The "Discuss HBP as we go"-community idea.

[amanuensis1]

Ooh, I'm going to HAVE to do this if no one else does.

I want to start an lj community for July. July 16, of course.

I want there to be a community with a post for each chapter of Half-Blood Prince. As soon as we know the number of chapters, a post'll be set up for each one. Each chapter's post is for readers who've completed that chapter to come and comment: squee and bitch and argue and speculate. BUT--you may NOT post on that chapter's post if you've read any farther than that chapter. No go. It's only for the people who are that far and want to pause there for an unsuppressible "OMG!..." bit of nattering.

It goes without saying that everything behind the cut and in the comments would be hugely spoilery for everything up to that chapter. There'd need to be big huge warnings and repetitions of the guidelines all over each post.

See, I don't really want to read the book as fast as I can so that I can return to lj and discuss it with everyone. I want to discuss it as I GO. With you guys! Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this would be fun?

Comments

[violet_quill]

I think that's a great idea! It'll be like having you all with me in my living room as I read. :-D

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Runs the risk of people missing the "No spoilers beyond this point" and messin' up, but I think it might be worth a shot.

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that does sound fun! Though I'm not sure I'll have internet acess on July 16th, or even the book yet, since I'm flying back home from Halifax on the 17th. *grrr* I'll happily read the comm after the fact as well...

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

And here's what would work, if it goes the way I'd like it to: one can come to the posts even days later and participate. Because everyone on those posts would only be as far as you were at that point, and there'd be sure to be some traffic for a few days.

Would need careful monitoring to make sure wrongful spoilery posts don't get in or get deleted quick, but, still might work.

[melpemone.livejournal.com]

It's a completely brilliant idea, and if I could take part, I would. Except that if HBP is going to be anything like OotP, I'm going to read for 7 hours straight from beginning to end, then go and eat, and then completely fail to articulate my thoughts on the book for at least a couple of days. :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm sure there must be a huge number of read-straight-go-and-eat-fail-to-articulate 'ers joining you!

[mulberryfields.livejournal.com]

What a fab idea!

I would like to friend this journal (amanuensis1, that is - although the HBP one too). I didn't see any elaborate friending policy so I'm thinking it's fine, but if not could you just let me know in a reply to this comment? Thanks!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

You are extremely welcome to friend! You're right, I have no friending policy. (No interests listed, either. Just never have bothered!)

[jjtaylor.livejournal.com]

Sounds very fun! I tried to read only a chapter a day of OotP, and even then it went by in a rush. I think this would be a great way to make the book last.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I will STILL read it pretty quickly--but I'd love to have a few people "around" to stop with, every so often, to say, "squeeeeee can you believe THAT?" No one else I know in RL is going to cut it, not being fanatic enough.

[djin7.livejournal.com]

I'm a TOTAL spoilerWhore!
translated: will have book read within hours of getting it in my grubby fist.
But I'll still play, and re-read every chapter along with everyone. OOOh a book club!
*g*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, I will too! But such a community would be there for all those people who read like a demon, too--I'm sure there will be quite a number of those. Like you and me!

[still-emerald.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a wonderful way to prolong the experience. Especially for those like myself who tend to buy the books and power through them in two days. I would definately join!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, goody! I don't know how long I would prolong it for myself, more than a few hours, perhaps--but those would be crucial hours of fun, for me.

[maeglinyedi.livejournal.com]

I love the idea. Though, I do think it will be quite chaotic, as so many of us live in different timezones. Well, as long as all you Yanks don't mind being late to the party, it shouldn't be a problem. ;-)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Youuuuuu can get there first and tease us all when we show up! "What took you so long? I've known for hours the Half-Blood Prince was Justin Finch-Fletchley." ^_~

[pervert-bitch.livejournal.com]

That's the greatest idea since toilet paper!
Yay! Because when I was reading OOTP I was kind of depressed because everyone was talking about it but me 'cause the book fell into my hands days later (one of the many drawback of living in Latin America)... And I so wanted to talk about it but I would get spoiled... and yes, you take the meaning.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, I do! And I was kind of depressed (well, OotP did that to me anyway) because I had no one to talk about it as I went, because I didn't want to be spoiled and no one that I knew was reading at my pace.

[cluegirl.livejournal.com]

You're not.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yayyyyyyy! *glomps*

[bansheeqwn.livejournal.com]

Sound like a great idea...it would be a great opportunity to squeeee with fellow HP lovers. I personally don't have any friends who love it like I do and they just don't understand the excitement of reading a new HP book. I just hope that the UPS guy/lady doesn't take all day to get here like when OoTP came out...she kept me IMPATIENTLY waiting until 4pm last time!!!!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm going to the store at midnight AND I'm getting the deluxe edition from Amazon delivered, just in case! (But...the audio edition...what about the audio edition, I hear you cry?)

