Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Ponderings

So, I was thinking about creating a new website, but I have no idea how I would go about it, so I decided to do some research. Creating the site should be no problem. Content should be okay. I'm just worried about the security and how to order the content (through a database and all) and whether or not it is a feasible idea.

Basically, I want to start a site for aspiring authors to put their works in progress on. These works can then be read, edited by their piers, and so forth, so that they can get their works 1. seen and 2. off the ground and running so that they have a better chance of being published in the future. The basic plan is to get a few authors to submit their work, read over it, edit it, make suggestions, and then have the other authors on the site do the same. Basically I want to form a compendium of authors that work together to better themselves as authors and help one another out when needed.

What do you all think? And I want your honest opinions.

8 comments:

DaddyMan said...

It's a good idea in theory, but I don't think this would work for actual publication because of your primary concern, security. They all might be works in progress, but it's really easy to "borrow" information now days, and it's reasons why a lot of published authors refuse to read submitted works or fan fiction.

I know of a couple message boards where people post snippits to get comments, but the longer the post, the less and less it gets read.

Still, you might find some traffic (and good reading!), but it might take some time before you get some good honest submissions in.

Degolar said...

I don't know about open editing of each other's work--a joint authorship, so to speak. Suggestions and creative criticism, perhaps. Writing is a very personal thing and any kind of criticism, no matter how helpful, can be hard to swallow. I've seen it in a creative writing class in college. So I like the idea, but it would need to be carried out very carefully. It could be a very good learning tool, though.

scott said...

That sounds like a nice idea. You might look around other messageboard-type sites and say that you're looking to start some sort of collaborative process. And interested parties should email you. Also, you might look into something called the "Creative Common License". Good luck!

Leelu said...

Sounds a bit like plagarism waiting to happen, as Mr. Pamphlet has said. Still, I'd be willing to see what would happen, if you want to go through with it.

Hadrian said...

Yes, intellectual property theft would be your biggest concern. I think the only way around it would be a registration system that would require 1)real names and 2)some sort of legal agreement. Much like when you have to agree to the software license anytime you install something on your hard drive-- just a click through, not something that people would actually have to sign.

David Crowe said...

Yeah, but do you think anyone would participate with all the red tape?

asdfasdfadfasd said...

I think that without the red tape no one would be willing to take the risks involved to participate.

Hadrian said...

Yeah, what gobula said. The red tape is their enticement to participate, otherwise it simply isn't worth the risk.