May We Introduce . . . Reader Unboxed!
By Writer Unboxed | October 16, 2011 |
It began when we–Therese and Kath–were together on a long car ride. Maybe it was the result of too much caffeine. Or the fact that since starting and growing Writer Unboxed into a successful online community for writers, we’d been mulling over finding a way to bring a stronger component spotlighting readers but without losing focus on what we’ve already built. We discussed it over that three-hour ride but couldn’t make the idea jell. We put it on the backburner.
Two years later, we were on another long car ride together. More caffeine, but this time with a side of sugar (in the form of chocolate). We revisited the Reader Unboxed idea, but this time instead of talking about it in vague terms, we really started to dig into the idea. We both wanted a community that offered a place for readers to find books reviewed by readers who were just like them. A place that was easy to navigate, with ways for readers to discuss books honestly but without flaming or negativity. Most of all, we wanted to focus on unboxed fiction—fresh works that bring something new to the table—and the writers and publishers who have the courage to push boundaries.
We had the germ of a great idea but we needed to find the missing piece of the puzzle, someone who had connections and credibility with the reading community. Enter the founder of The Divining Wand, Larramie. Also known as the Fairy Godmother of the book world to readers, authors, and publicists alike, Larramie enthusiastically champions great novels. She also has a reputation for discovering exciting debut authors and introducing them to a wider audience, thus helping to boost their profile at a critical moment in their careers. Plus she is a doll-and-a-half. We were thrilled when she agreed to join our enterprise.
With Larramie’s help, other recommendations, and our WU network, we were able to assemble a team of wonderful contributors eager to discover unboxed fiction and share it with others via reviews. We developed some unboxed columns, too, like Reader Roulette and Undiscovered Treasures, to encourage interactivity between readers and RU. We hope to continually develop new and innovative ways that community members can participate in the site and share literary discoveries. And in the future, we hope to bridge WU and RU in a more comprehensive way, bringing unboxed writers from one site to the other for chats, interviews, reviews, and more.
If you’re a big reader and would like to be involved in some way, stop by Reader Unboxed to learn more. Then stick around. Linger. You might find a surprise or two.
Read on!
Writer Unboxed began as a collaboration between Kathleen Bolton and Therese Walsh in 2006. Since then, the site has grown to include ~50 regular contributors and a variety of guests on rotation throughout a given year.
In 2016, the Writer Unboxed team published a book with Writer’s Digest / Random House. AUTHOR IN PROGRESS: A No-Holds-Barred Guide to What It Really Takes to Get Published is a comprehensive guide focused on helping writers over/around/through hurdles faced at every stage of the novel-writing process. It’s received some ***** reviews; we hope you’ll check it out.
If you’d like to be among the first to know about the next Writer Unboxed UnConference, which will likely tie-in with WU’s 20th Anniversary celebration, please sign up for our mailing list!
Write on!
Ack! So exciting. Bravo to you two, Therese and Kathleen, for giving birth to such a great idea. I always knew that chocolate and coffee were the Pitocin of any creative endeavor.
Can’t wait to see how it unfolds and grows!
This looks very promising. I look forward to seeing how this develops.
Fabulous! I just took a spin. I left a comment after Suzanne’s introduction, and then read the entries on each reviewer and found something that resonated with me in each one–from their favorite childhood books to the genres they enjoy. I really look forward to reading the reviews, but am fearful that this will simply make me bemoan even more my lack of adequate reading time!
Anjali
This looks great, Therese and Kath!
Huzzah on a wonderful idea and wonderful bridge to the reading community!
How exciting! And… a win-win situation for both readers and writers.
What an exciting endeavor, and very clever, too! Congratulations!
Just added RU to my RSS list. Can’t wait to see what y’all uncover for us!
Sounds interesting!
So excited ladies! :) I’m going over to subscribe. xoxo
Hurray! I will definitely check it out. This is tremendous news. Thank you.
I’ve just had a quick look and am really excited! You guys have really put a lot of thought into it!
Bravo! It looks fantastic.
Can’t wait to see the reviews/discussions, etc. :)
Just visited the site and the design is so soothing and lovely. Looking forward to all it has to offer.
This is amazing. You guys rock. :D
A wonderful idea that I’m sure will become a truly awesome resource for readers.
Well done!
I just checked it out and it looks great. Best wishes for much success!
Just hopped over to RU and immediately signed up! Can’t wait.
Patti
You guys rock!!! What a great idea!
I know I’m chiming in late (oh those deadlines) but congrats on a fabulous new website! I will now have to fight myself from spending more time on it than working on the day job. You guys are so good at providing worthwhile distractions.
So very excited about this! Hooray for the new addition to the Unboxed family!
Therese and Kath ,Your effort so noticeable all due respect .