Inkshares Community discussion
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Sharing credit
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(currently dead -- go to 2.0) The Goodwill Train
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Now back to our regularly scheduled program. There are still a few books out there that I want, and because of the new Nerdist contest, that list is growing! I need more credits! Who needs a preorder?
Here's my referral code if anyone wants to have a look:
https://www.inkshares.com/books/proph...
Mod
Sure, I understand where you are coming from and I'd like to say anyone who reads this and is unsure of the rules please email hello@inkshares.com. They will always give you the best answers.
As far as the "goodwill train" goes. Can someone tell me how it works without me digging through this thread? I have been deep in the lab with Lost Generation and some other secret stuff, so I'm just trying to wrap my head around it. Also, I know quite a bit about how the credit system works so I can alleviate some fears if I understand how it is being used.
Greetings, I'm back for some more trades. Anyone interested?
https://www.inkshares.com/books/beyon...
I almost forgot. Make sure to check out Dues Hex Machina. It is the first winner in the syndicate I'm in. She's over half way now and its definitely a book worth reading.
https://www.inkshares.com/books/deus-...
Amanda wrote: "RH Webster wrote: "Hi, all. I'm the new kid on the block, but I and my space opera Lucky are taking part in the Nerdist contest through March 15. I'm trying really hard to get into the top 3 but my..."SO SORRY! I totally grabbed the wrong link earlier. Try this one: https://www.inkshares.com/books/lucky...
I'll definitely reciprocate as soon as my credit count is back at a respectable (read, non-negative) level! Thanks to all of you in advance!
Amanda wrote: "Ricky wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Ricky wrote: "Anyone interested in exchanging pre-orders? https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-9...Let me know please"
Ordered! Here'..."
Awesome!
RH Webster I just got Lucky... hehe
My link for Beyond the Code is above if you want to share the love
RickyI'll take you up on that. My link for Beyond the Code is above
Melissa wrote: "Hey Joe, thanks for the reminder.I can speak for myself and say these are books I am genuinely interested in. Some I've been wanting for a long time, but never had the credits, so someone pointed ..."
Hi Melissa, you had me at Lost, Battlestar Galactica and Firefly. If you'd like to read a hardboiled character set against a sci-fi backdrop check out https://www.inkshares.com/books/sync-...
Peter
So I just noticed a weird thing... And maybe I missed a thread here somewhere, but my last referral only gave me $8. Is this a new change they are implementing?
RH Webster wrote: "Amanda wrote: "RH Webster wrote: "Hi, all. I'm the new kid on the block, but I and my space opera Lucky are taking part in the Nerdist contest through March 15. I'm trying really hard to get into t..."Just picked up another copy of Lucky, RH. Good luck in the contest!
https://www.inkshares.com/books/these...
@Melissa Yes referral now give out 8$ credits
@Melissa Yes referral now give out 8$ credits
Billy wrote: "Just picked up another copy of Lucky, RH. Good luck in the contest!"Thank you, Billy!
Kelsey wrote: "RH Webster I just got Lucky... hehe
My link for Beyond the Code is above if you want to share the love"
I'll be checking it out! Thanks so much, Kelsey!
Ricky wrote: "Anybody else interested in Trading RH? https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-9..."Just picked up a copy of the 9th Planet. I can't wait to read more. :)
Joe wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Joe wrote: "I also saw the comment on Johnslist and I also wanted to put out a reminder for the new people on that. Johnslist is just a cheeky name we gave that section because John..."I'm definitely in agreement that one should only order a book if genuinely interested in it, and have only done so myself. Perhaps if I didn't stick to that rule my own campaign would have gone better, or maybe not.
With that being said it always seemed to me that the intent of this thread is as I believe John said, a way to pay it forward so to speak. I'm on a very tight budget so I had to limit myself to 2 books month bought without credits, which has now changed to the syndicate purchase +1 book entirely of my own choosing(which is why I don't order multiple copies of books on my own). When I can get together enough credits I can order more. This means that I have to leave far too many books I want to see published go without my support, and I imagine that there are plenty if others who can say the same.
With this thread we're able to both get support to books we're interested in, and make sure that those authors can get more credits in order to support books that they may otherwise not been able to foe financial reasons.
Are they some who will game this system? Undoubtedly, and having been through the stress of a campaign I can understand why and can't bring myself to judge them harshly. All I can speak for (and all I ever want to speak for) are my own actions, and I can honestly say I've only ever ordered books I'm interested in and I hope that those who ordered during my campaign can say the same because I really only want people who truly want to read my book to order it. This thread just gives me an easy way to find referral codes for those books so that I can get the authors something a little extra on top of my order.
