The Book Project - Discuss, Anticipate, Collaborate here

[KittyHawk]

It's great to see our "tiny little book thread" geetting a little more attention, as well as blessings from Peteinportland. That makes me know that this is more than just a kooky little idea and will really come to fruition!

Several of you have mentioned the scarey notion of publishing personal stories without the author's permission. No one - NO ONE - intends for that to happen and, in fact, one of our early tasks should be to set up a process or system for securing permission from authors, asking if they want to remove any identifying or too personal information in their existing storires, then seeing if they're OK with the resulting edited version. I would think some legal eagles would know how to go about this so that no one ends up unhappy with the finished product. We certainly don't want to embarrass or even surprise anyone with the stories in the book.

I also like the idea of letting folks know about the project and asking them to let us know if they think their own stories might be a valuable part of the book. Self-selection would give us a very good start with personal stories. 

So glad to see all of your input, everyone! Keep the ideas coming!

KittyHawk - feeling much more optimistic about this project now   

[Poohbunn]

I'd love to help.  Even if you don't need a story from me, I can type and have experience in working with lengthy manuscripts for publication.

Pooh

[Vicky0uk]

I agree that the self-selection idea is a great one.

I bet we'd get more than enough material using that method and it relieves hours and hours of work for editors searching for stories and perhaps wasting time if they don't manage to secure permissions.

It might too narrow on its own tho.  I worry about the posters who moved us deeply long ago but didn't become regular visitors.  There may be some detective work necessary to try to get their attention again and seek permissions.

Any thoughts on this challenge?

Well I think we rise to it

If we can't track down these posters, then it will just have to be one of those things.......and after all if people investigate the forum then they will read the posts anyway

[Alan Brazil]

Really this is a project very good e seryously to writer a book!!!!!
It is the moment to search by historys in everywhere of the world!!!

[KittyHawk]

I agree that the self-selection idea is a great one.

I bet we'd get more than enough material using that method and it relieves hours and hours of work for editors searching for stories and perhaps wasting time if they don't manage to secure permissions.

It might too narrow on its own tho.  I worry about the posters who moved us deeply long ago but didn't become regular visitors.  There may be some detective work necessary to try to get their attention again and seek permissions.

Any thoughts on this challenge?

Well I think we rise to it

If we can't track down these posters, then it will just have to be one of those things.......and after all if people investigate the forum then they will read the posts anyway

I like a combination of strategies. Start with self-selection. Take a look at what we get that way, then fill in with categories or important types of stories that are missing. Also, those of us who work on this project may have some favorite stories that we've found that are particularly powerful or moving. I know I have two that stick in my mind. You know, we will probably have many more stories than we have room to publish. Then the REALLY tough job will be cutting!

[Brokaholic]

I like a combination of strategies. Start with self-selection. Take a look at what we get that way, then fill in with categories or important types of stories that are missing. Also, those of us who work on this project may have some favorite stories that we've found that are particularly powerful or moving. I know I have two that stick in my mind. You know, we will probably have many more stories than we have room to publish. Then the REALLY tough job will be cutting!

Awesome, I think we are getting to some concensus here. maybe we can get Pete or Greg to help us set up the self selection thread in this part of the forum were it would be prominent.

In the mean time lets read through posts and start contacting members sending them PM that we like their essay and they should look into re-writing it or reposting it in the self selection thread.

First we have to to figure out a catching name for the thread that conveys what we are trying to do..
Any suggestions?

[KittyHawk]

I have experience as a writer and as an editor, and I'm willing to help out if needed.  But for the moment, some other issues need a closer look.

Who will publish the book?  How many copies should be printed?  How should the book be sold?

How many pages should it run?

How will it be financed?  Could the money left over from the ad campaign be used, the reason being that this is promotion?

Who will buy the book?

Does anyone have an idea for an outline at this point?  A preface?  An index?

Should it include photos?  What kind of grapics are needed?

What original writing will be needed?

How would the editors and writers coordinate this project?

Besides these questions, what to include in such a book needs some attention.  If all the posts on the forum were to be printed out,  that would run thousands of pages.  If the content of the forum consists of 5,000 pages, as an example, and a 500 page book is being considered, then around 90% of the posts have to be winnowed.  This may mean dropping entire threads, or creating a "miscellaneous" chapter devoted to stray posts that were nevertheless attention-grabbing. 

