt to finish at least one book on the list (although completion is not required) and make a post about your reaction to the book before the discussion period begins.
The recommendation lists are emailed to the readers; match-ups, instead of being random as I initially planned, should try to match the readers' profiles, which will list their preferences and degree of access to books. The full list of all recommended books is also posted after the lists are sent out. Members of the club who did not sign up to recommend are free to read any of the titles on the list and post about them as well.
Weeks 2-5: Readers are given four weeks (i.e. about a month) to read the book. During this period, they can post to the community with their thoughts on the book as often as they wish at their own convenience. All posts to the community are moderated during this time to avoid spoilers. They can also post on their own journals (or blogs) and link to their entry from the community journal. In any case, readers will need to make at least one post before the end of Week 5 that includes a brief introduction to the book and their thoughts on it.
I think it would also be nice if people posted about the experience of finding the book and reading it--did you look for it in a new library, did you read it late at night and find yourself unable to fall asleep afterwards, etc.--but of course none of that is mandatory. Also, if a member of the club who didn't sign up decides to read a book, they are free to post as well. (The only difference is that they're not actually obliged to make at least one post.)
If people were really thorough, they could even construct a reading guide, but that's probably asking a lot.
Week 6: All posts made to the community journal are unlocked. There will be a post with links to all posts and a few theme-related questions to start off discussion.
What do you think? Too complicated? Too simple? Any more details to consider?
I already, haha, asked
sub_divided to help run the community, but the system I have in mind could benefit from a third moderator. Anyone interested in helping out? I think one person should be in charge of the themes (coming up with themes, polling the club if necessary to decide on themes, making a list of theme-related discussion questions), another person in charge of the sign-ups and match-ups (making the sign-up posts, assigning the match-ups, obtaining e-texts if necessary for readers), and a final person for overseeing the discussion (keeping the posts moderated until the discussion period begins, posting reminders before the reading period ends, making the long post of links to start off the discussion).More grandiose ideas, which will be further considered if the club actually works:
1.
team7 suggested an overarching book club coordinated with maybesparrows and reading_mix. I think if the current recommendation-based discussion group gets off the ground, it can probably be easily combined with other groups under the aegis of a larger organization later on. Tin also mentioned making maybesparrows into the "magazine" of the club. Perhaps there could be a team of editors to compile and perhaps expand the reaction and discussion posts and turn out issues. (I think the club would have to grow to a large enough size though before such a venture could be possible.) For the present, we can probably definitely manage to post each round's list of all recommendations on reading_mix.2. Another crazy idea that I've been considering, which might work as a side project of the book club, was a community where you post "reviews" of different bookstores and libraries you've visited in your area. Each bookstore or library has a certain character (even different branches of Barnes and Noble are subtly different), and I think it would be fun for a group of dedicated readers to talk about where they like to go to look for books. (Who knows, with enough entries, it could even function as an informal librocentric travel guide: where should you go to buy books when you're away from home?) We could even include photos (who, after all, tires of looking at gorgeous libraries).
3. An intraclub version of BookMooch?
4. Borrowing from Daimira's weekly feature Famous First Words, members could take turns doing the first lines meme and having the rest of the club guess. Other fun book-related guessing games: five-word summaries, name that character, etc.
5. Another possible side project: reading a book, then reading all the books mentioned within that book, then all the books mentioned in those books, etc., while keeping track of all the references. (Not for the fainthearted, as it is an unending process.) Perhaps a more feasible project: reading a book then watching all the movie adaptations made of it.
Well, before I get ahead of myself, first thing would be to do a pilot round with the recommendation exchange model. >_> Which means...I need to figure out a name for the comm. Help! ::points up to poll::
Yours &c.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-10 03:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-10 06:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-12 02:58 am (UTC)Also, submitted a somewhat facetious alternate group name. ^^
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-14 02:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-14 02:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-10 08:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-12 09:02 pm (UTC)I want this community to exist so I can write about the used bookstore I'm working out. XD It'd also be kind of neat to see overviews by people who visted every bookstore in a medium-sized town (or maybe a neighborbood of a large town like NYC), sort of like when I went around to all the bookstores in Ann Arbor for the book fair (http://onyahbear.livejournal.com/16300.html#cutid1).
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-14 02:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-14 03:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-10 08:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-10 11:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-13 09:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-13 10:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-15 03:02 am (UTC)Also, my inner geek cries out for bibliophages.
Also, I don't know if I can be consistent enough to be a moderator, but tell me if you need a pinch hitter~
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-15 07:43 am (UTC)Pinch hitters! That's a good idea. I think I'll have it be an option in the sign-up posts. Will be counting on you then~
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-19 08:58 am (UTC)