DesiLit 2012 Activities

What should we do? Please vote.

I think I was a little cart-before-horse yesterday, when I was trying to sort out plans for DesiLit workshop Kickstarter. I realized that what I really need to do first, is figure out what would actually be of the most use to DesiLit members. So with that in mind, I'd love for you to vote, IF you actually care about this.

If I'm going to spend some time and energy raising money and organizing something for DesiLit, which of these would you like to see me take on? Vote for ALL the ones that seem worthwhile to you; that will give me the best sense of what people could actually use. THANKS!

1. free informal online writing workshop: free to join, very informal set-up; post subs and crits as you please (no funds needed to raise to implement this)

2. online writing workshop with a director: $20 annual membership fee gets you weekly writing prompts, a market list, someone to track who's participating and not and send warnings if you fall behind in critiques (which should mean more critiques / sub overall), etc. and so on (raise $2000 to support two years)

3. Chicago-based desi reading series, a combination of local and visiting writers, plus an open mic (raise $2000 to support two years)
4. Chicago-based Kriti Festival, a four-day festival of S. Asian arts and literature, bringing in a combination of local and visiting writers and artists, free and open to the public (raise $5000 for one festival minimum)
5. DesiLit magazine: an online magazine featuring fiction, poetry, nonfiction from S Asian and diaspora authors (raise $5000 for 2 years of quarterly publication, with $4000 budgeted for material, $1000 for staff honorariums)
6. DesiLit literature awards: awards for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and first novel ($250 each / raise $2000 for two years)

Thanks for voting!