Tell us you want...what you really, really want...

Will the discussions be targeted toward authors and/or titles or maybe more reader related?

It's almost a toss-up for me because I was a reader first and now I am a writer.  Maybe a split discussion thread.

The reader thread could begin in January by asking the readers what they want from the story.  Each month you could play off of the most interesting post and discuss pros and cons. It could pull readers into the website and make them feel like an important part of the process.

The author/writer thread could be an interesting discussion about a particular subject...maybe about struggles.  January discussion could be about goals, past and present.  On the Supers thread we usually have someone come up with a problem or favorite writing method.  It could deal with issues that everyone may face at some point in their career.

When I think back at the Supers thread, I see how that would happen.  I can only think of a couple of people who talk about being readers...not writers.  A combined discussion might pull more readers if they know they have access to their favorite authors.

Don't know if I'm a typical reader, and I haven't written anything
except blog entries in nearly two years, but what I've sensed recently
is that more than one thread per imprint means one of them will be
neglected, because people have more and more sites to visit and busier
lives so less time to do so, and so they tend to concentrate on one
place rather than go here to discuss a book read in an imprint and
there to see the authors who might be discussing writing styles.

Just my opinion, feel free to disagree if you've noticed differently 

Hugs

Sadhbh 

Here's what I've noticed (but no numbers to back me up so my perceptions could be off).

When there is just one thread for a line, the discussions tends to get writer-heavy. Not being particularly shy, I asked long ago if indeed readers were welcome (as it says in the intro blurb) and was assured that we were.  What I think happens, though, is that readers who don't think that they add to the discussion either just lurk or stop coming along entirely.

So, while I'm fine with one thread for a line, I think that when you go that route you need to have non-writing things thrown in there on purpose every now and then if the conversation has been writer/writing-heavy for a while.

Penn 

In the old set up I found that one or two of the threads were almost a closed shop and although I tried to join in there was no response. other threads are so friendly that you are made to feel at home straight away amd ot's a pleasure to return to them often.

Janet

I agree -- I think the Supers thread probably has a great balance, and seems welcoming of everyone -- you all always have been of me, and I joined the thread as a reader, though now I've been targeting the line. I think we talk mostly about general things there, which is why it's so popular.

We often discuss writing on threads because it's what we can talk about every day when nothing much else is going on, since it's what we do every day, but if readers have questions about our books, characters, etc then please, jump in! I can't imagine a writer who wouldn't welcome questions about their books or their lines from readers. :) Love it!

Sam