Because of this constraint, the chapters would need to deal with the threads most relevant to the Brokeback Mountain  experience.  That would mean extra editorial attention to threads like "How Brokeback Mountain Affected Me (you, personally)."   Other threads, like "Jake's Eyelashes," would have to be ignored altogether, or dissected in the miscellaneous posts chapter. 

Once the general picture of the book is clearer, it will be possible to deal with the specifics.

Before we start gathering too much material, I think we need to see if we can answer some of TexRob's questions that he posted a while ago. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

I'm afraid if we just start gathering material immediately, we'll be overwhelmed - there's SO MUCH good stuff here - so wouldn't it be more efficient to get some sort of structure first?

You all tell me if I'm wrong. I'm just an amateur dabbling in an area where I have NO expertise! But I usually don't let that stop me!   

[KittyHawk]

I am not a writer- I sometimes wonder if I have a creative gene in my body- but may I suggest a format for the book?


                                       1. Intro- by Annie Proulx if possible
                                       2. Synopsis of storie/movie)benefit to those who have neither seenmovie nor read short story
                                       3. Comments by those involved in short story/movie
                                       4. Reaction to same via comments/stories listed here and elsewhere
                                           This would be the heart of the book
                                       5. Index of resources available for guidence
                                       6. "epilogue" by Dave as he is responsible for all of this

As I think about it perhaps Dave should do the Intro and Maybe Annie could write a summary or epilogue tying it all together.

...

 I have even thought of a title as dumb as it may sound.--
          BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN-OUT FROM THE SHADOWS OF THE MOUNTAIN
                                                    STORIES OF HOPE   
Thanks for taking the time to read this and allowing me to make a suggestion.I sure wish you guys all the success possible.         

Here's a first take on an outline for the book, thanks to pvjohn. Thanks, pv, or should it be thanks, john??
Anyone else have suggestions or additional ideas?

[sherryfair]

I would not want to place the burden on Annie Proulx of having to write an essay for this book. She is involved in her own projects, and to me they are precious. I would notify her it was being done & go ahead with the book. If she wanted to offer a few comments as an epilogue, that would be fine.     

1. Intro by Dave Cullen: His own personal experience & obsession with the movie (his experience may epitomize & serve as template for other experiences
2. An account of the forum's founding & setup, told in the form of an interview or dialogue w/ mods & founding members
3. Stories from forum members, excerpted. Perhaps arranged by theme. Maybe five or six overarching themes.
4. A nonfiction article about "Brokeback Mountain" cultural effect & reception -- dating from its theatrical release to DVD release. More like a news story charting the zeitgeist, the cartoons, the tribute videos, the TV show mentions, etc.  Might also quote from major reviews. [Permissions involved there.]
5. Soliciting someone from Focus -- probably James Schamus -- or Diana Ossana -- preferably both -- to talk about what it was like AFTER the film was released (so that the tale picks up from the previous book) and what their experiences were in promoting, picking up awards, dealing with media & etc. [This is questionable -- they may want their own book or article, and may choose to remain unaffiliated with a fan site.]
Back Matter
4. Index of resources
5. Synopsis of story and movie
6. Annie's Rant, maybe -- or not ;-) [Permissions involved there.]

[Brokaholic]

These are all nice Idea and we should be coming up with them and making notes but before we start arranging the book's outline we have to know what material we have.

I don't think we can decide now whether this is to be a 100page versus 250 page book.

I support collecting all material possible, including an Essay from Dave ( if he can find the time..Gosh I feel so sorry for him sometimes) One thing I would like to point out is that while Dave is a fan, BBM is not his favorite movie, I think he has it at number 5 on his blog if I remember correctly.

I am sure Annie Proulx  will write an essay for us if we can get in touch with her and get her involved. She loved this movie with passion. She stood up for BBM even at the risk of being deemed a sore loser. I wonder why the media used that phrase, it is not as if she herself would have gotten an Oscar. OK I am  digressing here.

My point is that instead of having a preconceived outline and then finding material to fit the concept lets gather the material and then build the concept for the book around it. 
 
Back to creating a thread to gather posts...any suggestions for a tittle or a catch phrase.

[aevkc]

I don't know if we already have a publisher in mind for the book, but I'd be willing to talk to my uncle about it.  His name is Ron Turner and he is the owner/founder of Last Gasp publishing in San Francisco.  They started as a comic book publishing house years ago (Zippy the Pinhead, Crumb, etc.) but now publish all sorts of books.  I'd be happy to talk to him about this book once we have the basics nailed down if you'd like for me to do that.  Amy

[Brokaholic]

On thing though that we do have to address is who will buy this book?

