Kevin's Watch

The Kevin's Watch Book Club has been going for five months now, and I think it's time to seek some feedback on how it's working.

This thread is for you to let me know what you think is right or wrong about the way the Book Club is run. I've been doing this alone based on my own ideas, so hearing your thoughts should help it improve.

Particular areas I'd like to hear your feedback on:

• Frequency - We currently read one book a month. Does this work? Is it too much for members to keep up with regularly?
  Selection Process - The current model of nominations, then a 1-week poll, has been a little shaky with few people stepping up to suggest work. Is there a better way this could be run?
  Schedule - Could the current schedule (detailed below for reference) be improved? I'm particularly aware that postponing discussion to the end of the month might not be agreed with by all members.

Current Schedule:
1. We have most of the month to read whichever work has been selected; we also have this time in which to nominate works for future months.
2. On the penultimate Monday of the month, a poll is created with the current list of nominees. This poll runs for 7 days.
3. On the last Monday of the month, the discussion thread for the month's book opens, and the winner of the poll for the following month is declared.

I only just now realised I was a day late with everything this week. I blame the bank holiday.

First I want to thank you, Murrin, for setting up and running the KWBC. (I know you weren't fishing for praise but you deserve it ) I've enjoyed it a lot so far and I've read a number of books that I might otherwise never have got round to.

Personally I find the lag between the end of one discussion and the start of the next a bit long. That's more to point out that a book a month is probably about right and if it went longer than that people like myself might lose interest.

It might help a bit if the voting were open for two weeks rather than one (but that might be making more work for you).

As for nominations etc. I suppose that's down to interest, so beyond pimping the Book Club some more I'm not sure what can be done to improve participation in that.

That's all for now. If anything else occurs to me I'll post again.

u.

I don't think the nominations are particularly a problem, to be honest. I mean, more nominations jut means more books not being read each month, technically.

My thinking on discussion threads was to wait until everyone had had the time to read the work before starting. Is that unnecessary, do you think?

I think it's a good idea to give people a month to read a book; maybe if the discussion was opened up a bit earlier then people would be able to give their impressions right after they finished the book rather than waiting until the month is up.

u.

Since I've barely participated, I can't say much, but overall I think it is structured well. I did find myself waiting for the discussion to start though.

--A

Okay. I'll have a go starting discussion on the week before, when the poll goes up, see how that feels.