Atlasphere Preview
One of the projects that has kept me very occupied in recent weeks is the Atlasphere—an online networking forum for admirers of Ayn Rand’s novels.
The Atlasphere is geared not primarily toward Objectivists, but rather toward the much (much) broader community of Rand admirers who use the internet. The heart of the site will be an extensive directory of member profiles; any visitor will be able to create and publish a detailed profile, and site subscribers will be able to search these profiles by any number of criteria, for purposes of networking both personally and professionally.
For singles, the site will also include a full-feature dating service, a la Match.com.
Another aspect of the Atlasphere, designed to encourage users to return often, will be regular featured columns, on topics such as personal development, the arts, culture, relationships, book/movie/music reviews, professional interests, ideas, etc. We will also have occasional political commentary.
Andrew Schwartz is organizing and will be editing this portion of the site, and is looking for interested writers. He’s particularly eager to find writers interested in contributing on a monthly or every-other-month basis, though he also welcomes less frequent contributors.
We will initially be paying $25/column. The length of the columns will be 800-2500 words, usually closer to 800.
Because the site will be pitched not only to Objectivists, but also to the wider popular Rand audience, we expect the columns to attract a broad audience of intelligent and usually honest, value-oriented readers.
If you think you might be interested in writing for the site, e-mail Andrew at schwartzandrew at msn.com, and fill him in about your background, topical interests, and the frequency with which you might like to contribute, as well as any questions you have.
Also—and this is key—we are still seeking a few more Sponsors for the project. Sponsors are individuals who invest $200 toward start-up costs, in exchange for a lifetime membership, the opportunity to participate in the initial testing of the site (read: help shape the final product!), and the option of serving on the sponsors committee to discuss future plans.
[Update 8/1/03: We've successfully secured our necessary start-up funds and have commenced project development. We are still accepting sponsors, however, who are interested in supporting the project through purchasing a lifetime membership and the opportunity to participate in alpha testing.]
If you, or anyone you know, are interested in becoming a Sponsor, please e-mail me at atlasphere at zader.com, and I can provide you with a copy of the detailed development plan for the project, as well. (Serious inquiries only, please.)
To keep abreast of the Atlasphere’s growth, go join the Atlasphere announcement list.
Hi –
Fun idea. There’s about 500 members in the MSN groups objectivist singles website, if you want to check that out. Good luck! -D