What do you, guys, think?

[Nik]

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Michael]

I'd let it go, Nik.

[Nik]

Michael wrote: "I'd let it go, Nik."

Well, yeah, probably not such a big deal, but do you think librarians, who likely haven't read the books should decide or the author or who?

[Michael]

I think we're in their sandbox, and have to play by their rules, whether we agree with them or not.

[Nik]

See your point, I just think every play has a goal and tagging and categorizing something only vaguely familiar not necessarily promotes this goal

[Michael]

I agree. And I really don't see a big deal if you don't want your books to be listed as a series.

[M.L.]

I agree, let it go. I think it's reasonable for the librarians to view the books as a series. They do follow in order, as I understand. On the other hand, lots of stand alones are linked as a series because they have the same protagonist/occur in the same area. Putting them as a series is part of marketing.

At the same time, I disagree with the statement that GR is not a market. It absolutely is a market - otherwise why do I get a zillion pop-up ads that I don't want, have tried to remove and another one immediately takes its place, get asked if I own the book when I review something, etc., so to say it is not a market is just silly. However, the author does not get to decide everything in regard to their book.

[Krazykiwi]

You had to know I'd see this Nik :)

Re GR being a market: You can't give GR money, and get a copy of the book. It can direct you to a store that sells it, but that's all. Buses are plastered with advertising too, but they also aren't markets or storefronts. In the stores, you can do whatever you can do, but GR is a catalogue and has it's own cataloguing rules, very similar to traditional library listings. You'd get in trouble wandering into a library and changing their catalogue listings too.

FWIW, Authors who don't follow the rules can (and often do) get their author accounts revoked, but their books aren't removed, they just become some of the many millions of books that don't have an author account associated. Librarians who don't follow the rules get their privileges taken away too, and when you've put as many hours into maintaining this database as lethe and I have, that's not a risk worth taking. GR staff can make exceptions, the librarians cannot, so there's no point arguing at us that we should, it won't happen. Or if it does and you talk someone into it, if it's against policy it'll be reverted the first moment another librarian sees it.

GR has a stated goal of recording every edition of every book ever published, something that's directly at odds with most marketing platforms where you want to see only what's new and currently available on sale. Is that an attainable goal? Of course not, but it's the pie in the sky ideal, and it means once a book is here, it's here to stay. And because it's not offering the book for sale, only catalogue information about it, GR doesn't need your permission for the info, anymore than Wikipedia or Google or Bing do. You put it out there in the world, well now it's out there.

Your author profile page above the book listing, entirely yours though. Put anything you want in your bio or in your blog space, there's practically nothing you're not allowed to do there (Ok, I have seen staff remove author nudes from the profile images once, but erotica book covers are ok)

But the book listings belong to the catalogue, and authors have a limited amount of editing power there mostly because the goal of the site and the goals of an author aren't perfectly aligned. FWIW, you used to have more, and in more places in the site, but too many authors who couldn't follow the pretty simple rules. So, thank your fellow authors that you can't just edit the series listings yourself (and for the fact that you can't separate books, remove or replace covers, remove books, add your books to listopia or add literary awards anymore either. All things that used to be possible and now only librarians or staff can do.)

[Nik]

Krazykiwi wrote: "You had to know I'd see this Nik :) ..."

But of course, Krazykiwi, and I'm always game for a respectful public discourse whether on this group or on Librarian one -:)
I got your point - all is cool. Can I question decisions of whoever listed the books this or the other way? I'm sure I can and it doesn't contravene any rules. BTW, I've nothing against your advice and position, KK. If anything, they were quite helpful and I understand the limits of your authority.
I myself positioned the books as the series at first. Somebody on GR's behalf - replicated that - fine with me. Now, I tell - it's not a series. I can understand, if someone who read them all told: "Listen, mate, they are series". But in this case - I'm not sure anyone even gave it a second thought.
Cataloging also has some purpose. What is it? To provide accurate info to the readers? Mine is subjective, but better than anyone's who didn't read the book. That's my only point.
I might apply to the support, as you've suggested, not sure I would though because I don't view it as something paramount.
And sincere thanks for patience and explanations -:)

[M.L.]

I can't help but comment :-) and it goes to the "alignment" of the site goals vs author goals. An author's individual marketing goal may take priority to the author personally - but that may not be the most accurate information for the reader or in the reader's best interest. Hence, you do need someone with a different (outside/fresh) perspective to make the call.

Interestingly, I'm not so sure authors are always the best to decide certain things about their own books. Take covers for instance (just one example). Some real puzzlers out there. :-)

[Nik]

Agree with you and welcome your commenting-:)
If a person read a book his/her opinion would sometimes be more valuable than author's, because author can't objectively evaluate his/her creation. However, I'm not so sure that someone just seeing book's externals can judge whether it belongs to a series or not-:)
I even have some examples in mind for both ways.
No worries - not gonna leave GR in protest -:)

[Michael]

If authors had the run of the show here, it would be a complete mess. Talk about putting the prisoners in charge of the prison. Your current issue aside, Nik, I like the way this place operates, for the most part. As a reader as much as an author.

[Nik]

When some have little confidence in very serious political institutions, a voice of confidence and support of this microcosm is certainly welcome