For the purposes of this page, which contains links to the participants in many of the write-offs that were held on Epinions.com in 2001, please imagine that eplovejoy is a Valkyrie.
CASTING COUCH WRITE-OFF telynor challenged Hollywood by getting writers to pick works they think would make terrific productions on the BBC or A&E. Participants reviewed the books and included their casting suggestions. Those taking part include: arianej; DavidK93; machkick; Mininut; pageclot; and telynor.
THE SEQUEL IS BETTER WRITE-OFF mrsocko316 called on reviewers to celebrate movies and books that improved on the original material on which they are based. Links to participants and the works they highlighted are on mrsocko316's Epinions profile page.
FUTURE OF HOLLYWOOD WRITE-OFF juicejw encouraged movie reviewers to predict great things from directors whose early works show promise. The Web page is here.
My contribution is a review of Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast with Ben Kingsley.
E-PRIME WRITE-OFF On Aug. 1, proeditor challenged many Epinions writers to write with greater power. One can read the results of their accepting her challenge by following links on the Web page that is here. infoscott designed that terrific page.
My contribution: a review of Manzanar by John Armor and Peter Wright with photographs by Ansel Adams and an essay by John Hersey.
DOING GOOD WITH GOOD WRITING On July 14, the Epinions community built on the charitable foundation laid by bgoodday, host of the second Helping Hands Write-Off. Dozens of the site's most philanthropic writers will write reviews and donate the proceeds to an impressive array of worthwhile organizations that make the world a better place. The Web page for the write-off, which bgoodday designed with the help of his young niece, is here.
BASTILLE DAY
On July 14, many Epinions writers took part in a write-off about things French. The write-off, in commemoration of Bastille Day, was organized by pambo, whose ancestry is French. The Web page for the write-off is here.
WANBLI_GLESKA'S CELEBRATION OF GAMES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Wanbli_Gleska gathered a group of Epinions writers to review games and write about their significance in fostering family ties. Participants in the Family Game Night Write-Off are listed on a Web page designed by newlywed argonut.
My contribution: an essay about how playing a video game brought my brother and me together, for a moment. It is here.
WRETCHEDPYRO'S HOMAGE TO AWFULNESS WretchedPyro organized a write-off for June 30 to celebrate (?) follow-ups that don't live up to the originals. Participants in The Sequel Sucked Write-Off are listed on WretchedPyro's profile page.
My contributions are reviews of: Affectionate Men, a collection of vintage photographs of men who might or might not be lovers; and Telling Tales Out of School, a collection of essays in which gay men, lesbians and bisexual people recount the trials and triumphs of their schooldays.
TAKE MY WIFE, PLEASE!
Okay, that line wasn't among the subjects in April 7, 2001 write-off hosted by Caleo and elvisdo, but it could have been. Those two Epinioners enlisted a small army of other writers on the site to hold forth on their favorite lines from books, movies, songs, cereal boxes or whatever else moves them. Caleo designed the Web page for the write-off, which is available here.
Read them all. While you can. (CUE: ominous organ music)
My contributions are reviews of: Stuck Rubber Baby Howard Cruse's charming graphic novel about a young man coming of age in the early 1960s; The Dreyfus Affair: A Love Story, Peter Lefcourt's amusing novel about a major league baseball player who is in love with a teammate; and Stonewall, Martin Duberman's history of the gay rights movement in the United States in the 1950s and '60s, the review of which contains lengthy considerations of both the Stonewall uprising and censorship.
DARWIN DAY WRITE-OFF (Feb. 12, 2001) Epinions science wizard Hypotenuse organized a write-off about science-related subjects in honor of Charles Darwin. The impressive Web page for the write-off was designed by gracef.
