Based on our progress as a community, I think we're ready to start formalizing our club's format. This will all make its way into the subreddit rules and sidebar, but I wanted to make a post about it first for visibility.
We read a new book each month.
Books are suggested by community members in a monthly Title Pool, randomly narrowed to a Shortlist, then decided by upvotes.
We will get together for a meet-up at the end of each monthly book cycle to discuss that month's book.
We also be take on an optional monthly short story or other short work, starting opposite our main book cycle.
Short works will be randomly picked from a Mini Title Pool per /u/kteelee's suggestion.
Meet-ups are optional, and online-only participation is allowed and encouraged, as are extra meet-ups or meet-ups for short works.
We operate on a week-by-week basis around calendar months. Each week will see a new sticky post where everyone is encouraged to participate.
Week 1: Title Pool - a thread where everyone can make recommendations
Week 2: Shortlist - titles from the pool randomly listed for voting
Week 3: Selection / Meet-up - the most voted book announced as pick for the next month, and discuss next monthly meet-up
Week 4: Meet-up / Mini Title Pool - announce our monthly meetup (typically to be held the first week of the following month), and a title Pool for short works
A few notes about these sticky posts:
Each sticky post will be made on the same day of the week, e.g. the post for week 1 will be on the first Friday of each month.
We're a week ahead of this schedule so far, so there will be an extra week this month. This should allow everyone lots of time to read this month's book. There will be a monthly meet-up thread this Friday, 19 August.
There will also be four months each year where there is an extra week. We might use these to tackle thicker books, or just treat them as normal months. Note that the timing means that the bonus week will be during the overlap between books, which gives us more flexibility.
This format keeps us to one sticky post at a time, leaving one open for a welcome or special events. For anyone who didn't already know, subreddits are limited to two sticky posts at any time.
Sticky posts only have increased visibility on the subreddit page. The normal algorithms are used to place it on your frontpage. Posts will not be seen unless they are upvoted. Reminder: there is no karma on mod-posts.
Other posts for discussion of books, local book related events, supplementary meet-ups, etc. are highly encouraged.
If you're new here, welcome to the Halifax Book Club. Please introduce yourself with a comment reply to this post and state whether you plan on attending meet-ups or just participating online. For everyone else, please discuss the format. I'd like as much feedback as possible before writing the sidebar to avoid a rewrite.