Classics for Beginners discussion

So here are some of the things that need doing, I'll try and be as clear as possible so those of you who are not sure about how to do things will find it easy.

Monthly Group Reads
We have a group read starting on the 1st of every month. I make a nomination thread first:

1. Click 'new' which is on the right of a beige coloured banner across the top of the group page just above the 'introductions' thread.
2. Make the title something like 'June nominations'
3. Choose the folder 'upcoming reads'.
4. Post the rules which are as follows:

Nomination Rules
1. One nomination per person.
2. Classic books only.
3. No book from an author who we have read either in the last 10 group reads or the last 10 tri monthly read.

It's up to you to judge when to stop nominations and when you do make sure to put a post that you are making the poll so no more nominations. If you want you can close the post by going on the page then at the top next to the title it says '(edit)' click that then there is a box to tick saying stop new posts. Also after the poll is over I just delete the thread by going the the edit again then delete topic.

Next you need to make the poll:

1. Click on 'polls' which should be on the far right of the group no matter what page of the group you're on.
2. Once clicked the new page shows a 'create a poll' under the previously clicked 'poll' button.
3. Set the question as 'vote for our June read' etc.
4. In the answer section I click 'add book' next to the answer boxes and add the books. If you need more answer spaces click 'add answer' which is just under the answer boxes. Make sure to familiarise yourself with the last 10 group read authors and Trimonthly read authors as rule three is often broken so it's best to check rather than assume nominees have checked.
5. I usually tick the 'order answers randomly' box but you don't have to.
6. Start the poll at whatever day it currently is and end it in at least five days time. The important thing is to have the poll end in time to give members a whole month to acquire the next group read so on the 1st of the month prior to the start at the latest. This will mean you need to time the nomination thread accordingly too.
7. Click 'feature this poll on group homepage'
8. Click save and you're done!

Trimonthly Group Reads
Pretty much the same as the monthly group reads.

The times are this:
1st January - 31st March
1st April - 30th June
1st July - 30th September
1st October - 31st December

Also there is one other rule for this:
1. Books must be at least 800 pages long.
(Do just have a quick check for each of the books that they meet all the criteria before putting in the poll)

Adding a Book to the Group Bookshelf
So once the poll has ended and you know what book has been chosen it's time to add it to the group bookshelf.

1.Click on 'bookshelf' on the far right of the group.
2. On the far left there is a small search box so type the book in here.
3. Press 'add to group' at the side of the one you want.
4. Click 'choose shelves' and out it on 'to read'.
5. Set the start and finish reading dates.
6. Choose discussion folder as 'group read' or 'Trimonthly group read'.
7. If you want to be the discussion leader put yourself, but I generally leave it blank.
8. Click save group book.

The Start of a Group Read
At the beginning of the month the group read which has been read and finished will automatically be moved to 'read' but for some reason the 'to read' doesn't automatically change to 'currently reading' so you have to do it yourself and here's how:

1. Click on 'bookshelf' at the right of the group.
2. Next to the desired book click the 'edit' on the right.
3. Change shelf from 'to read' to 'currently reading'

It is possible and likely that goodreads developers will make this Happen Automatically sometime so I don't think this will be needed for long.

Also on the group homepage the welcome message at the top has what we are currently reading and this needs to be changed automatically:

1. Just under where it says what we are currently reading and the group synopsis it says 'group info' click this then click the small grey 'edit' which appear to the right.
2. Simply change the bit of the description to the current group read.

You also need to make the topic for the book discussion to take place:
Basically same process as making the nomination thread but choose the correct folder as 'group read' or 'Trimonthly group read'. I tend to make a few days before the start but not always (if I forget!).

Other Duties
Just generally keep the group going. Welcome new members, make topics if people want one or suggest something, make new topics that you have thought of yourself.

If you need another moderator (though there are a few of you I guess you'll be ok) just add one by doing this:
1. Click on 'members' at the right of the group.
2. Find the member you want to make moderator.
3. Click 'make moderator' on the right next to their details.

If you are standing down as moderator:
1. Click on 'members' at right of group.
2. Click on 'moderator' tab.
3. Click 'remove as moderator'

You can do this yourself or get another moderator to do it for you.

I think that's it. Let me know if there's anything you need to know or discuss amount yourselves. Feel free to make changes to the group....

Could you tell us who agreed to be moderators?

I opted in...

So did I.

So we can look to finding a group read for August plus a the tri monthly , last quarter, to start in October?

I don't see the July group read. How early should we start the voting? I would assume the tri-monthly book voting should be about two months before October? That would be July.

I could start the nominations for the July group read. When would be a good time?

I guess keep it near the scheduled read date to keep the interest fresh? (a couple weeks before sound good?) I am more focused on the mechanics of the process. Nicole outlined the procedure. I believe we have at least a month to think about the next nominations.

Gone With the Wind is listed for July. 1k+ pages, looks like a Trimonthly read.

I have to have exact dates to work with. I will put the dates in my calendar so I won't forget.

We need time to get nominations (about 1 1/2 weeks) and then time to vote (1 week). Nicolle says we need to have the reading decided a month before it begins.

