Goodreads Librarians Group discussion
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Delphi Altair
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Problems for authors that use initials or pseudonyms for their books
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Karen, did you contact support and request them to change the default edition for Delphi Altair as we discussed? :)
Michael, first, I would like to say thank you so much for being so helpful and thank god for you! And, yes, I tried. However, since my problem is not a simple question; it is a complex of actions that must take place and does not fit with any of the answers that were listed. There is not a mechanism to talk the complex problem through to someone but you. I have since tried to fix the problem with your help and changed my shelf name back to K.D. Dowdall, but that has not worked either because I am now listed as Karen Dowdall, K D Dowdall, however, I still have not been able to update my new cover has primary default for Delphi Altair. I even changed my Author page to K. D. Dowdall in hopes it would fix the problem, but it hasn't and now I am not allowed to change it back to Karen DeMers Dowdall. So, it is even more complex than before. I have another book coming out soon with author name Karen DeMers Dowdall and heaven knows were that will good on Goodreads if this problem is not fixed. What have other Authors done who use Pseudonyms or Initials but their Goodreads author's name is a legal name? Thank you Michael,
Karen
Michael, sorry for the two words (has and good that should be as and go). I wrote this very fast, very early this morning. Karen ;)
Karen wrote: "What have other Authors done who use Pseudonyms or Initials but their Goodreads author's name is a legal name?The problem is, most GR author names are the names used on the books. That is the name people expect, it's what's on the covers, and it's what they look the books up under - it's how they find you. Most people don't know authors legal names, and they don't need to (in fact, this problem occurs much more frequently the other direction, when a publisher accidentally "outs" a pseudonym by putting their real name into their onix feed, and in the process often creating a serious privacy violation.)
We can fix this, but frantically changing author names and books without a plan will just make it worse.
Ideally this would happen:
1) Books published as K.D. Dowdall would be on that profile, with that author name first.
2) Books published as Karen DeMers Dowdall would be on that profile, with that author name first.
2a) ETA: I just realised there's also Karen Dowdall, but that profile *can* be merged into Karen DeMers Dowdall, because a search for it would still work.
3) If you wish books to be on both profiles, we add the other one (i.e. the one not on the cover) as a secondary author.
4) You pick which of (or both) of those profiles you want to maintain, and we get staff to sort that out (librarians can not merge or alter claimed GR author profiles.) This may take a day or two, but it's a matter of posting on the big GR "GR Author names to be merged" thread.
If you want to claim both, you'll need two email addresses.
5) The primary author, that is the one listed first, which at this point should be the one on the cover, can choose the default edition for searches.
This is where you are having trouble: If your author name is K.D. Dowdall, this profile is not the primary author and can not make this change for books published as Karen DeMers Dowdall, and vice versa. If you are going to keep publishing with both names, you'll really need to claim both profiles.
6 to infinity) When you write a new book, either add it yourself from the profile it is meant to be on (i.e. the one on the cover) before it is published, or wait for the automatic import bots to add it, bearing in mind they can't actually read and often put stuff on the wrong profiles. If that happens, a thread here with which book, and which profile it should be on, will generally have it fixed pretty smartly.
Hello Krazykiwi,Up until today, my Author Page was Karen DeMers Dowdall and both my books were listed under that profile and that is the only profile I wish to have going forward for my books. This morning, I thought it would help to temporarily change my profile name to K.D. Dowdall (author name on book for Delphi Altair Strange Beginnings) in an effort to upload my new book cover that Michael did a ACE for that title since nothing else was working and to make it my primary default cover. However, now I can't change my name back to Karen DeMers Dowdall on my Author Profile Page (I tried 3 times) and the primary default cover attempt did not work anyway because of the two author names listed.
So, it should be as you stated, for Delphi Atair Strange Beginnings: K.D. Dowdall, Karen DeMers Dowdall for this book only, regardless if new cover can't become primary default. Their will be no other books by K. D. Dowdall, only Karen DeMers Dowdall. I am so sorry to put you and Michael to so much trouble.
Now, how can I now get my name changed back to Karen DeMers Dowdall on my Author Profile Page?
I greatly appreciate your great explanation and your help as well as Michael's.
Sincerely,
Karen DeMers Dowdall
Krazykiwi, I just noticed that only Goodreads Librarians can change by name back unless I am given temporary authority to change it back to Karen DeMers Dowdall. It would be fine with me, at this point, if a Goodreads Librarian would consider doing it, since I have made such a mess of this. Sincerely,
Karen DeMers Dowdall
Actually we cannot only staff can. Here is the thread to request it.https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen, only Goodreads staff can change author names of claimed profiles. I requested for a merge here - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Edit:
Sorry Phil, didn't see that you responded already.
Karen wrote: "now I can't change my name back to Karen DeMers Dowdall on my Author Profile Page (I tried 3 times)"Hi Karen, just by way of explanation: normally GR authors can change the name on their profile (as you did the first time). The reason you can't change it back is because there still is a profile for Karen DeMers Dowdall as well. You cannot change your name to an existing profile. Only staff can do that (as the other librarians explained already).
Hi Lethe,Okay, are you, as a Goodreads Librarian, be making the change back to Karen DeMers Dowdall on my original profile?
with much appreciation,
Karen DeMers Dowdall
Only Goodreads staff can make the change. No librarian can. We are not staff, we're volunteer tidy-uppers. :-)Michael has posted the request for the staff; you just have to wait for them to do it.
Hey Karen, Staff have sorted your profile from Michael's request on the other thread so it now has your full name (Karen DeMers Dowdall). The editions of Delphi Altair that were published as K.D. Dowdall now have that name as secondary author.
You should now be able to set the default edition properly, and future books should turn up correctly on the right profile. If they don't, just post back to this group and they'll be fixed.
Hello Krazykiwi, Michael, Lethe, and Abcdarian,All of you are so wonderful considering the mess I made. I can't thank you enough Krazykiwi, Michael, Lethe, and Abcdarian! I have also learned, not only are all of you hardworking and incredibly knowledgeable Goodreads librarians, especially as volunteers, but how kind you are as well and how "spot on" all of you are when there is a “Goodreads author caused Problem” with a non-descript unimportant author who loves to read and to write. I love Goodreads and now I love Goodreads Librarians.
I thank all of you so very much,
Karen DeMers Dowdall
Abcdarian wrote: "we're volunteer tidy-uppers. :-)"Best job description I've seen.
Hello Phil, I thank you too. All of you are more than wonderful!With much appreciaton,
Karen DeMers Dowdall
I used my initials for my first book (K.D. Dowdall) and my second book uses my full name (Karen DeMers Dowdall). Now, however, the mechanism used to change and accept a primary default request that will allow me to update my new book cover is not accepted, even with permission by one of our awesome Goodreads Librarians. How has this been handled in the past? Please help!