Will send a PDF of Journey to anyone here who will do an honest Amazon / Goodreads review.Will reciprocate for your book on Amazon or Inkshares if not yet published.
To arrange this, email me at myklwalsh@yahoo.com
http://secretagentman.org/
Hey, Mykl,I will keep this in mind in case I go that route in the coming months.
I think a big struggle and frustration is getting people to actually want to go read my book. And I know a huge part of that is time. Most authors are so busy trying to sell their own, and keep up with all of these threads, and updates, let alone get some actual writing done that it is barely doable to read all the stories we'd love to get into. I haven't been able to give more than passing glances to the books I'm interested in. What I am hoping is to eventually help in a more round about way. The books I have ordered that get funded, I WILL be reading. And by then, if this new blogging adventure has garnered some notice, I could later share reviews about those books. I know everyone wants preorders right now. But the real goal is to get published and then actually sell books. In the long wrong this is helping too... I least, that's how I see it.
I would love to have more actual readers over authors with their own agendas buying my book, but then, in the end, if authors want to truly help each other, they should actually read those books and share their feelings with an informed opinion about the book's content. It's the truth of it that should be the selling point.
Great words, Thomas. You're such a positive light in this community.You say it well when you talk about the intent behind the Goodwill train. But sadly, all good things can be corrupted, especially under the pressure of a contest. But I will reiterate from the group guidelines: no one's project is more important than any other. This is the principle behind Johnslist and why I set up guidelines for that right away that all threads there must represent community initiatives to help (adhering to the guidelines for Inkshares' rules) a project fund. The Goodwill train (uncorrupted) is also a good principle I think we should keep -- it's a way of making use of the referral links we get whenever we back a book to help each other get credit so we can support books we are passionate about. But the Goodwill train is one-way -- it is about GIVING, not receiving. It is about sharing the love and trusting that if you share love, that love will get paid forward, and in paying it forward you'll be part of something good -- something good that will allow you to sustain a supportive endeavor. If we all came together under the TRUE spirit of the Goodwill train, we'd become a thriving subgroup of authors here who are actively reaching out and supporting NEW books that ultimately builds more connections in our author community, brings new authors to this group, and makes Inkshares less of an island.
What is better? Insular pre-order swapping, or truly spreading the credits around to reach potentially more than a thousand other authors out there who don't even know about this group?
I actually don't think anyone here needs to justify why they buy a book. You don't have to intend to read it. You have the right to buy a book for whatever reason you want. I certainly don't sign a "promise to read" agreement when I buy a book at Chapters. So that said there's absolutely nothing wrong with supporting a book here that you want to support simply for the sake of being supporting. There is no violation of Inkshares' rules in that.
That is all about GIVING, one-sided, one way, no expectations. It is this idea out of which this Goodreads group emerged -- back last summer several authors had the idea to simply reach out and back books they wanted to support with a desire to reach out and connect with those authors. It didn't come from order-swapping, because "hey, buy my book and I'll buy yours" is a shallow exchange. There is no depth of value in that. Where there IS value is in what goes beyond that: "how can we work together?" In there are the seeds of a relationship.
Does this mean many people aren't going to make their funding goals? Yes. There is no guarantee for ANY of us that we're going to reach our funding goals. That is the nature of crowdfunding. However, can we optimize our process and build our efforts around authentic teamwork? Yes. That is what this group is for.
For those who see this as unfair, I want to remind you of the numerous authors whose books did not fund because they couldn't get enough pre-orders. This community exists not to artificially ensure EVERYONE funds, but to ensure that in their efforts to fund they are surrounded by community that will extend BEYOND funding. Thomas, you are a great example -- you didn't reach your funding goal but you are still here, and you've kept your spirits up and you're preparing for what comes next. That is EXACTLY what we envision with this community -- let's come together for the long term and help each other, let's think big picture beyond contests or crowdfunding campaigns, even beyond book 1. Let's think about being career authors and how we can continue to work together, learn, grow, get excited about each others' work.
Though there is no guarantee that we will all get funded, there is definitely the guarantee that together we will go further than alone.
That was awesomely written, John! And you truly point out why I have grown to love this community and in the end why I can't consider this whole venture a failure. The connections I made here, the stories I will eventually get to read and share... Are so much more and better than I could have expected or even imagined.
