BOOK SPRINTS
Venue
Venues are critical. You need somewhere that has enough space for everyone to work around one table. Discussions need to occur between writers so that you can negotiate the content. These discussions need to happen spontaneously and without having to find people in different rooms, etc.
The table needs good chairs, good power accessibility, and enough space for coffee cups, etc.
It's generally a good idea to make a rule against eating at the Book Sprint table. This is because noisy eaters can be very distracting to other writers.
Drinking is usually OK as long as no one is in danger of having his laptop showered by coffee.
The venue should be easily accessible to the local host and crew. Ideally, you want everyone to live in the same house that they are writing in. Living together can create bonds and friendships between people in a way that working together and leaving for the day does not. The aim of the sprint is not just to make good content but to make ongoing collaborations around that content--so get everyone in the same house if you can.
The venue should not be in the workspace of any of the main participants. It is important to make writing the priority, so the participants should not be disturbed by usual workday activities and distractions.
If possible, the workspace should be available 24 hours a day by all the participants. Someone may have a sudden late night inspiration or get up early because of jet lag and want to put in a couple hours of productive labor.
A fast Internet connection is necessary. The hub must be easy to connect to and must not block any content or protocols. Wireless is nice because people can move to other parts of the venue and still work, although you want them in the same room most of the time.
If you do intend for everyone to stay in the same house, sleeping quarters should be comfortable. Authors get the best beds, and organisers accept less comfortable accommodations. Bring extra ear plugs for those who may need to share rooms with chronic snorers. There should be a kitchen where people can get a snack if they need it.
Holding a book sprint in someone else's official space--a conference, a corporate office, a university, etc.--can work, but you sacrifice the simplicity and lack of distractions that you get by putting everyone in a house together. Official settings such as corporations can offer easy access to the Internet--but make sure nothing is blocked, because the participants need access to the outside world for references and communicating with others--and comfortable facilities such as a kitchen (but make sure you won't annoy regular staff by using it).
If you need to bring participants to some space like this in another facility, make sure to provide lots of signs. They need to easily find the workspace, kitchen, and bathroom. Ask the local host to go over the space in advance, plan where signs should go, and print signs with print as large as possible.
Lastly, if you can make the venue really interesting it can add a lot to the experience. Perhaps the most amazing venue we have worked with so far was De Waag in Amsterdam which is a kind of castle in the middle of Amsterdam. This was for many a once in a life time experience.
