Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw
I've been happy with the process, but I see the voter numbers have dropped off considerably since the excitement of NLBC's beginnings. Not sure what it means or what (if anything) we can do about it.
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Well, that's rather the elephant in the corner, isn't it?
My knee-jerk reaction is that while more voters would be excellent, it would only be if they stayed to discuss. Or, to put it another way, voting is the least important aspect of participation; people can suggest, nominate, talk about the books or anything else, that it's the conversation that matters, not the popularity contest.
We do discourage voting without a follow-through. Does that put people off? But the purpose of the club is to facilitate a discussion about books. Obviously we all read; this just gives a new and different and fun perspective to one book a month. A poll without a discussion is pointless. And, I'll make it explicit, it's frustrating for regular participants when they see an outcome has been determined by a vote or votes from people who (I hope) read along on their own, but who don't add to the chatter.
I'm glad this came up. One point I've been wanting to make is that regular participants shouldn't feel as if they can't vote because they can't commit to reading all the choices, for whatever reason. Far better for them to influence the outcome, ideally in the direction of something they
will read and discuss, than to opt out and end up on the sidelines for the month as a result. Commitment is important, but not if it results in less participation in a given month. Commitment should be seen as commitment overall. We've got a rule of thumb about not showing up for two discussions in close succession if you've voted, which should cover most situations.
But as for encouraging more participation? Any and all suggestions or comments are welcome. In any case, I hope people feel free to drop in when a book or a theme catches their fancy. Why not test the waters?