Speculative Short Fiction Deserves Love discussion

Now that there are a lot of us, what would you like this group to do?

1) Organized discussions of classic stories?
2) Organized discussions of new stories?
3) Organized discussions of entire collections, magazine issues, or anthologies?
4) Discussions of issues and news related to short fiction?
5) Recommendations more than discussions?
6) Continue in a freewheeling "people bring up the stories they want to discuss" sort of way?
7) other?

I'd do this as a poll, but I think then I'd have to make the choices exclusive.

Mmmmm, I like 1), 2), 3), and 5). For the first 2 we could nominate and have a poll to choose new stories each month, perhaps split into short story, novelette and novella.

1), 2), 3), and 4.) are a good place to start for focus.

Organized is good. I like organized. Issues and news is interesting, and will probably be a fast-moving topic to keep people coming back regularly to see what's new.

I like 2,3,4 and 5. I tend to prefer newer SF and fantasy over older, so I probably won't have any interest in the classic discussions.

I'd suggest starting with 2, and possibly 1, because there's so much good stuff around that's easy to get at, and it's a lot easier to co-ordinate reading of a single story that isn't behind a paywall than a magazine or a collection. If the discussions get a bit of momentum going, it may be worth revisiting that. 4 and 5 are good too, but perhaps best brought up when someone thinks of something interesting rather than as a regular thing?

I wonder if there's a way to see or figure out what the groups who have more participation from their members do as opposed to those with, say, a lot of members but not a lot of activity? Might give some good ideas - if it's possible...

I would say 6. Especially for short fiction. There are so many places where short fiction can be found, from paper magazines to e-short stories from various sellers (like Amazon).

3's my favorite, just because I personally like seeing how groups of stories fit together, but also 2 & 4.

I've been really busy and fell down on the job of setting up polls. If anybody would like moderator powers to help organize group reads in a more timely fashion, let me know.

One thing this group has already done is get me to read more short fiction, so YAY and also thank you!

Bunny wrote: "One thing this group has already done is get me to read more short fiction, so YAY and also thank you!"

Yay and you're welcome!

New idea:

Would anyone be interest in volunteering to lead a discussion on one story one time? You pick the story (not a story you wrote), claim a week, provide a link if possible. No long term commitment, though of course we'd love to see you back for discussions of other stories.

Sarah wrote: "New idea:

Would anyone be interest in volunteering to lead a discussion on one story one time? You pick the story (not a story you wrote), claim a week, provide a link if possible. No long term ..."

Sure, and I have just the story, Ginny & The Ouroboros by Stephanie Lorée, in Urban Fantasy Magazine. Just read it and fell in love instantly.

Terry wrote: "Sure, and I have just the story, Ginny & The Ouroboros by Stephanie Lorée, in Urban Fantasy Magazine. Just read it and fell in love instantly. "

As Misha said: pick a week! I'll start a schedule in another thread.

If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly..

How's next week?

Terry wrote: "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly..

How's next week?"
Sounds good! I'll start the list. Thanks for stepping up.

Yay I love this idea. I volunteer as tribute.

So many stories I'd pick though. Ack. Um... ::sounds of thinking::

I'm very much looking forward to this. And now I'm off to read "Ginny & The Ouroboros".

Misha wrote: "Since we have a current story for the coming week, how about a classic for the following week starting March 15. I propose James Tiptree Jr.'s "Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death." It should be fa..."

Fantastic choice. I'll add that to the list!

I'm in, I'll think about a story and a time.

Bunny wrote: "I'm in, I'll think about a story and a time."

Thanks Bunny! Thanks, Misha!

I'd really like to see 3). I love reading anthologies, and I think they are really good for monthly book club reads because there's usually a lot of different things to discuss.

This underrated story has been on my mind since I briefly discussed it on the author's blog recently. I'd be curious to hear what others think about it so I'm volunteering to ask y'all a couple of questions about it at the earliest opportunity:
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/debod...
It's even freely available worldwide in audio format (thanks Clarkesworld!) so it's most accessible.

About anthologies, one intersting thing about topical anthologies is the ways in which different authors approached the topic.

Outis wrote: "This underrated story has been on my mind since I briefly discussed it on the author's blog recently. I'd be curious to hear what others think about it so I'm volunteering to ask y'all a couple of ..."

Thanks Outis - can I put you in for the next available week? I think it's two weeks from today.

Sure. Pick whatever week you think is best.

Outis wrote: "Sure. Pick whatever week you think is best."

I'll slot your choice in! Thanks for participating.

I'd be interested in leading discussion on "Meet the President," by Zadie Smith--I feel like there's a lot to chew on in that story, and also meta-discussion to be had about impressions of genre.

