UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion
General Chat - anything Goes
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Group feedback on the issue of drop n runs, please.
I'd say delete Patti. A name and shame section could become a badge of honour, like ASBOS!As a matter of fact, as a reader I don't really read the New Releases threads, unless it's one by an author I already know. A book recommendation thread by a (familiar) group member I will look at though...
I've now deleted the thread I had linked to. I really appreciate all the discussion this is generating. Please keep it coming, folks.
I really don't know where I stand or what to say on this issue. I'm an author and a reader and I try to be an active forum participant. Goodreads is a special app and it means a lot to me as a person to be able to connect with people who actually read. But this is such a tight group and the core members are so active and funny that I am not sure I see a way in. Or, it could just be that the whole forum structure is too unwieldy for me. I find it hard to keep track of where I have left comments and waited for people to get back to me. I am deeply entertained by all of you and your banter, so I keep dropping in, but I am not sure I would ever feel comfortable trying to get any of you to read my work again. You're individuals of such unique tastes and calibre...
Yeah, it does take some practice to get a handle on all the Goodreads features, Kate. I'm sure I still haven't!One good way to track threads you've posted in is to click the 'email me when people comment' thingy on the bottom of every thread you post in.
As to finding a way in...
Not hard that. Just talk with us and you're in!
:)
what Rosemary said.How long do you normally leave a post in the sin bin? If it is a regular poster, they will notice and correct apologetically. Chocolate is a good idea. Others will never notice they have been binned and deleted. Particularly if we are one of a hundred or so groups that have the identical promo post.
I have been on craft and family history forums where you aren't allowed to start a new topic until you have made a number of posts in the general threads. But I suppose that would just encourage the "D'n'R" people to spam our morning thread.
Hey Kate, I cannot find your Meet the Author thread. C'mon now, stop hiding your light under a bushell and get in there. I want to read about your book! It may not be my choice of reading, but how am I going to find out?Taps fingers, waiting.
You're chatting now! Keep your fingers tickling the keys and you've cracked it!I don't actually feel very strongly about it. Everyone has to make a first post and if you're an author, the book you've treasured and nurtured for so long is your burning issue. I tend to take a look at things authors post but sometimes I never see them anywhere else (actually, there are threads here I don't read, the sporty thing and the group games which would swallow my life if I let them - so they might be posting and I might just be missing them). I'm happy to let them post their book info and if they don't interact it will sink into oblivion and so it's self regulating from that point of view.
I feel we're a lovely inclusive group and anyone who starts to join in is clasped to our collective bosom! I'd hate to think anyone who might, when more confident, have become a friend, would be put off by executive deletion.
I'll do it Geoff, but it's a cast of thousands in there. My blog might be better. http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
I've generally found that the authors that get most benefit from the Meet the Authors thread are those that converse within the rest of the forum. If you have a look you will see that certain authors have lots of posts in their threads, not just from them, but us lot as well. I'm happy to say that there is a direct correlation between the authors communication and their sales (Except Darren, of course, where the reverse is true.).Speaking personally, I very rarely look at authors blogs, as they tend to be transmit-only, and also outside of this wonderful forum.
Still tapping.
message 12:
by
Geoff (G. Robbins) (merda constat variat altitudo)
(last edited Dec 27, 2012 03:05AM)
(new)
Ignite wrote: "I'd hate to think anyone who might, when more confident, have become a friend, would be put off by executive deletion."Have you had your executive deleted, Ignite? Ooo, er.
there is a problem with volume generally. With only 4 threads showing under the UKF banner on the landing page and the rapid turnover of the most popular posts shunting any new thread down and out of initial sight, people have to work to find any thread here. Drop and runs contribute to this overall volume, but they disappear the quickest by the nature of their 'running'. Somehow the general chit chat threads like word games, Eastwood's talk sport, Grumpy & Morning need to separated out from the UKF book-oriented threads - I don't know if there's a facility for sub-divisions of threads under the same banner, so maybe you have 8 threads showing rather than 4?
Geoff (G. Robbins) (The noisy passionfruit) wrote: "I've generally found that the authors that get most benefit from the Meet the Authors thread are those that converse within the rest of the forum. If you have a look you will see that certain auth..."I think that's true in every forum. I'm contantly trying to figure out what readers need from a writer. In a way, it's much easier to be a dentist. Your patients tell you which tooth hurts. It's harder to figure out which metaphoric tooth your reader needs pulling...although, there is the "grumpy" folder...
