NBRC: Tower Teams Read 2013, Round II discussion
Frequently Asked Questions
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FAQ's from Original Group
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Mod
A11. No. Your goal would be the one in parentheses behind your name in the team thread/assignments listing. {EXAMPLE: Angie (251)} Since the challenge is divided by teams, GRs will calculate your team's total.
To update (or change) your goal, click on the hyperlink indicated by the red arrow below in Screen 1 below, if you have already added a book, or Screen 1a, if you have NOT added any books. (Info about blue arrow is answered in A13.)
Screen 1 - books already read & tagged.
Screen 1a - no books added yet.
Special Note: You do NOT need to go through the update pathway every time you read a book. Just "tag" it with your specified bookshelf. GoodReads will do the work for you. The update pathway is for updating/changing your goal.
You should get a screen like Screen 2 or 2a. Fill in or change the amount. You may leave the bookshelf field alone, even if it hasn't defaulted in.
Screen 2 - for someone who has already tagged a book as read.
Screen 2a - for someone who hasn't tagged any books.
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Q12. "Can I make my goal different that what is in the team thread/assignments listing?"
A12. Sure, not a problem if it is different than the one I put in parenthesis by your name. I can change that one, if anyone wants me to, especially if it is a huge discrepancy.
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Q13. "Hey! The books I've tagged are NOT showing!"
A13. Just click on the percent hyperlink (where the blue arrow indicates in Screen 1 and Screen 1a above) to view the books you've tagged with your chosen bookshelf name. That should do the trick. If it doesn't, are you sure you have it marked with the correct date read?
Mod
A14. Do NOT give up. Is your bookshelf name more than one word? If so, DID YOU TYPE IN A HYPHEN between the words when you tried to enter it? You need to do that.
Examples of bookshelf names...showing hypens: "nbrc-tower" or "tower-challenge-2013".
Example of your bookshelf screen:
Close up
Mod
A15. I looked at your bookshelf, and it has you as reading it for the month of January. No specific day. Very strange.
When you are looking at your bookshelf, try going to the last column way to the right and click "edit" (tiny green font).
When you get to Edit Your Review screen, scroll down until you see "Date I finished this book" and make sure it is today's date.
Also, you might have to click on "more options>>"to get to the "Date I started this book" fields. Looks like it is picking up the date you added it to your bookshelf. Must have something to do with the change in years.
Mod
A16. Yes, you may. They will only be counted once you've marked them as "read."
In fact, after you have marked it as "currently reading" it makes it easier on you because GRs will automatically update the dates.
From your update screen (upper right), just click on "update status."
Mod
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That will take you this page .
A17. Just remember that Post #3 (in each group's thread) has a listing all the team members hyperlinks to their individual challenge posting.
By going to them individually. Or, better yet, once you are looking at yours, if you click "view community progress," you can see your teammates. If you roll your mouse over their books, you can see the star ratings.
If someone has set their bookshelves to "private," and you are NOT their friend, you will be unable to view this feature. But, you can always make new friends. ☺
While you CAN access all the teams from our Home Page, there is NO way to see all the teams' progress at once. (You would need to click individually on each Team.) However, there will be Status Updates done by the Team Captains. We are still discussing the need for the frequency of this.
Mod
To view all the Teams, go in under More challenges... on the Home Page (right under the last visible challenge, lower right-hand corner).
That will take you this page .
You will have to go into each individual team to check their totals.
Expect a 30 minute delay in the totals update, if you just added a book.
bumper sticker from selfcheck
Mod
Q1. "I read about 30 books a year. Is that too low to join?"
A1. Nope. We are trying to even out the teams at the start of this game.
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Q2. "I just made a 2013 in 2013 shelf. Did I make it too early? And how does GoodReads know which team to put each players books on?"
A2. No, it isn't too early to create your shelf. However, GRs will NOT let you sign-up until the 1st of January, as that is when the challenge date parameters are set. Also, there are two challenges there (and we may add a third or forth!!); one for Team A and one for Team B.
We'll let you know which one to go to to sign-up. You don't want to sign-up for the opposing team! They'll get credit for your books! Eep!
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Q3. "Do you want a specific name for our bookshelf or does it correspond with our team name?"
A3. You can put anything you want as your bookshelf name! It is individualized to the reader. If you want to put the Team Name, you can. Or the Challenge Name. Or whatever. Just remember to "tag" each book you read during the set parameter dates to insure GRs tracks it for you. (Be sure the books you tag have a start and stop reading date set, too.) Also, if you do other group challenges though-out GRs, you can use that shelf name again. ☺
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Q4. "I have NO idea what sticky shelves are."
A4. To learn how to do them, refer to our GoodReads 101 Folder: Sticky Shelves . For an EXAMPLE, go to my personal bookshelves and look along the left-hand column. Do you see two entitled *2012-in-2012-group-challenge and *on-deck-for-challenges? See how they are out of alphabetical order? Well, those are "sticky shelves, because I made them so.
Why? When your dropdown box appears, while you are updating your shelves, they will appear near the top. Thus, you don't have to scroll all the way down to it.
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Q5. "Do I need to list all my books in my team's thread?"
A5. Nope! GoodReads will automatically post your books for you, as long as you "tag" them with the assigned bookshelf (of your choosing). You do NOT need to list the books you are planning on reading. Nevertheless, you may (only if you like), discuss them in your team's thread.
To see an EXAMPLE, you can view mine, which are for the Main GRs challenge for 2012 and NOT a group challenge; however, your postings will look similar. Go here .
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Q6. "Re-reads count, if NOT read within the last year. I know there are a few books I read last year that I'll definitely be rereading this year, but some might not have an exact year's gap. Is this alright?
A6. Okay, maybe not exactly 365 days, but within the anniversary month. EXAMPLE: You read a book that you finished February 12, 2012. It is okay for you to re-read it in 2013 for this challenge February 1, 2013.
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Q7. "My bookshelves are set to "private". May I still join?"
Q7. Sure! Only you and your GR friends will be able to see your books. However, you might have to make me, or your Team Captain your friend. ☺
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Q8. Can we get extra credit for "Chunkster" - or books >500 pages?"
A8. Nope. Sorry! We are counting on GRs tracking your book totals.
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Q9. English is not my primary language. Does the language of the books doesn't matter?
A9. The language of the book does NOT matter, as long as it meets the criteria otherwise.
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Q10. What about books we started but set aside? Would it count if we started from the beginning again?
A10. Yes, if you started it after January 1st, put it down for a while, and then you pick it back up and finished, it would count. No, if you started it before January 1st.