There are lots of books published – in the real and virtual world. For example in the UK the 1st October was ‘Super Thursday‘ where over 800 books were published in a single day ready for the Christmas market. There is no way that we can read all of the books that are published – so we rely on a variety of non-p2p (reviews, marketing, awards etc.) and p2p methods (recommendations) to decide.
So how can we merge the often top-down literary prize method with the p2p personal-recommendation approach? How would a p2p book award work? I guess from a starting point we could have an award for a book about p2p As a second there is the selection and judging process – which naturally would be done by p2p…
Aims
Starting at the start, here is what I would suggest that we could get out of the award (in order of importance):
1. To promote good books.
2. To promote good books on p2p ideas.
3. To show p2p in action via the p2p book award’s process.
4. To promote the p2p foundation.
Registration
Fist off, those who want to take part must register. We could use an existing social network to make the process easier and to guard against people using sock-puppets to skew the process.
Criteria for Inclusion
The next aspect of the process that is decided by the registered participants is the criteria for the year. We have a few broad categories; fiction, non-fiction and p2p and ask people to propose subcategories for these to narrow the field a little more.
We could, each year revise and evolve the categories from ones you might expect such as fiction and non-fiction, to the format; ebook, comics, PDF (though how do we judge difference between a long article and a book – and does it matter?) though it would seem best to keep a time-category in that the book/item in question must be published or re-issued within last 12 months.
Selection
At first people propose books for the initial round. Then at a pre-set date we’d stop taking new entries and then move to the next round. This would consist of books being ‘seconded’ by the most number of people in the group; hoever people who proposed a book in the first round, cannot second it. We would then take the top voted 5 books in each category that go forward.
Judging
Then other people who have not proposed, seconded or read the finalists get a copy of the book and read them then come to a consensuses of the winner…
What do people think?
Hi Tomas,
I don’t think we have the funding for such an award right now, but I think it’s always a good idea to have excellence selection mechanisms in place.
I propose to start a voting process in November, around two lists, one is a best p2p books ever, one is a list best books of 2009.
Perhaps following the following process:
1) nomination, via blog, ning, and p2p research list
2) after 2 weeks, voting process during 2 weeks, and every body can cast a choice of 3, 2, and 1 point
3) this gives us at the beginning of december, those 2 lists, at a time when there is heightened interest for such ‘best of’ lists …
I would suggest deciding on a minimum quoring, of say 50 or 100 participants, to motivate us to make this a popular process, not just of the few most active members.
Next year, after this trial run, we can then look for sponsors and funders,
what do you think?
Michel