Kate wrote: "Geoff (G. Robbins) (The noisy passionfruit) wrote: "I've generally found that the authors that get most benefit from the Meet the Authors thread are those that converse within the rest of the forum..."You're a dentist?
Quick, Patti, shove her out! ;)
Marc wrote: "there is a problem with volume generally. With only 4 threads showing under the UKF banner on the landing page and the rapid turnover of the most popular posts shunting any new thread down and out ..."I'm not sure whether I agree with this. I think that it is the chatty 'Morning', 'Grumpy' and 'Sporty' threads that best define the group. First and foremost the group is a place for people to chat and have a laugh, next it is a place for readers to talk about the books they've read (or films they've watched/music they've listened to), THEN it is a place where authors are kindly allowed to talk about their own books, PROVIDED that they are respectful of the rules of the forum.
At least, as a writer and group member, that's how I see it.
Ignite wrote: "You're chatting now! Keep your fingers tickling the keys and you've cracked it!I don't actually feel very strongly about it. Everyone has to make a first post and if you're an author, the book ..."
It was/is a huge problem on the Kindle forums. It's horrible to want to have a conversation and keep track of threads only to have a commercial message pop up every nine seconds. I mean, on TV and radio, these things are regulared!
Writers suffer from the idea that because we feel an obligation to write our books, readers will feel an obligation to read them. If that feeling did not exist, nothing would ever get written...or some of it might get written, but it just would not get published, that requires an easily mislead ego....
I feel a bit like Kate. I'm new at this, a lot clueless and just finding my way around the place. I read loads of posts but I'm afraid I'm not funny as some of the members so I have more fun reading what goes on than writing something boring. Or worse. But I'll try.
D.D. wrote: "I'm not sure whether I agree with this. I think that it is the chatty 'Morning', 'Grumpy' and 'Sporty' threads that best define the group. First and foremost the group is a place for people to chat and have a laugh, next it is a place for readers to talk about the books they've read (or films they've watched/music they've listened to), THEN it is a place where authors are kindly allowed to talk about their own books, PROVIDED that they are respectful of the rules of the forum. At least, as a writer and group member, that's how I see it. "
I completely agree. I've sold a few books to members of this forum, but I always feel it's a place for readers to talk about whatever they want (and of course, all authors should also be readers, and if not I don't really want to read anything they've written), rather than to facilitate book promotion by authors.
It's a kindle forum. Therefore I am happy to find out what authors have for my kindle (should I choose to read them).I do like the chatty stuff. That's why Andrew isn't just the author of an anthology to me. I know much more about him - sorry if that sounds like a threat! (I know where you live, kind of thing!)
I think there's room for both. We don't all have to read all the threads. I don't.
Sara wrote: "I feel a bit like Kate. I'm new at this, a lot clueless and just finding my way around the place. I read loads of posts but I'm afraid I'm not funny as some of the members so I have more fun read..."But funnier than others I'm sure. Take Patti for example ... No, I'm serious, just take her.
Sara wrote: "I feel a bit like Kate. I'm new at this, a lot clueless and just finding my way around the place. I read loads of posts but I'm afraid I'm not funny as some of the members so I have more fun read..."I'm so glad I'm not alone.
I think my point is that most of the author threads in UKF end up cluttering the whole group simply because they are not as popular as the chat ones I cited above. Drop and runs are the worst because they're likely to only ever have one post.
Hehe, I don't feel threatened Ignite - drop round for a curry some time!
Kate wrote: "Sara wrote: "I feel a bit like Kate. I'm new at this, a lot clueless and just finding my way around the place. I read loads of posts but I'm afraid I'm not funny as some of the members so I have ..."Nope, but you're doing fine!
Kate wrote: "I really don't know where I stand or what to say on this issue. I'm an author and a reader and I try to be an active forum participant. Goodreads is a special app and it means a lot to me as a pers..."Took the words right out of my mouth, or should that be keys from keyboard? Ever since I joined goodreads, I've been worried about crossing that fine line between posting as a reader and plugging my work as a writer.
The banter on the nano month thread was quite funny, and that's what keeps bringing me back - the banter!
