Discussion → This will die on the vine ...

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Mar 27, 02:34pm

  
  

  ... if you let it. I see we have 31 members here, but I dont know how many of the 31 committed to sending Ann their data. Either way, it's not enough.

  I've seen 'action groups' of all kinds form and fall away. I see local writers' groups form and founder.

  There's two possible reasons why this WAG 'movement' is not moving right now:

  1. It's too vague.
  2. People don't understand what it is.

  Now, those two points may sound redundant, but they're not. They are bound in a cause/effect relationship, but they are not the same.

  In order for an organization to be successful, it requires two things:

  1. A leader.
  2. A compelling reason to exist.

  As for leadership ... you can't have a leader without a group to lead. When you have a viable group, leaders come forward and you have nominations and an election. I'm making a lot of noise here and elsewhere, but I am not your leader ... cheerleader maybe, but not your leader.

  As to the WAG raison d'etre, when I began talking about these ideas three or four threads ago (and I'm sure it must have been asked in the past by others), I was amazed at how controversial the idea of writers making maoney could be, drawing passionate objections. My point throughout has been that writers deserve to get paid for their work and that circumstances do not currently favor that hypothesis. It's as though the idea of writers making money is somehow profane. I don't think it is, personally. I think we have a compelling reason to exist as a group. That's only one aspect of the purpose for WAG as you can see in the opinions voiced here and elsewhere.

  So what's the plan? How do we change things?

  There's two ways (forgive me for all this list making. I can't seem to help myself):

  1. Writers interested in self-determination for self-benefit and writers who want to elevate the standing and standards of their art for its own sake can join together in "a coherent web organization for writers across genres." That would be WAG. We've adequately covered what that means, or could mean, in terms of a vision and thrust for action.

  2. Writers interested in self-determination for self-benefit (i.e. compesation for their work beyond abstracts such as recognition, 'cultural capital,' etc.) (i.e. cash) could band together commercially, delegate, design, research and develop ... collectively ... a new force in the publishing industry, one that combines the once successful practices of print publishing, methods that actually benefitted both the writer and the art ... with new opportunities in emerging technology. When writers work together to share the effort involved ... join together in order to establish a credible commercial publishing force in the marketplace, then those writers will have access into the marketplace for their work and ... more time to write, simultaneously.

  If the first effort falls on its face because of, say, apathy, I for one would be willing to work with others on the second. Maybe you feel the same. If so ... "Call me. Let's do lunch."

  Either way, serious results require serious people. If you want WAG to succeed nobody can do it alone. Regardless, you have to DO something. If nothing else, show up here with an opinion and a presence ... AND tell more people about it.

  If you're not interested enough to show up and have a voice, who's going to be interested in joining with you?

  I thank everyone who has shared their thoughts and ideas, made an effort. I'm spending way too much time on this and need to get back to my writing ... I'll yield the floor now and see who'll step up.

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• 
  J. Mykell Collinz

  Mar 27, 09:18pm

  
  

  How to cultivate readers who are willing to pay?

  Quoting from a famous editor: "perseverance, application, industry, assiduity, will, will, will, desire, desire, desire."

  Can general public awareness of literature be increased through various forms of publicity and advertising, like any other product? Can segments of society be specifically targeted, using websites, blogs, and social media networking? I think yes to both.

  Of course, we'll need leadership to accomplish that. And money.

  Thanks, James, for everything you've done so far. I know you'd rather be working on your writing.

  And thanks to Fictionaut for supplying this platform.

  Can Fictionaut, like Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, attract hundreds of millions of active users and still function as a community of writers? How should money be collected and distributed?

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