I don’t believe we ever formally noted that the recent Hammer Bottle Opener + Alexander Chapman Story was our first Significant Object by one of the finalists from our earlier contest with Slate. (The auction ended yesterday, and it went for an impressive $40.06.) We have a few more in the works, and we’re really pleased about that. As much as we enjoy publishing writers whose work we already know and love, we also enjoy discovering voices that are new to us, and (probably) to you.

Getting more Significant all the time.

In fact, we have started a Significant Objects Group on Fictionaut as another way to do this. (Yesterday I mentioned my interview with Fictionaut: “Part self-selecting magazine, part community network, Fictionaut is a way for readers to discover new voices and for writers to share their work, gain recognition, and connect with their audience and each other.”)

Our group there is a work in progress, with about 40 members so far; we offered up one object for Significance-creation (the music box pictured at left) and it’s inspired a couple of very good stories. Later we’ll offer another object, and in the meantime we’re eyeing feedback from the Fictionaut community. Before too long, we hope you’ll see Fictionaut creations here.

But we’re learning as we go — and if you’d like to be involved in that, I’ve been given a handful of Fictionaut “invitations.” As a Ficitonaut member you can contribute your own stories, give feedback to others, and so on. If you’re interested, write to me at rwalker@significantobjects.com. It may take me a little while to answer, as I’m a bit out of pocket this week, but I will.

Meanwhile, anybody can read the stories in the group, and we would love to know what you think — about them, about this idea, about Fictionaut. Your comments, as always, are welcome.