I’m looking for a single word or even a two word phrase that suggests the author(s) (including anyone involved in an oral creation process), compiler(s), editor(s), excerpters, readers, and referencers of a literary work or collection of literary works. For example, I want to say something like, “The ???s of Homer . . .” or “The ???s of the Gilgamesh Epic . . .” or “The ???s of the Book of Exodus . . ” and mean by ???s all those who had or have an interest in a written work or set of works. But I want ??? to indicate the people and not necessarily the process in which they were or are involved. For this reason, “literary tradition” or the like won’t do. There must be a word for this set of people but just now I have no idea what it is. Do you?
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