Should I continue?

Tony Meade

Active Member
Just curious if I should continue with this project. No one has expressed any interest in taking the data that I’ve collected and continuing to form it into a final product, and it’s a lot of work that seems to be going off into the Void to join Morgoth.
 
Oh no, don't stop. They've been very useful, for me at least, and if/when a book is made, I struggle to see any other ways to compile it other than through your excellent summaries, so please don't stop.


-Etholod
 
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I wonder the same thing about my amature novel writing. Not alot of interest. I suggest you take a break for a while and do it agian at a later time. Endevors should only be done if they are interesting.
 
I am enjoying reading through them, but that's the limit of my own available mental energy I can spare for it. I'd be sad if it stopped, but it's not going anywhere and nobody wants to help out (such as a freeloader like me), then I understand if it stops.
 
Hi Tony,

I think most of the class is more interested in the next class (and the last class) at this point, than in your excellent summaries. I can see how that might be quite frustrating. It would be more fun and engaging for you, if more people were engaged and interested. Some suggestions which might help with that?

1. What if you focused on summaries of more contemporary classes, instead of going in chronological order. If you were writing summaries of the class of one week or two weeks ago, you might get more interest, participation, and help.

2. What if you asked questions on the other forums about part of your summaries? If you asked people, something like, "here's how I summarized part of last week's discussion, but, did I get it right in this respect? You might engage more people.

3. If you highlighted some of your questions and issues about summaries of various class sessions on the more frequented forums, and asked people for input, you might get more engagement?

4. A bit of controversy always pulls people in. If you could highlight some of the 'contentions of the week', or, for example, pick up on some comments and analyze them (for example, I made a post suggesting that the class had reduced it's emphasis on the first-time reader perspective latterly. That's a subjective observation. If you could make some sort of statistical chart from your data, it would be interesting and engaging), that might engender more interest and involvement?

I certainly think your work is valuable, but, can see how it might well be lonely and frustrating at the moment. Finding ways to engage more people in thinking about the summaries would make it more fun?

All the best. We are rooting for you.
 
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Hi Tony,

Another thought. Do you have enough from your existing summaries to begin to hypothesize some narratives or publications that might be emerging from your work on the summaries?

For example: One possible output from the classes might be, 'A close reading of TLOTR: line by line and word by word, what is the text telling us?' However, this would be an extremely lengthy publication, and might not have a wide audience. Other possible cuts from the data set might include titles like: 'Surprising insights from a close reading of TLOTR', or, 'The big questions on TLOTR that emerge from close reading'. Or, 'Debatable questions about TLOTR', or 'The poetry in TLOTR'.

Having done so many summaries of classes, you should have some very good hypotheses about how the material could be segmented and formatted to make interesting publications.

It would be very interesting to get your suggestions, with illustrations of content. I guess that would get lots of people interested and involved?

Good luck.
 
Well, the original concept was to create some kind of final product, on a book by book basis, possibly in the style of Corey’s Hobbit book, though the final form was never agreed upon. I took on the task of doing the summaries as data collection for what I thought was going to be a group project.

If people want something different, then the group should decide what that is, or, if I’m going to do all that myself, that’s fine, but what I don’t want is for hundreds of hours of work to go into the trash and nothing come from all this. I’ve already postponed writing my own book to do this and get the summaries caught up to current.
 
Perhaps make some suggestions about how the material might be organized and published, and ask the group, and Prof. Olsen, for comments and further suggestions.

You have been immersed in compiling the summaries. I would guess that various ways of using the material have probably occurred to you?

Good luck!
 
Tony, your plea has just been responded to in Ep. 146.... Prof. considers them absolutely essential to a future compilation of these Sessions, whatever form that may take. I was not aware of these and promptly have begun consulting them. And I'll venture that others too will now use them... Perhaps when a new attendee is mentioned, you should put on Discord and the Chat that these exist... Have no fear, I have long felt something like this was essential for dealing with the "inefficient" and "non-pithy" nature of these Sessions (to use Prof. Corey's own characterizations of them!).... In any case you are 2/3rds through the sessions, so steady as she goes... the end will come soon enough and then you can relax to doing one a week!

Also PS: It seems Session #41 js missing a PDF version...

Timdalf
 
Hi Tony
Just found your marvelous note. It is very helpful and I cannot describe how I appreciate your contributions. Thanks so much! For me, a non English speaker, your note not only helps to understand professor Olsen's detailed and excellent analysis better, but also helps in expanding my vocabulary. Thanks so much and please continue. I feel like Merry when listening to Sam's chant of Gil-galad, Don't stop.
 
I really enjoy these! I just registered to let you know how useful they are to me. I have yet to catch up on the episodes (via podcast, I’m on 157). I’m using them to create topics for a book club/ study group for new LotR readers that begins next week. I appreciate all the hard work! Thank you!
 
I have been going back through these as I do my re-read and they are extremely helpful. I have found that I missed a few points and am glad to have them to compliment my notes and annotations. Please keep up this noble work--And Thank You.
 
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