Kelsey wrote: "I almost forgot. Make sure to check out Dues Hex Machina. It is the first winner in the syndicate I'm in. She's over half way now and its definitely a book worth reading.
https://www.inkshares..."
Oh wow Kelsey! Thanks so much for the plug!
One thing should be added, maybe every few pages of this thread. Because in being directed to this thread, in no way did I assume that trading preorders was wrong, because in looking through it this is mostly what you see. So by trying to figure out how this works, and having to learn by example, I really don't know what else I was supposed to assume. And I'm sure any new people would take a look, gather the evidence, and assume that's exactly how this works. Especially after getting pitched with similar offers day after day from the start. I just always had to ignore them because I never had the money or credits until this week. And then all this comes up, and I'm made to feel guilty that I was doing something wrong, and I've stalled... completely, all over again.
So the rules of this thread need to be restated every few pages or so, because those just joining wouldn't know it was any other way by looking.
Mod
Joe wrote: "Maybe we have a weekly referral thread where each week we close the last one and open a new one to keep it fresh for new people? I don't know it that makes sense. Just throwing it out there."Or just make a list of referral codes for those who want to add theirs. No messages, no comments - just the book name and the code.
Would make it an easy way for someone who wants to buy a book and help out the author to do so and hopefully avoid the feelings of obligation that seem to be created by this thread.
Amanda wrote: "Kelsey wrote: "I almost forgot. Make sure to check out Dues Hex Machina. It is the first winner in the syndicate I'm in. She's over half way now and its definitely a book worth reading.
https:..."
No problem. I hope it helps
Mod
https://www.inkshares.com/forum_threa...
Right now it seems that authors are receiving credits for a book multiple times. I expect that based on the description in the link, this will not be the case in the long term, but authors will be able to get credits once for each unique book they refer.
Keeping this in mind, I have a suggestion. In the spirit of the group, sharing, lifting each other up, etc. What if we created a Goodwill Train 2.0 where authors who are looking to score some credits post their book (if they choose, who wouldn't) and their "picks," each with a referral link attached to it. You receive credits for each unique book you refer, so an author can boost themselves and several others they feel passionate about and reap the rewards of the credit system.
Authors looking to spend some credits or cash will visit the thread, either to pick up a book they were interested in and help an author out or to browse author recommendations and find something new and interesting.
This recommendation means authors looking to make some credits so they can support more than their budget allows can still do so, well-liked stories get backed by the community, and the goodwill train can keep on rolling. Thoughts?
Joe wrote: "...In the spirit of the group, sharing, lifting each other up, etc. What if we created a Goodwill Train 2.0 where authors who are looking to score some credits post their book (if they choose, who wouldn't) and their "picks," each with a referral link attached to it. You receive credits for each unique book you refer, so an author can boost themselves and several others they feel passionate about and reap the rewards of the credit system..."I like this idea, actually better than what's going on now. Again, I'm the new kid on the block so I don't know that my opinion matters, but I'd like to see a place I can share what looks like other good books as well.
I agree too. Tho they have the referral system on the site, I get so many that I don't really look through them. Here we have the option to reach those who are looking, and have more room to say something about them if we want...I was actually thinking of something similar this morning, of putting a list together to share.
@Joe -- brilliant idea! I think we should start with Goodwill 2.0. I also like @Craig's idea about a list. How would we go about making a shared doc for everyone in the group to put their links up?I'm totally for using my credits in the true spirit of the train. I would love to have a list of affiliate links I could use to go and find a book I want to support then get that affiliate some credit. They can go and do likewise -- they or someone, anyone else -- grab my affiliate link when they want to copy me.
Ah, heck, I'm going to make this thread now :)
This thread is now dead. We're keeping it for archives though. However, the Goodwill train continues in the 2.0 version.
Go to https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... for the continuation of it -- and make sure to read the first post before jumping in.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
I totally see where your coming from and why, Joe, on both issues. My main concern is that this all might screech to a halt because others who thought to try this route, might read the idea that this isn't exactly considered legal, and stop using it. For anyone following, including possible Inkshares reps, I just wanted to get my point down here. It's definitely not the only way or even the best way, but for some it might be their final and last resort. I found that it is a way to finally get the books I wanted before I most likely won't be here anymore, and unable to get credits.
The John's List I know, my fear was that someone could lump all of these strategies of author helping author under the same category and put an end to that too. I like John's List, and it does everything it's meant to (it's also named after a spectacular knight for the cause)