Who is our target audience? ... you mean..... besides Brokehalics, right?

My take is it has to be a book that years from now you could teach a sociology class from.

I am sorry to say this but the only people intrested in a book about how the moderators got this site running and what this movie meant to the producers of BBM is me, you and the other brokaholics out there.

Lets face it, this is not going to be the book inspiring people to see the movie it will be the movie that will inspire people to read the book looking for the anwsers that we came to this forum to find.  This book should be just that; a reflection of the emotional turmoil that is shared by all viewers, both the hope and the despiar.

It should also contain some of the detailed insightful posts about the caracters and movie scenes.

Lastly this book should contain some post that attest to the injustice Gay people still face. Let us never forget Mattew was killed in wyoming not in 1963, not in 1983 but in our own era, 2 years after Annie published her short story.

We have the opportunity to send a message, of comfort to the distraught, of hope for the eternal optimists (like myself) and of surport for those making the hard desicions about themselves.

and last but not the least we have the message of change; if you are appalled that people have to live thier lives in such fear and hypocrisy guess what? That has not changed..... but, guess what? We can make it change, we can fix it! You, me and everyone that watches BBM or reads our book
 

[sherryfair]

It's film history that I am interested in.
Not so much inspirational stuff, though I am fascinated by peoples' stories always.

This is a landmark film for many reasons.
I want to know why they decided NOW was the time, in 2005, to release such a film. It took eight years to get it together, why did it finally happen now?
I'm interested in how & why Focus chose to do a slow, platform release as they did. They said in the beginning that they really targeted gay markets, then went after women to increase audience & box office take.
I want to know whether Focus was bombarded with hearing from fans ... what made them set up the "share your story" section on their Web site, for instance. You don't usually see that with movies.
I want to know if they are still getting e-mails, cards & letters from people supporting the film.
And also, how they dealt with all the publicity, the late-night comedy jokes, the parodies, the tributes, & etc.
Also, I wonder what is going on there in the aftermath of the Academy Awards best picture snub.
They were in the center of the storm, so I am curious about what insights they have to offer.

[maturben]

Kittyhawk---I'm baack.  Not that I really ever left, but have been swept up in other threads.  I used to teach English and proof reading is an area in which I think I could help the most.  Will tell you right off that I will be doing a little traveling this spring/summer tho'--Wiiliamsburg/Hilton Head (late April/early May); Chicago/ Mackinac Island (early June);  BBM BBQ in San Antonio(August).  Also my computer skills are rather basic, but I do have a printer and scanner.
Bob

[TexRob]

Hi all --

I'd like to mention again that the volume of posts runs into the thousands of pages.  The question is not going to be what to put into the book, but how to retrieve and edit down the posts to fit any book.  As it stands, nearly 90% of the posts on the forum may need to be left out due to space considerations.

As a result it's worth saying again that the outline of the book will have to follow themes, not threads.  Until the ad campaign is done and the hosts can look at the big picture issues here, such as the size of the book, it's advisable not to commit to a single course of action.

In a project like this, one of the first steps is the book outline.  For a 450-page book, the outline might look something like this:


I.    Table of Contents
II.   Preface
III.  Introduction
IV.  Chapters
      A. The Uniqueness of Brokeback Mountain
      B.  Fans' Reactions
      C.  Audience and Friends' Reactions
      D.  Women and Brokeback Mountain
      E.  Gays and Brokeback Mountain
      F.  Characters in the Movie
      G.  Scene-by-scene Commentary
      H.  International Posters
       I.  The Art and Symbolism of the Movie
       J.  Brokeback Humor
       K.  Miscellaneous Posts
V.    Afterward
VI.   Posters' Biographies
VII.  Index


This excludes many threads in the forum, but the book is finite in size and limited in its scope.  Even a book of 450 pages would be hard-pressed to include all the worthwhile posts under these chapter headings, and the book may not even be that big.  Also unknown are the dimensions of the book.

Consider, too, that the book will have graphics.  At this time, in fact, there's still a need for people to work on the graphics side.  As Cara pointed out, this is where the template will be designed.  The template itself will further reduce the amount of print space available.  Until we know more about this, it's going to be hard to know exactly what can go into the book.

What we can think about for now is the organization of the project,  the procedure for grabbing the source material, and the steps involved in the first selection.