[ariadneelda.livejournal.com]

That's a great idea! I only hope I'll have the book in my hands on July 16... Or I won't even dare to go online out of fear of coming across spoilers.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I know, I had to go offline about 16 hours before the midnight release because I was starting to see hints of things. The potential for scary spoiler abuse with a community like this makes me nervous but I still think it'd be worth a shot.

[literaryll.livejournal.com]

I love that idea!! This will be my first book reading now that I know about fandom and I'm really looking forward to be able to discuss the book with other fans :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the toughest part was me telling my mom that I was going to be a bit of a basket case for a few days because of the death of a beloved character in the book I'd just read, and her tolerating it for a day but then pulling the "But it's just a BOOK, honey" on me not long after that. Fandom is your friend. ^_^

[http://users.livejournal.com/_outercourse/]

Squee! mama like! This is the first HP book I'll of read while into the fandom, and I'm anticipating the new fics almost as much as the new book.

...

almost.

I'm so glad I pre-ordered, unlike the other books. I would have had to ignore the internet for months.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I recall when I had GoF in my hands--this was before I was on the internet with fandom, and I left the book on my shelf for months, because I didn't want to read it and have it be OVER. Can't do that anymore! ^_^

[andreanna.livejournal.com]

That's brilliance! I make me more excited!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

*jumps about with you*

[moonanddogstar.livejournal.com]

My dear, you are a genius :D It would be fab to have somewhere to go to squee (or cry) as I'm reading! I shall be in the queue at midnight again. I can't wait.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, I HOPE it works out the way I want it to! Much error-potential but I'm going to see what I can think of to minimize that.

[starrysummer.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a great idea, though I'm not sure I'd take the time to participate when I could be reading the book. It'd be fun, but I am very impatient.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there will be much "Screw discussion, what HAPPENS??" frenzy propelling many of us on! ^_^

[gaeta.livejournal.com]

I love your idea and would definitely participate. I had wanted to have a live reading party, reading the book aloud in a group as they do Ulysses every June, but most of my friends will not tolerate such a slow pace. Then I thought of reading the book backward, but I probably won't pull that one. Your comm idea sounds just perfect to satisfy my communal needs, and what a great memento of the process it will make.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Your comment--and your icon!--summarizes exactly what I'm feelin'. *glomps*

[ex-ella-bane358.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a good idea, but I KNOW I'll read the book in one go. And then I'd be afraid to post because I might inadvertently spoil future chapters, because they'd blend together. But if the com does happen, I'll pop in to read everyone's squees:D

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the spoilery potential is there--if people have suggestions as to how that could be minimized, I'll be listening!

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

This is inspired! I hated feeling as though I had to sprint through things last time around so that I could get back to beloved LJ and not have anything spoiled. A chapter at a time is PERFECT; conversation will still be fresh but I won't have to stay up until the wee hours and make my head hurt Evelyn Woodsing through this long-awaited book! It'll help those of us who get a little muddled over details, too, because we won't have to digest the whole book at once and likely forget key points. Even idiots like me can remember the whys and wherefores of one bony chapter.

Hats off to ye!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, and yes. The sprinting of OotP seemed so wrong, and yet I didn't want to be away from Them As Love The Source Material (i.e. online fandom) for any longer than I had to!

[lunarennui.livejournal.com]

i would, darling one, but i read OOTP in a few hours and i don't doubt i'll do so with half-blood prince as well. i promise not to post and ruin it for everyone else though!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Will hold ya to that! *glares* *can't hold glare, collapses in giggles*

[lady-arrogance.livejournal.com]

That sounds great! But I fear that I get it too late, because my grandpa wants to present it to me and I have no idea if he a) remembers and b) has an idea about Amazon (yes he has internet)
Ant it's more than frustrating to watch into the comm while everything is discussed yet.
So if I get it in time I'd love to be with you so go on and create it *g*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Well-meaning Grandpas. Aren't they...difficult, sometimes? *giggles*

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

I'm in if you decide to set it up. :-)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'll be doing it. More later!

[shezan.livejournal.com]

Your are NOT the only one!

:)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

It looks like that's so, yayyy!

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

I love this and would join, and was also wondering, could we replicate the concept on fictionalley park, too? Lots of fapers don't lj....

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Heck, yes! Go for it!