I have been considering the questions raised as to expanding the base of those hosting salons. . . perhaps the possibility of one individual writting the opening essay and a second hosting the discussion -- which was in a way the case with the previous salon -- might be a fertile future avenue . . . It might be easier to suggest to a individual to write an essay in his area of research or collecting than to demand of the indivudual to both write the essay and be responsible for hosting the salon.

You might this way be able to get people who do not actively follow the site to be persuaded by those that do to contribute.

This division of effort would also give the host of the salon the incentive to be sure the essay by someone that he brings gets written and perhaps even presented in an accetable format helping Steve Price. . .

Sincerely

Richard

The format you note has been used very successfully by Daniel with Marla, and I believe I recall a similar division of effort involving John Howe and Wendel Swan. One thing that might prevent it from becoming a major route for people to take is that it requires that the parties to it be involved in a collaboration, not a very common occurrence.

Certainly, I would do what I can to facilitate such efforts.

Regards,

Steve Price

What you suggest is a real alternative to the "introductory- salon-essay-writer-is-also-the-salon-moderator" model.

Not to mention it too frequently but the "Beauty Determined" salon,

http://www.turkotek.com/salon_00011/salon.html

was also an instance that, while not following precisely the division of labor you suggest, was in fact a very real division of this sort between myself and Mr. Salingaros.

Having experimented with such divisions at least twice, I'm not sure whether the precise strategy you suggest will work to encourage more folks to write salon essays. In truth, a rather close familiarity with the meanings and distinctions intended in a given salon essay are likely needed for proper performance of the salon moderator role. The cooperation between Daniel and Marla on salon 73 illustrates this. Both have a close familiarity with the issues of that salon and while a close division of labor seems not to have been made, both of them seem to have contributed to both the introductory essay and to the moderation of the ensuring discussion.

Nevertheless, I think the fact that one has a "co-conspirator" in a salon may work to make some folks more willing to participate as a salon co-host on some basis. Such a "buddy" system may take a variety of forms, but does seem potentially to aleviate feelings of exposure and loneliness should one feel a shade too "alone" composing and moderating a salon entirely on one's own.

Regards,

R. John Howe