 Rather than beat a dead horse - what could I possibly say about cliches that my co-Reluctants have not already said? - I thought we'd take some time out to get some feedback from the blogworld. We want to know what we're doing right, and what we're doing wrong. Do you like the weekly topics? Or would you prefer that we free-form and just write about whatever we want? What about the interviews? Do you want more of them? Less of them? Do they impact you at all? What about a book club? What if we picked one book a month and we all debated about it - and invited discourse, of course! Would you be interested? Not interested? If we do giveaways, what sorts of prizes do you want to see? Keep in mind that we are broke-ass, lowly genre writers and do not have stretch limos just yet. We want the League to be a fun read every day of the week (except Sundays, hah). So tell us. Do you want more industry information? More wacky short stories? More snippets? A top ten? Bad jokes (Hey, we have to let Anton post once a week, right)? What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? What do you think we can do to improve? Send in the best response and the winner (elected by the jury of League peers) will get a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com. So chime in! - Jill, the walking cliche |
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I really don't have any critiques for you. I'm enjoying the site as it is. I like the weekly theme and the various perspectives on a topic.
I like the weekly topic, getting several different angles on the same item.
Here are some of my thoughts:
1. Topics: I love seeing everyone's unique take on a singular subject. But maybe having them less frequently for the sake of burn out.
2. Interviews: I love hearing from people who work in different aspects of the writing industry and yes, they impact me. Whether it is a funny anecdote or practical advice, they are great.
3. Book Club: Definitely interested.
4. Giveaways: Books, promo items, arcs, critiques of reader works, signed items related to your works (not signed copies of your 10th grade research paper, Strout)
5. Things I would like to see: participatory writer's exercises, shorts and snippets are always fun, guest bloggers would be interesting too.
I appreciate the fact you are all putting yourselves and your experiences out there. I think it helps all of us who are struggling to know that our experiences aren't unique to us and that you all had a *headdesk* moment or three along the way.
I like the weekly themes, but then I like random posts, too. Really I'm quite easy to please and I always enjoy reading all your posts.
I have to say, though, that I *do* like the idea of reading a particular book or story. I think it would be interesting to see different perspectives on the same piece so I'd vote for a book club any day. :)
I think you guys are doing a great job - thanks for entertaining and educating us! :)
I pretty much like it all, too.
One comment about the weekly topic, though. I know it would complicate things, but if you rotated around who posts when, we'd at least get different people saying "yeah, what they said" by Thursday and Friday.
The writing topics are wonderful. It's interesting to see different view points on the same subject.
I also enjoy the interviews. I find them to be witty and informative. Keep 'em coming please.
I love the idea of a Book Club, but then I am a book geek. If the Book Club is a go, will all the books selected be Urban fantasy? Just curious.
On the subject of giveaways, anything you guys are willing to part with is fine. (but no dirty laundry please) I've loved the items so far.
I have to second the idea of writing exercises. I'd participate.
Thanks for a great website. I appreciate the work everyone puts into it every week.
In addition to topics I posted yesterday in Ilona's thead,
I might also like to see some serialized stories...
I.e. One person begins & writes a 'chapter' (scene, vignette, etc) and then people comment on what they thing should happen next.
Then Author number two picks one or more comments thrown out there by the readers and writes the second 'chapter' and so-on.
I think it could be really fun & educational -- writers could try to imitate each other (this week, we write in the style of Anton!) or other famous writers (this week, we write in the style of Lovecraft!) or perhaps, they simply each write a different POV and have the challenge then of getting them all to sync up together in say 10 posts? No matter how ridiculous?
I don't know, but I think this could be gut-bustingly funny if people just let their fingers do the talking...
I love the interviews but I tend to not be online on the weekend and feel like I'm not giving the guests their due. I like weekly topics, but if someone's not feeling it I'd rather hear them talk about something they're interested in.
And I like the idea of a monthly (or every other month) book club.
Y'all are funny, I like it, keep it up. Now, I'm taking Happy Hour of the Damned to Belize and drinking myself silly. Hopefully I come back in one piece!
"Write in the style of Anton"- I don't know if anyone else can quite capture my level of crapitude!
I see your craptitude and raise a sucktitude.
I like what alchemuse said
I'm really liking the idea of participatory writing exercises...I wish I'd thought of that.
(Yes, I'm silly today.)
On the topic of topics,
Of just a simple theme per week.
A common ground and a structure.
I would have to admit,
I find the most enjoyable.
Seeing so many different facets
Of the writing crystal.
Interviews?
Not so much.
Good to break up the space of thoughts,
But too impersonal for my tastes.
But books,
Oh talking about books,
Specially your own,
Now that I could get into it,
As long as there was enough time.
Amazon, my lord and supplier,
Needs a bit of space
To deliver to my front door.
And maybe a week to read, no?
On the slavering desire for giveways...
I think I've already said it,
But contests drag me in
Just because I'm cheap
And I like seeing my name as a winner.
It gives me hope, you know,
That some day I'll be doing the same
Giving away a book
To some lucky commenter.
Suggestions?
I only have a few.
Tell us what it was like.
Getting rejection letter after note,
The impersonal slips and the trials
Wondering if you would ever get there.
Show, don't tell us, how you went
Through the very same paths
That we seem to be going ourselves.
Make us smile and see the light.
But...
Please don't be a train, okay?
As for reading every day.
Well, I have an RSS reader.
And it reads what you write
And I read what it writes
And I check it every day...
Even the trout.
No way I can top D. Moonfire, so I'll just try to win by sheer number of posts ;-)
I'd like to see some more original writing from the League. Each of you already has an intriguing blog, but not necessarily a lot of published fiction that's readily available. Something like the wedding week story, but maybe planned/polished, to showcase each of your talents. When working on this mini e-anthology, talented commentators like Rhona or D. Moonfire, etc, could work into the mix--maybe as a contest prize. Or talentless hacks like Fanboy Boy could get a shot at playing along.
I really enjoy your site, and I would especially be interested in a book club, particularly one that focuses on urban fantasy books, which obviously it would.
I like the topics. Yes. Very fun to read. My spork likes.
I do not care about giveaways. They do not interest my spork.
Interviews are sometimes fun. My spork sometimes reads them.
Spork has no crits.
-Indi's Spork/pickledherring
What alchemuse said and...
I think you should have more writing exercises... like if you all pick a mini story/scene and write something then we all pick it apart.
And if you do more stories that you start monday and flow through to friday. That was a hoot.
Prizes are always fun... maybe one of them can be you guys beta reading for an aspiring. Feed back from 5 published authors would be amazing. Or you could do workshops where you have volunteers (*raises hand*) email the league a short story or a snippet they are having issues on, and you each do a crit on it during the week. Seeing examples of crits would be nice.
Topic Idea: you each pick your favorite book and tell us why you love it, what you learned from it, etc. Or maybe just tell us what books we should read to get great examples from (other than your own, Anton).
Maybe I should just email ya'll... I could go on forever.
Sorry this is late... I'm playing catch-up.