What is the ReaderCon?
The Reader Conference (ReaderCon) aims to be an event that provides support to Filipino readers around the country. This support is actualized through the half-day conference on Sept. 14 during the Manila International Book Fair AND through the various activities and information provided in the ReaderCon web site.
Why create ReaderCon?
We, the organizers of the ReaderCon, realize that many Filipinos are readers or book lovers who want to find reading communities that they can join. Or they may want to start their own reading group, book club, or book blog. Or they may just want to know that there are other Filipino readers out there who are interested in the same reading materials that they’re interested in. We want to enable all these Filipino readers to find kindred souls. We want to make them and everyone else aware of the varied and vibrant Filipino reading communities out there.
What are the activities?
For the Filipino ReaderCon event at the MIBF, we’ll be starting with a plenary speech about the merging roles of writers and readers, courtesy of Carl Javier. Then, there’ll be two main panels; one about book clubs and the other about book blogs. There’ll also be fun stuff such as book raffles and, of course, the networking amongst other readers and writers. You can check out the full program here.
There are also online activities, such as the ReaderCon Filipino Friday posts and online raffles. During the actual conference, people who won’t be able to go can keep track of the events through the live tweets at @PinoyReaderCon.
What is a book club?
A book club, the way we define it, is a group of people who meet on a regular basis to engage in book or book-related discussions and activities. Meetings may occur in a member’s house, bookstores, or in public venues such as restaurants or cafes. Book clubs may also be referred to as book groups or reading groups.
What are the different kinds of book clubs?
Some book clubs have open membership, and some are private. Some book clubs are online; others offline. There are also those that are both online and offline. Some book clubs are general interest clubs (meaning they read any book); some are genre- or author-specific. Some are based in a school or university, but a lot are those put up by ordinary book lovers who are looking for people to discuss books with. Some conduct very structured discussions; some are pretty fluid and laid-back when it comes to meetings. Basically, there is likely a book club for your interest. And if there isn’t, then you can put one up. :)
What is a book blog?
A book blog is a niche blog that has posts that revolve around books. Usual blog topics include book reviews, publishing news, discussion posts about reading, author interviews and posts about events and conferences that cater to readers.
Who puts up book blogs?
Anyone can put up a book blog! Anyone. Most blogs are hosted by free sites such as Wordpress, Blogger, or Tumblr. Any reader or book lover can sign up on these sites and start posting about the books that he or she has read.