Gone with the Wind is the trimonthly book beginning in July. We also need a monthly read for July. I will set up a nominating thread tomorrow for the July nominations unless there are any objections or suggestions.

I was wondering if we could have monthly themes and nominate books based on that. Examples would be a dystopian classic or a classic written by a woman, a play, etc. Any thoughts?

Themes sound interesting.

Became interested in Hemingway. Thinking a tropical theme - The book club is a step ahead of me. (Hemingway is already on the upcoming reads.)

Plays good idea too. Would be encouraging to do as a group. We have done seasonal. Halloween, Christmas. How about "most favorite classroom read" or children's literature? Fairy Tales, Some of the classic children stories I find fascinating and they are typically easy to read.

☯Emily has reviews on Booklikes wrote: "I was wondering if we could have monthly themes and nominate books based on that. Examples would be a dystopian classic or a classic written by a woman, a play, etc. Any thoughts?"

I think I asked people and they weren't sure they liked the idea...whenever I come up with a new idea I post a poll asking group members if they like it so you should do that before making major changes...just ask something like

'do you want our monthly reads to have themes? E.g. Plays ...etc?
1. Yes
2. No

Danielle has also agreed to mod and Sunny. :)

I forgot to say about inviting members to vote on a poll, as if you don't they will most likely not vote.

I will post later today when I have more time.

Nicolle wrote: "I forgot to say about inviting members to vote on a poll, as if you don't they will most likely not vote.

I will post later today when I have more time."

Yes, I will do that. I am in another group where they post polls on the 15th of the month, but don't announce it. I never remember to vote!

Inviting Group Members to Polls

So you've made a poll, now it's time to invite group members. For some reason this (unless I've been doing it wrong the whole time) you have to do multiple times as you can only send 1000 invitations which is so weird as you can 'broadcast a message' to all members with just one click.

Once you've made the poll you will be transferred to the invite page automatically.

1. Make sure the tab is on 'group members' (which is will likely be).
2. There's a little box to the right which says 'selecting friends' and the box will be set to 'custom' change this to 'all'.
3. Now just under the box with the group members list are page numbers so go onto page 2.
4. Again change 'custom' to 'all'.
5. Keep doing this until you have selected 1000 members i.e. 10 pages.
6. Press 'invite' at the bottom.

Now you have to remember to come back in a few hours or the next day and go to page 11 and start another 1000 invites. If someone has already voted it won't invite them. With the amount of members in the group it usually takes 3 sessions of invites to get everyone. I once forgot the last session and I got messages from some people who were upset they didn't know a poll was going on as they didn't get invited.

Just remembered something else. I keep the latest three group reads stuck to the top of the group reads. When you make the new topic for the next group read once you have made it:

1. Click 'edit' next to the topic title.
2. Then click the 'mark topic as important' box.

Then you will have to unstick the group read which is at the bottom of the (now four) sticky reads. Basically the same but untick the box.

Whew! That's a lot of information. I'll digest and see what I can do to help this weekend.

Should we draw up a schedule for who's doing what each month? It would be easier for me if I know when I'm on duty for specific tasks.

☯Emily has reviews on Booklikes wrote: "I was wondering if we could have monthly themes and nominate books based on that. Examples would be a dystopian classic or a classic written by a woman, a play, etc. Any thoughts?"

I like the idea of themes.

Danielle The Book Huntress (Angels Weep For Goodreads) wrote: "Should we draw up a schedule for who's doing what each month? It would be easier for me if I know when I'm on duty for specific tasks."

I agree that it is easier to have a specific duty at a specific time. I set up a nomination thread for the July read. Should we set up a schedule?

Remember to "stick" the group reads and "unstick" old ones.

Who wants to do this next month?

I think a schedule is a good idea.

I'd be willing to start a thread for a schedule.

I started a new schedule thread here:



https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Have we decided what we are doing for the Tri-Monthly group reads starting in July? Should I create a discussion thread for it?

Gone with the Wind was the selection. I assume the discussion threads will go up in July unless people are reading it in June. I will actually start reading it this month, but I don't know about anyone else.

Danielle The Book Huntress (Angels Weep For Goodreads) wrote: "I started a new schedule thread here:



https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."

Thanks.

☯Emily has reviews on Booklikes wrote: "Gone with the Wind was the selection. I assume the discussion threads will go up in July unless people are reading it in June. I will actually start reading it this month, but I don't know about ..."

Thanks for the information. Are you cool with setting up the discussion threads?

Do you mean for Gone with the Wind or every month?

☯Emily has reviews on Booklikes wrote: "Do you mean for Gone with the Wind or every month?"

I was referring to Gone With the Wind. No pressure. I won't be participating, so it might be easier for someone who is doing the read.

Okay. I will be gone some of the summer, but I think I can set a thread up in between those times.

We should be setting up a thread for nominations for the August reading.

☯Emily has reviews on Booklikes wrote: "Okay. I will be gone some of the summer, but I think I can set a thread up in between those times."

That's great, thanks!

I did some moderator stuff tonight, Good we cover for each other. Let me know if there are any mistakes...
thanks !

Thanks, Joseph. I'm about to create the September nomination thread. Let me know if I forgot something.

I updated the list of group reads. Please check to see if I missed a newer read, so I can add it to the list. Thanks!