AH Reading Club?

[EmilyMiller]

This must have been suggested before.

Anyone interested in forming a small group. Each week, one member could either share one of their own stories (new or old), or share someone else’s story they liked.

The members would read it and write their thoughts on a thread. No set time to do this given the different time zones.

Then it’s the next member’s turn the next week.

What do you think?

Em

 

[SimonDoom]

Various things like this have been tried. The problem is that after a while the thread will drop off the most recent thread lists and get forgotten. I started a thread a couple of years ago that was somewhat similar--volunteer a story by another author that you like and say what you like about it. It's a nice idea but it's hard to get authors here to commit to schedules. It's a bit like herding cats.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Various things like this have been tried. The problem is that after a while the thread will drop off the most recent thread lists and get forgotten. I started a thread a couple of years ago that was somewhat similar--volunteer a story by another author that you like and say what you like about it. It's a nice idea but it's hard to get authors here to commit to schedules. It's a bit like herding cats.

I can imagine. Then if it was maybe one story every two weeks. And no more than ten people (then start a new group). It would require someone super anally-retentive to organize .

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Any volunteers?

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Any volunteers?

Em

To organize or just to take part?

 

[EmilyMiller]

To organize or just to take part?

Take part. You need a woman to organize things.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Take part. You need a woman to organize things.

You had me at hello, you didn't need to slam-dunk it

 

[djrip]

I like reading smut

 

[MillieDynamite]

I can't even make it to my writing group anymore.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Nice idea but I'm afraid I'll have to pass. It took me two weeks to read Duleigh's "Enchantress" and I haven't started part 2.

 

[Purple_Fronds]

Any volunteers?

Em

Sure to participate

 

[Cagivagurl]

Would this be a private or public group????
I am interested, but not sure I want my critiques to be seen publicly.

Cagivagurl

 

[Lifestyle66]

Such a reading group thread sounds like a good idea and might get started. But it would be doomed (not simon'ed) when someone starts posting critical comments in the thread about one of the other author's stories.

I've seen this happen in other threads, where some authors think anything negative should ONLY be addressed in PMs. And we've discussed the ratings in some of these threads with some authors insisting the readers should only give a 5, or just not rate the story.

 

[Winter_Fare]

I'd love to take part, if there's a generous time frame for feedback. What a golden opportunity to get constructive criticism from people who also have skin in the game, plus sounds fun x

 

[EmilyMiller]

Would this be a private or public group????
I am interested, but not sure I want my critiques to be seen publicly.

Cagivagurl

Not sure. Could do private as a multi-person convo.

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Well, it stands to reason that stories would get reviewed only with the consent of their authors... So that would mean that we review our own stories that we put forward or the stories that have been on Lit for a long time and the author is not around anymore. Reviewing a story of some active AH member who didn't consent to it is... well bound to create problems.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Well, it stands to reason that stories would get reviewed only with the consent of their authors... So that would mean that we review our own stories that we put forward or the stories that have been on Lit for a long time and the author is not around anymore. Reviewing a story of some active AH member who didn't consent to it is... well bound to create problems.

Agree: I think “member” stories or ones where the author says OK

Em

 

[MillieDynamite]

I love the concept of this. But not sure how the logistics would work. Like I said before, my time has been minimal for fun stuff sometime now. I guess I could be an on-and-off, on-again, off-again participant. I also agree we should ask permission to review and discuss a story. I feel bad that I'm not contributing stories to Lit for several months. Writing for publication takes up a lot of time. But If I want that steady drib and drab of ca-ching to continue, I must do most of my writing to publish elsewhere.

 

[djrip]

So, that's interesting. I would have probably suggested really old stories from high up on my favorites list. Which I would think in some or many cases have inactive authors. I agree discussing someone's work in a very critical manner would be best with permission or even only by request of the author. But discussing what we like about something feels more like free advertising. I don't know, it's odd when the author could read the discussion or show up in it. But I wouldn't feel the need to get a published mainstream author's permission to do a book club about their book.

I guess better to err on the side of caution than to make anyone uncomfortable. But it might severely limit suggestions.

Well the simplest solution is to only do group member's work I suppose.

Or there's the group PM instead of public thread option mentioned earlier.

I'm reminded of darksollat's reviews of RedLegoDragon's work ( which I really need to read more of). Don't know if the first of those was pre-cleared or not.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't think anyone, technically, has to ask permission to discuss someone else's writing. But knowing the forum, we will have some asshole pop in for the sole purpose of belittling the writer, which isn't cool, but to be expected whether or not we have permission.

However, if it actually pushes the writer's work, how could one object to that? I wouldn't, and I've never been all that upset being called a bad writer. It's when they confuse me with the character or characters in the story and say I'm a wicked individual that I do get pissed off. But reviews happen all the time. One way or another, comments left on stories are reviews. If a person is thin-skinned, they shut off the comments, delete the unflattering ones, or let them stand and realize that there is always bad mingled with the good.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

There are authors who were writing stories 10-15 years ago and then stopped. I don't see a problem in reviewing such stories if the author clearly isn't around anymore and there is no danger of annoying anyone. All the stories here are publicly displayed and as such can be commented on and reviewed IMO. We would just be courteous towards our AH fellows as many of us would dislike our story being reviewed without our consent.

 

[Lifestyle66]

No one needs the author's permission to do a book club-like review of their stories.

I merely caution that some authors on here have thin skins, and they react poorly when their stories are critiqued "in public".

Some see these forum threads as publicly criticizing their stories. Some others in these forums will stick up for their favored authors by criticizing anyone who dares post a negative comment about a story they loved.

Beware of the thin-skinned on these forums!

 

[MillieDynamite]

So, Emily, pick a story and post a link, and let's just dive into the shallow end head first, shall we?

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yes, I said shallow end, there is no fun without some measure of danger!

 

[Purple_Fronds]

So I'm now thinking I’m in the wrong place because I see it is the forum of authors hangout and I’m a reader although would love to be good enough to write. So I won’t be offended if you ask me to leave. When @EmilyMiller suggested the idea I thought it was a great idea to share stories you love, some of which have been written years a go but I still go back to. I actually didn’t think about it being negative only positive but i bow to those of you who write and obviously know better.