Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A question for DC area bloggers

If I were able to arrange an open mic-type event at a coffee shop somewhere, would you come and read an entry for a Blogger's Night? This would be a first step to me really starting a project I want to do, gathering bloggers together around a campfire to read entries by flashlight and hook up the traditional roots of storytelling with its digital future.

And roast marshmallows.

11 comments:

Robin said...

And roast marshmallows?!

Well, to be honest, this is very intriguing. If I'd actually written a blog entry (of any merit) within the past 6 months or so, maybe. Because that crosses the line between anonymous and known in real life (which includes an ACK! factor). I'd love to attend, and to feel challenged to participate the next time.

Shuttermecki said...

But would the coffee shop let you light a fire in the middle of their floor?

How serious a blogger would one have to be to count? I'm guessing you're probably thinking the more verbal blogger type than the photoblogger, but hey, someone's got to be the audience, I'd love to listen in!

Madame Meow said...

I'd be into it! I don't know what I'd read but I'm game!

jamy said...

If you'd have me, I'm game. Sounds like fun. (Do I have to read, though? I have a pretty large repertoire of stories I like to tell that aren't on the blog.)

Heather Meadows said...

What a cool idea! Almost makes me wish I lived in DC. ;)

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah said...

Sure.

That sounds fun!

Merujo said...

I'm glad to see folks dig this idea - both as participants and listeners!

Please pass this entry link around to your friends, so we can see if there are more interested parties.
Jamy, I think that you wouldn't have to read a published blog entry - it's about the storytelling, really. And there are so many great storytellers out here!

I'm starting to talk to coffee house-type joints to see what spots would be amenable.

And Heather - wish you and the rest of the Usual Suspects were closer to DC to participate! Eventually, I really do want to see if I can arrange one-night gatherings (or weekend gatherings) in State/National Park-type places to really do camp fire readings (and breathe some fresh air!)

kob said...

excellent idea

Tempe said...

Nah. Sadly, there's as much elitism and snobbishness in blogging as in anything else. If one's blog is read only by a handful of people, one is not "worthy". I've shown up at a few DC-area blogging events, and have gotten the cold shoulder just because I'm not sufficiently networked. I suspect that you too are probably not interested in bloggers who don't get the numbers that impress you, or who don't write well enough to meet your standards.

Merujo said...

Tempe, there are days when this blog gets 10 hits, if I'm lucky, and days when this blog gets 100 hits. And usually when it spikes high, it's because there is some topic a bunch of people are looking into all at once.

Or it's dudes from some sex-starved nation, looking for boobie photos. I was just tossing out an idea to see who would be interested. I'm not one of the "cool kids" of local blogging.

I just like telling stories.

I would want anyone who wants to tell stories to be there. The only limitation I would put on this - if I am able to pull it off - is that, initially at least, it would have to be PG-rated stuff, as to not upset any host location or their other customers.

Merujo said...

Tempe, I want to say this, too. I used to attend a blogger get-together that met at Pharoahs near Adams Morgan. It was a wonderful, mellow, grown-up group of folks. That's where I met Frank Warren of PostSecret and he passed around postcards for us to see (way before he became a household word on college campuses everywhere.) There were people of all ilk there, and many of them were small-time bloggers. Wonderful folks. Unfortunately, I had to stop attending because of work - and parking - when it moved to Chinatown.