newbie with a few questions

[Carol]

firstly, my apologies if this post is in the wrong area, but I am struggling to get to grips with all the nuances of being on Goodreads.

I have a few questions/comments:

1. I have been added to the Author program, and compiled my profile page, but none of this (inc my picture) shows up when I click on author. (even if logged out)

2. when doing a search under my own name - Carol Ann Browne - the search results are not alphabetical, and most of the initial listings have author names which are totally unlike my own.

3. Dragon Magic is my first book, and is an ebook that I have for sale at Amazon.
I uploaded a copy with the excerpt set a just 10% but since I am only really after other people's comments/reviews perhaps I should set it at 100% ??

4. I have no problem with the whole book being available to Goodreads members, and I could then also create a quiz.

5. my main concern is that would non members then be able to read it, which could impact on potential amazon sales ?

any comments on the above would be very welcome indeed.
many thanks,
Carol

[Banjomike]

In approximately reverse order.

It looks like ALL of the book is visible to members (14 chapters). My ereader says 91 pages but they all tell lies.

Non members would certainly be able to read some of it but whether they are restricted to the % or not I don't know.

You can create a quiz at any time.

The Goodreads search engine is ... strange. Especially so at the moment.

Your author profile picture is likely to be waiting for the Goodreads caches to catch up (no pun intended) but you could try removing it and then add it again. Librarians cannot help you with that, only Goodreads staff can fiddle with Goodreads author pages.

Incidently, this IS the correct place to ask questions when things don't seem to work correctly. One advantage of posting here is that your messages are seen by many librarians and staff.

EDIT: Your book seems to be published under the name "Carol A. Browne", not "Carol Ann Browne", so it looks like your author profile is misnamed.

[Carol]

thanks a lot Banjomike,

I am quite happy that site members can see the whole book, as how else would they be able to post an honest review ?

luckily non members cannot – they see only the excerpt I set up.
I discovered this by simply logging out, doing a search, then reading it as a visitor.

my current task is a short quiz, which would have been completed by now if only the radio buttons on my multiple answer choices would stay enabled !
but no matter, I will soldier on.

[Banjomike]

Carol wrote: "I am quite happy that site members can see the whole book, as how else would they be able to post an honest review ?"

I suppose they might buy it. One of the reasons that many authors opt for the restricted % view is that with 20+ million members it is possible that their entire readership could get the book for free which would likely impact potential sales.

[Carol]

I understand your point, but this is my first book, and being an ebook it cannot be purchased at Goodreads.

to be totally honest, my main reason for joining was to give it some visibility other than on Amazon.

perhaps I am being totally naive here on how best to use my membership, but if everyone on here were to read my book, perhaps there could be a possibility that they would recommend it to friends ?

I would appreciate more comments on whether I am being open and generous or an old fool !

[Banjomike]

Carol wrote: "perhaps I am being totally naive here on how best to use my membership, but if everyone on here were to read my book, perhaps there could be a possibility that they would recommend it to friends ?"

Are you suggesting that their friends would not already be members of Goodreads? Blasphemer! Seriously, I personally would think twice about giving away my first book. Actually, it would never occur to me in the first place to give away my first book. Samples yes, the entire opus NO.

[Plethora]

Carol - nobody necessarily knows the right answer.

The book is still young, only out a few weeks.

I looked over at Amazon. The book is free to prime members if they would like to use it as their monthly free read option, or buy it for $3.50.

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe if you are in the Kindle Lending Library you can not offer your book digitally anywhere else during that time period. So first off, I would go check your author account for details. I'm not sure as I know they have a few different programs.

Give it some time to start building reviews, you can give away copies (if doesn't break KLL rules) in contest to promote some reading/reviews. Goodreads offers a giveaway program for example. Since this is a children's book, maybe try putting out some word at your local library?

[Carol]

Banjomike: my author profile was at my full name, as it is on Amazon, but my user profile was showing just Carol Browne - all 3 now match.

Bookworm R; I am with the 90 day KDP scheme, but they only restrict me from selling it elsewhere.

so thanks people,
perhaps I'm trying to run before I can walk so maybe I'll calm down for a while.

[Banjomike]

Carol Ann wrote: "thanks people,
perhaps I'm trying to run before I can walk so maybe I'll calm down for a while.
by the way Banjomike, my author profile was at my full name, as it is on Amazon, but my user profile was showing just Carol Browne - all 3 now match. "

Amazon don't need to worry whether names match but Goodreads does.

The only name that seems to appear on the actual book is is "Carol A. Browne" and that should be the author name that it appears under. It is easy enough to sort out, I'll just post it for the staff to fix.

[Miss M]

Carol Ann,
You may also want to check out the GR Author Feedback group - there is a lot of discussion there geared more towards marketing aspects & promotion, which may be of interest to you.

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/3...

[Banjomike]

Another aspect of allowing the entire book to be downloaded was brought up at our local coffee, chocolate cake & talk session. If the entire book is available for free on Goodreads then it can be posted on the illegal book download sites. I really would not do it.

[Carol]

thanks again Banjomike, I really do appreciate your help and concern, but am still a bit confused.
1. only members here can read the full book.
2. it cannot be purchased or downloaded, only viewed.

so barring copy/paste, how can anyone get hold of it ?
as ever, I feel a bit out of my depth here.

[Banjomike]

Carol Ann wrote: "thanks again Banjomike, I really do appreciate your help and concern, but am still a bit confused.
1. only members here can read the full book.
2. it cannot be purchased or downloaded, only viewed.

so barring copy/paste, how can anyone get hold of it ?
as ever, I feel a bit out of my depth here. "

PM sent.

[Carol]

WOW - you are an absolute star !
thanks for the info in your PM.

I have now deleted the book and will shortly be uploading just the first chapter.

there is no fool like an old fool, and I thank you again for your help and patience.

I have also done a small quiz,(a bit of fun with Dragon Magic)
which hopefully will still show up for the new upload.

[edit
I have just uploaded the excerpt and noticed that there were 2 radio buttons under the upload link.
one stated:
"Members can read this ebook in their browser and download it for free"
(which is what I must have done first time around)
the other just:
"Members can only read this ebook in their browser for free"

despite it apparently being ok to put up the whole book again and take the 2nd option, I have not taken the risk and just done an excerpt, as were it not for your priceless advice I would have made a right prat of myself.
[end edit]

[Cait]

There are some authors who do distribute their entire first book for free to build interest; it's a strategy that works sometimes. You might want to ask about it in the authors' group that Miss M linked to and start up a discussion on the subject with people who've done it, if it's still something which interests you.