Theres nothing wrong with plugging your books, the author threads and new release threads are there specifically for that purpose. It just works a bit better if you join in the banter as well. If you can get to know people in the chat threads it helps to get a bit of chat going on your author threads. I'm sure it can be intimidating if you are new to it, but we like people to come and chat, and we like books and reading, so once you get over the initial shyness and get involved its a lot of fun.
Andrew wrote: "Hehe, I don't feel threatened Ignite - drop round for a curry some time!"Oh you've found my weakness - food! I think the first thing I ever cooked on my own as a kid was a curry. I got it from my Ma's Good Housekeeping book. I'd never had one before (looking back it was probably naff but to us it was major exocticism!)
Ignite wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Hehe, I don't feel threatened Ignite - drop round for a curry some time!"Oh you've found my weakness - food! I think the first thing I ever cooked on my own as a kid was a curry. ..."
There you go, we share the same weakness, then. Food. First thing I tried to bake on my own were scons, with a friend. To take to a party. But something went wrong. We mistook normal flour for cornflour. We ended up with flat hard 'things' and had to go to the shops to buy something edible to take to the party.
Ignite wrote: "Sounds like dwarf bread!"Or my version of naan bread.
Doesn't nan mean dwarf in some language or other?Or did I dream that?
I have enough trouble with my dwarfs when I'm awake. I don't want to dream about them too!
Ignite wrote: "Doesn't nan mean dwarf in some language or other?Or did I dream that?"
Maybe nan is short for 'nano'?
I can't comment on Geoff's suggestion, cos some [insert adjective here] mod deleted it, so I have no idea what it was. But if it was chocolate, then I'm all in favour.Big fan of dwarf bread too. For throwing, that is.
I've lost a comment to the mods too this morning.I think it's because i suggested Patti had to pay for the champagne.
Interesting post. I am not sure, I think so long as people don't JUST promo their book and then never say another word it is not too bad.I certainly do not keep up with all the posts and forums here.
i'll admit i mostly ignore any new release thread unless i know the author from another section of the forum.
Ignite wrote: "Doesn't nan mean dwarf in some language or other?Or did I dream that?"
You may be thinking of French, where un nain means 'a dwarf'.
I love food - and I especially love cooking curries - made a chicken bengali curry for my parents just before Christmas and am still chuffed with how well it turned out!
Sorry, drifting and digressing...
Thing is Patti, as it was mentioned above, if they don't come back to keep their thread going, it will quickly disappear because we're a busy chatty forum. Might just save you time to ignore them, and do a cull every so often when all the threads are down on the last page.If they do a post and run, it won't do them any good to be honest, it seems to be a common thing among us all that we'll more likely go for someone who's active on here than someone who isn't. So why should you spend your time deleting those posts and all that because of them? Ignore them, I say too :)
Shaun's an expert, he's done it 1590 times !
Evening gang. I'm as guilty as anyone for not maintaining my promo threads. That said, I do post regularly all over this aite and find that works just as well. Plus, folk on here are very good at recommending books which I think reduces the need to hammer the new release threads.As a reader I've found more books from comments across the site than from specific promo threads.
I agree with everything everyone said.My first attempt at DIY food was to make currant sandwiches dipped in Golden Syrup.
Quite amazing what a 25 year old bloke can achieve, y'know :)
Jay-me (Janet) ~plum chutney is best~ wrote: "what Rosemary said.How long do you normally leave a post in the sin bin? If it is a regular poster, they will notice and correct apologetically. Chocolate is a good idea. Others will never not..."
Usually 24 hours.
Unless I had kippers.
I don't eat kippers.
Darren wrote: "Sara wrote: "I feel a bit like Kate. I'm new at this, a lot clueless and just finding my way around the place. I read loads of posts but I'm afraid I'm not funny as some of the members so I have ..."You're not too big to spank.
Shaun wrote: "I think drop n runs are great: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shaun-Jeffrey...See, now I'm running!!!!!!"
No, don't run! You'll hurt your ankle again.
Crawl.
Lorraine - Lover of Jellybeans wrote: "Shaun's an expert, he's done it 1590 times !"1591 ;)
Patti (Festive Figgy Pudding) wrote: "You're not too big to spank."
None of us are. And some of us pay good mone- erm, wrong thread.
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
What do you all (authors AND readers, please) think?
Any other suggestions?