Setting GR Author as primary?

[lafon حمزة]

I was working on an anthology recently where a GR author had requested an alternate cover edition to be made. Is it permitted to temporarily move them into the primary slot so they could change the ACE to become the primary work?

[Paula]

I would say no - if they is not the primary then they should not change it.

I would point them to GR Support to request the change as rivka has indicated she will not be setting any defauts

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

If none of the other authors were goodreads authors capable of setting a primary edition, I would go ahead and make them primary.

If primary author was also a goodreads author, I'd check with that primary author to see how they felt or if they wanted to do themselves.

[Banjomike]

Debbie (Debbie Rice) wrote: "Debbie (Debbie Rice) O'Neal Rice | 229 comments If none of the other authors were goodreads authors capable of setting a primary edition, I would go ahead and make them primary.

If primary author was also a goodreads author, I'd check with that primary author to see how how they felt or if they wanted to do themselves. "

If they are not the primary author on the cover of the book then they should not get option to pick the default irrespective of them being goodreads authors. Are we then going to allow narrators or translators to decide the default?

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

No; but if only one actual author is a goodreads author capable of setting primary edition for the new release — does support want to keep getting the requests or do we let the goodreads author make a legitimate alternate cover edition the primary?

Editors, translators, etc. I would say "no." Author listed the same as other authors on bookcover "yes."

Actual author of book, if only one of them claims goodreads author profile, well, guess which one I would think would likely be keeping their goodreads book entries up to date? Not like the nongoodreads author can do it.

Not uncommon on writing teams that for consistency sake (or due to different skills) one member keeps a site updated for their works.

Why let non-primary author update with alternate cover editions if we don't trust them to be keeping books/works/editions straight? If we can accept edition changes from them, I'm not sure temporarily making primary author to specify a newer edition the default is that big of a stretch.

I'd be curious to test if newer edition stayed primary once author setting was moved back to his original placement in list of authors.

The primary author ( if they were even aware of goodreads) could always come in later, and if not how they want they could ask support to fix or claim their profile and control things themselves.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Of course, I'm of the opinion that when an author wants to update a cover it would be simpler not to yell at them for violating policies or to explain the whole process and cover policies to them and just be able to do the create-alternate-cover-as-always and be able to set newer one as primary editions ourself. I understand that right now only primary authors and staff (via contact form) can do.

With the ease of updating bookcovers on ebooks, this group sure gets a lot of posts about updating bookcovers (thankfully authors can't just delete or overwrite). Some authors will want the nuts and bolts explanation; others will just be happy that their new cover shows on their author page.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*]

I think it is really important to control the covers.

I am UNHAPPY with the fact that several ebooks I own have had their covers "updated" to look nothing like the ones I own. I refuse to even catalog or review this books, it pisses me off that much.

And that is why GR keeps cover control on lock down. Some authors will do things the right way.

But quite a few others will destroy the system in order to get rid of the cover they used to have.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

@MrsJoseph - They would if they could. I agree. I see it done by both authors with librarian status and librarians not paying attention to policies.

Setting which edition is primary should not be affecting your shelved ebooks. That's a glitch (or someone with librarian status made against-policy changes that need to be undone) you should contact support about.

The edition you shelved should stay the edition you shelved. Nothing in new primary edition settings should impact; new primary edition has to come from unaltered-image in an existing edition or from creating a new alternate cover edition with updated image—neither would override the edition you shelved.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*]

Debbie (Debbie Rice) wrote: "@MrsJoseph - They would if they could. I agree. I see it done by both authors with librarian status and librarians not paying attention to policies.

Setting which edition is primary should not b..."

I know this. But it doesn't change the action.

And what would happen is probably chaos. Like people making themselves the primary to change the cover.

And I know it will happen.

[Monique]

It has been happening more than I care for, sadly. I have gone back and marked several ebooks of mine where the cover does not look familiar in order to go back and double check.

I get the feeling that this is mostly (90% of the time) an issue with ebooks and not print books. I'd be in favor of a pop up when attempting to delete a cover with the policy clearly stated and a confirm button.

[Cait]

The problem with changing the primary author around is that that actually causes a sequence of three disassociated changes: after the author makes the request, the author has to wait for a librarian to make them primary, then the librarian has to wait for the author to set the cover, and only then can the librarian set the correct primary author back.

If it goes through a support request, it's just one action: the author makes the request and then doesn't need to do anything else.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Paula wrote: "I would say no - if they is not the primary then they should not change it.

I would point them to GR Support to request the change"

Agreed. And I ran this by other staff, and they agree as well.

[lafon حمزة]

rivka wrote: "Paula wrote: "I would say no - if they is not the primary then they should not change it.

I would point them to GR Support to request the change"

Agreed. And I ran this by other staff, and they agree as well."

Good to know. I didn't want to start a huge topic with arguing in it, but there you go.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Monique wrote: "...mostly ebooks..."

I'd say majority of cover update requests are ebooks. Physical print books have far fewer cover changes unless it's to add foreign covers or they are so classic or so popular there is printing after printing decade after decade. Too expensive. Ebooks get updated by indies as they afford perceived better covers or create themselves (some try and try different covers to see if impact sales I suspect).

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Cait wrote: "The problem with changing the primary author around is that that actually causes a sequence....If it goes through a support request, it's just one action: the author makes the request and then doesn't need to do anything else. ..."

I wouldn't expect a high incidence (for starters most books have single authors or at least single pen names) of requests to librarians or support staff. Updates to book covers likely to be more for the currently in print with living authors.

I don't know support's view on the issue unless they weigh in or post policies here (or help or librarian manual or somewhere). If it's something we can do, even if more steps, is it accomplished faster than contacting support (on weekdays at least)? Does support want to handle making the default editions or do they want authors to do?

I don't think non-primary authors should be able to request updated covers (well, alternate cover editions) if they are not trusted to know which is updated cover. At which point, neither support or librarians get brought into it. That just sounds weird that it's okay to trust them to have updated edition created but prevent them from using as primary without staff intervention.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

I consulted with our Customer Care, as I mentioned above.

There really is no need for further discussion. Non-primary authors will remain just that.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

I'm all for support stepping in when an author completely confused about setting primary editions where librarians cannot help. If not easy for them to do (it's one menu choice to click when editing), they should be able to get help.

I always thought the librarian group was the fastest, easiest route for book info help. On anything librarians can do.

The new primary edition (or default edition depending on where you are reading) needs a bit more documenting. And I doubt all the librarians and authors have picked up on it yet.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

And a staff weigh in by Rivka with final answer on this thread http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Crap, I apologize for the out of order posts. I was having trouble with alice/overcapacity thing or would have stopped talking once I saw Rivka weigh in. Honestly some of what I managed to post I wrote before her post.