[5.25.01] [4.4.05]

The History of LitRave
2001 - 2005

Part 1: Literary Rave

Originally, we were going to have a literary rave. We weren't really sure what this would entail; we just knew it would be fun. The plan was to get large groups of likeminded people out in the desert or in an abandoned warehouse to do all kinds of literary stuff (spoken word, poetry, glow sticks and stuff like that).

Part 2: Beyond Baroque CNF

Our first group of accomplices was our fellow students at the Beyond Baroque Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop. This is where Frankie, Cindy, and Wayman (the founders of this website) first met. The other workshop students weren't really certain what we were up to, but were game to help us out. They came to some of our early events thinking they were coming to a nice dinner party only to find they were expected to do something odd in a crowded restaurant, e.g. read the works of Isak Dineson and discuss the effects of venereal disease on her writing. Not everyone's idea of fun, admittedly.

Part 3: The Website

We, of course, knew that we didn't know enough people to have a literary rave, so we had to come up with an idea to get loads of strangers involved. As anyone under the age of 30 knows, the best way to do this is the Internet.

We begged our friend Derek B. to do the original website. He worked for a local Los Angeles news station and would do the work on LitRave on slow news days. Because of this our launch date was delayed a day because pop star George Michael was caught soliciting a cop in a Beverly Hills restroom ... a typical day in the life of LitRave.

Derek is also responsible for the name LitRave. He didn't think “Literary Rave” had enough zing.

And we definitely wanted a name with zing! Doesn't everyone?

To be continued ...

Part 4: Open Mic Raids, the Hollywood Sign, and Author Parties

Part 5: Enter the Bashful Dragon

Part 6: The Seven Different Poetry Scenes of LA

Part 7: A Reading Called Mia

Part 8: The Exorcist

Part 9: Features and Chapbooks

Part 10: Seattle Poetry Festival

Part 11: Burn Out!

Part 12: JC, Knowledge, and Various Poets

Part 13: The LitRave Performance Group / KPFK

Part 14: The LA Times Festival of Books

Part 15: I Am Sofa King

Part 16: Everyone Moves Away from LA

 

[5.25.01] [4.4.05]