Metadata, charaters, setting, awards

[Susan]

When I added my newest book, which releases in September, I wasn't allowed to add metadata. I was allowed to add it to my first book, Lowcounty Boil (isbn 1938383044 (ISBN13: 9781938383045)

I'm also no longer allowed to update such fields as characters, settings, and awards. I was allowed to add my book, and received a message that I am a librarian. But I guess there are different levels of librarian?

Could someone please explain the procedure for getting the fields updated that I can no longer access?

Many thanks!

[Empress]

Authors are usually not given a librarian status, but they can edit some of the book data. If it says it needs librarian you need to post here, what you need updated.
Metadata you can add from editing your review of the book (you don't really need to have a review for this, but you need [I think] to have the book marked as read). Currently the book has no metadata to be edited.

[Susan]

Thanks so much, Ellie. It's confusing because there's a message at the top of the book page that tells me I have librarian status, but I can't access some fields.

I was able to add the metadata from the review page--I had forgotten where that was done.

Can you advise how to update Lowcountry Boil's awards? I recently won the Agatha for best first novel, and it is still listed as a nominee. This is one of the fields I can't edit.

Thank you so much for your help!

[Empress]

I checked the award info and edited it. Should be ok now. I think this must be one of the field that is protected from authors editing.

Authors have librarian status only for their own books and it is limited on purpose.

Would like help with any other edits?

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Susan wrote: "It's confusing because there's a message at the top of the book page that tells me I have librarian status"

Actually, what it says is "if you're on this page you have been granted a special "librarian" or author status" (emphasis mine). As Ellie said, Goodreads has made the decision to limit the changes authors can make. But you can always post in this group and get help.

[Susan]

Thank you so much, Ellie! I think everything is up-to-date now. I really appreciate your help!

[Susan]

Hi Rivka, I was quoting from memory, and you're right, of course. I totally understand why GoodReads limits the changes authors can make, and appreciate everything the librarians do. It was confusing for me because I didn't make the distinction and am still learning much about the way GoodReads works.

I appreciate your help and your patience while I learn. It took me a while to find this group where I can post and get help, and I am so happy to know now where to go to get help. I have bookmarked this group so I'll know exactly where to come next time.

Thank you again!

Susan

[rivka, Former Moderator]

:)

[John]

I can't seem to find where to add metadata for my novel "Three and a Half Virgins." -- I don't know if I have librarian status, but I have been able to edit other things about the book. There are no metadata questions.

[vicki_girl]

What are you specifically trying to add/edit?

[John]

I'd like to add metadata. Everything else is fine.

[Empress]

John wrote: "I'd like to add metadata. Everything else is fine."

What kind of metadata? There is metadata that anyone can add to a book from their review section. Go to a review of a book click - more options - edit book metadata. It's just under the private notes field.

[John]

I don't see private notes or more options. Maybe I'm on the wrong page.

Something else just came up. Just went to my author profile and my photo has been replaced by an ad. I uploaded another one -- twice -- and I still get the ad in that space.

[John]

never mind. Profile pic just came back. I'm having a bad day here or my Goodreads karma is temporarily deactivated. Sorry Ellie.

[Empress]

It's okay. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you about the metadata. If you are trying to change any of the book info, we can help you. Otherwise any reader can add book metadata (genre tags and others) from their review of the book. I'm not sure if there is any metadata that authors can add.


Img Link: http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f14...

[John]

Oh. Okay. Now I see. I thought it meant tags etc. Thanks Ellie.

[Jaime]

Hello there. When I try to edit my own book details, the show metadata tab says No metadata answers yet. How can I go about adding this data, and is this what GR means by tags?

My books are Book Club by Jaime Boust and Conquest by Steam Bijou.

Thanks so much,

Jaime

[Z-squared]

Hi Jaime,

Without more detail, I'm not sure why you're getting that error message. What kind of book details were you trying to edit? Sometimes it's just easier to ask a librarian to do it for you...

[Jaime]

Hi Z-squared,

What fields comprise metadata? Just keywords? Genre? More? I can't find a way to choose any categorization for my book on Goodreads, which I searched for and found vs. adding manually. Am I right to assume a tag is something a reader gives a book?

If you could please help me add some metadata to my books, I'd be grateful:

My Books:

Book Club by Jaime Boust

Genre: Chick Lit, Humorous Women's Fiction

Keywords: celebrities, social media, chick lit, humor, friendship, book club picks

Conquest by Steam Bijou

Genre: Erotica

Keywords: erotica, aging, los angeles, literotica, humor, single women

Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, and thanks for your help.

Jaime

[Renske]

On Goodreads, genres are based on the shelves people use for a book.

[Marian]

I apologize for posting my problem here, but I didn't see a thread for it.

The new cover for my book "The Writers' Conference" doesn't appear on my dashboard. The old cover is still there. Please let me know if you need more information to change it.

ASIN: B0094WL64O

Marian

[Z-squared]

Marian wrote: "I apologize for posting my problem here, but I didn't see a thread for it.

The new cover for my book "The Writers' Conference" doesn't appear on my dashboard. The old cover is still there. Please..."

Hi Marian,

Couple of things. First, dashboards are something only authors can see, not users (or librarians). I'm not sure, but I believe old covers stay visible there, even when you set the default edition to another cover (but I could be wrong about that).

As for the new cover of your book, Goodreads policy is to keep all published covers because users like to shelve the edition that matches the one they own. For your kindle edition, I reverted a cover change that was against policy. Instead, I created an alternate cover edition (ACE) with your new cover here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

You can set it as default by following the instructions here:

https://www.goodreads.com/help/show/3...

[Z-squared]

Jaime wrote: "Hi Z-squared,

What fields comprise metadata? Just keywords? Genre? More? I can't find a way to choose any categorization for my book on Goodreads, which I searched for and found vs. adding manual..."

Hi Jaime,

Sorry not to respond sooner. I'm not an expert on metadata, but I believe Renske is right. The metadata for books gets automatically added once a certain number of users shelve your book using the same tags. That's not something you can control, nor can librarians. You can add those words to the book description field, if you'd like, but that will have no effect on metadata.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

It gets confusing when a thread linked to a specific book or author is also used for other books. I am closing this thread. Start new ones for other books.