Misha wrote: "Oooh. I haven't read that story yet, but I'm definitely interested in that meta-discussion."

It's a good story! And yeah: what makes some sci fi acceptable in the New Yorker? Is it just being written by a famous author? Or is there something objectively identifiable other than that?

But there's lots to say about the story beyond that. I've been looking for people to talk to about it.

Francesca wrote: "Misha wrote: "Oooh. I haven't read that story yet, but I'm definitely interested in that meta-discussion."

It's a good story! And yeah: what makes some sci fi acceptable in the New Yorker? Is it j..."

That's always an interesting discussion, and I've read Zadie Smith's novels but not her short stories, so I'm intrigued.

Would you be okay with March 29-April 4?

Yes, I'll mark it down!

Francesca wrote: "Yes, I'll mark it down!"

Thank you for volunteering!

Sarah wrote: "Francesca wrote: "Yes, I'll mark it down!"

Thank you for volunteering!"

Thank *you* for coming up with this great idea!

Francesca wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Francesca wrote: "Yes, I'll mark it down!"

Thank you for volunteering!"

Thank *you* for coming up with this great idea!"

Ideas are easy. The part I'm absolutely ecstatic about is that y'all are volunteering to lead discussion. And making really intriguing choices, too.

By my count, so far we have:
-a new story by a new author in a new magazine
-a classic story by a classic author
-a new(ish) story by a neopro/recently-established author in an established SF mag
-a new(ish) story by a not-usually-genre big name author in a big name not-usually-genre magazine

What a great mix.

I'd like to volunteer to do a discussion of "The Horrid Glory of its Wings" by Elizabeth Bear (http://www.tor.com/stories/2009/12/th...) sometime in the future. I'm pretty much good whenever we have a new slot available.

~Geektastic~ wrote: "I'd like to volunteer to do a discussion of "The Horrid Glory of its Wings" by Elizabeth Bear (http://www.tor.com/stories/2009/12/th...) sometime in the future. I'm pretty m..."

Wonderful! How about the week that starts April 5th?

Sarah wrote: " ~Geektastic~ wrote: "I'd like to volunteer to do a discussion of "The Horrid Glory of its Wings" by Elizabeth Bear (http://www.tor.com/stories/2009/12/th...) sometime in th..."

Sounds good to me

Lots of material is available somewhere on the Internet. There is however the matter of copyright which is often a problem for old stories. And the two links above look suspicious from that perspective...
Perhaps there should be a group policy about such matters.

That sounds like an interesting discussion Misha, I'd be in for it.

They are both links from University archives (Transart is an MFA/PhD fine arts program)

Misha wrote: "Any legal repercussions for copyright violations fall on the people who posted the material"
I'm afraid that's not necessarily the case.

I'm not personally concerned, seeing that I live in a country which has halfway reasonable laws. But most people who post here do not...

I am not concerned, as this clearly falls under non commercial use for the purpose ot literary criticism in the jurisdiction in which I live. If others are concerned they are of course at liberty to not participate in the discussion, to purchase books that contain the stories in question, or to write to the universities which posted these stories to inquire what licencing arrangements they have with the estates of the deceased authors.

So. Moving on.

I'm fine with it. The Veldt is also in The Illustrated Man, if anyone doesn't want to use that link for whatever reason. I don't think there are many libraries that don't have copies of The Illustrated Man.

It also appears in The Vintage Bradbury, American Gothic Tales (ed. Joyce Carol Oates), 18 Greatest Science Fiction Stories, Ray Bradbury Stories Vol. 1, and the Stories of Ray Bradbury -- all in print within the last five years.

The Ballard isn't as widely anthologized, but I'm comfortable with people choosing to read that link or seek out the story, for all the reasons Bun and Misha and Geektastic specified.

Misha wrote: "How about we schedule The Veldt/The Thousand Dreams of Stellavista for the week starting May 3? I think one week is sufficient for the discussion, and that gives anyone who is interested plenty of ..."

Sounds good to me.

I will volunteer to lead a discussion of Kij Johnson's "26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss" any time except the week beginning Sun April 26.

http://www.kijjohnson.com/26_monkeys.htm

Bunny wrote: "I will volunteer to lead a discussion of Kij Johnson's "26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss" any time except the week beginning Sun April 26.

http://www.kijjohnson.com/26_monkeys.htm"

How about April 12-18?
Also ::SWOON:: good story choice.

April 12-18 will work! I'm in. And thanks.

I'm in! :)

I'm in

I'm up for it. Had just put this one on my reading list!

Yay!