Hi Folks. It's your friendly neighborhood R&BL series editor aravir. It has become clear that there is not sufficient interest in the writing exercise series Cavalcade of Words to justify continuing the series. The fact that there is already an outstanding Readers & Book Lovers writing series, Write On!, edited by a professional writer (Sensible Shoes), mitigates my regret. By all means, if you enjoy writing or reading, pop over to Write On! on Thursday nights around 8PM.
I believe the key to a decent series is reader/writer participation. The folks reading should feel motivated to "own" the series, and participate actively.
So, the next question is what kind of series can we do to attract readership and participation? A few ideas, and a poll, below the fold.
The first, and most obvious choice would be mystery. There must be a host of mystery readers at DK, and my experience with mystery readers (like my mom) is that they are fierce fans of the genre. I am not in that category myself, although it is fair to say that I have orbited that sun from time to time. Read all the classics (Doyle, Christie, etc.), and have read a few of the new classics (Mosley, Burke, Hillerman, etc.). Are you a mystery buff? Would you be interested in actively participating (commenting and writing) in a mystery series at Readers and Book Lovers?
Then there is romance. I'm not talking about Jane Austen, I'm talking about bodice-ripping, Fabio-covered romance. I haven't read it in years, but there was a long period in my early to late 20s where I tore through this stuff. Many folks won't admit to liking this genre, but it has a fiercely loyal following. Admit it, revel in it. Would you be interested in actively participating (commenting and writing) in a romance series at Readers and Book Lovers?
This is a political forum, filled with politically minded activists. Is there an appetite for a discussion of political writing? Could be classic or classical, fiction or non-fiction: Euripides, Orwell, Machiavelli, Castiglione, Dewey, Koestler, Carter, etc. Do you have a favorite writer on political matters? Is there something political which you believe everyone should read? Would you be interested in actively participating (commenting and writing) in a political series at Readers and Book Lovers?
Maybe it's not politics per se which moves you. Maybe it's history. Of course, as Santyana's alleged quote infers, lack of historical perspective can taint current political action. Do you wish more folks actually knew what happened, and do you wish to draw conclusions based on that desire. Would you be interested in actively participating (commenting and writing) in a political series at Readers and Book Lovers?
How do you feel about environmental issues? There are dozens of writers who have travelled that territory with eloquence. Mowat, Carsons, and Abbey come immediately to mind. Do you feel that environmental literature should be championed here? Would you be interested in actively participating (commenting and writing) in an environmental series at Readers and Book Lovers?
I could go on and on, but I don't wish to overwhelm you. If you can think of another genre you would love to see highlighted, choose "Other" on the poll, and elaborate in your comments. Remember, this is not a passive poll. I want you to champion a series that you will be willing to participate in.
Note: I know this is unusual, but if anyone out there is a Rescue Ranger, please consider whether this is a diary which could benefit from CS traction. The more participants we get, the better.