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Want to get rid of a bad cover on my Goodreads listing
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Jenne
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Sep 19, 2019 06:12PM
I was really happy with the first cover I designed, for about a minute, and uploaded it to my book's Goodreads page. When the preview galley came to me, I decided it looked hideous, and designed a new one. No books were printed with this cover besides the preview galley, and I set my new cover to be the default, but when I made a Giveaway, it would only show the first, hideous cover. I couldn't delete it and replace it with the new one because I don't have Librarian privileges over my own book. How can I fix this? (I did apply to be a Librarian, but it was about two weeks ago and I haven't heard back. The giveaway is ending today and has only ever had the cover I hate associated with it.)
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I sympathise. I tried to change a couple of my covers a while back because I'd published updated editions with new covers. The only solution I could find was to create a brand new entry for the updated ones. In the end, I stuck with the original versions because I thought having two editions might confuse readers. The links to Amazon take readers to the latest versions anyway, so if anyone uses this site to access the purchase links, they won't get the old versions. I didn't hate my old covers as much as you do, but the newer ones are an improvement.I tried applying for librarian privileges but I couldn't even do that with my own books! I don't know what to tell you about the process, except that I couldn't do it and I didn't bother pursuing it.
Mod
Hi Jenne,I concur with what others have told you. I think you could create a new edition with the new cover but you can't replace the old one. I asked about this issue in the UK Amazon Kindle Forum a while back because something I saw on one of my book pages made me think things might have changed. It's a very responsive forum but nobody has ever replied to my post, which makes me conclude that I was wrong and nothing has changed!
Like Xanxa, I gave up in the end but I do find it infuriating that the covers shown for many of my books on Goodreads aren't used for any existing version of the book.
If you do manage to find a solution to this problem, or get some response from Goodreads, please do update us as I imagine others have experienced this problem.
Thank you so much for clarifying that, Annob; it was very kind of you. I'll have a go at doing it! annob wrote: "Since I am a Goodreads Librarian, I can't resist helping out here. :)
Background:
Goodreads doesn't allow images of published covers (includes ARCs and out-of-print books) to be deleted from their..."
I have just been through this same problem - and lived to tell the tale, or rather now have my new covers on display. It ought to be oh so much easier than it is. However, as you now have a Goodreads Librarian helping you, I am sure all will be satisfactorily resolved.
Thanks Leslie.Yes, seem to have sorted mine now - and wondering why I didn't suss it five years ago!
Leslie wrote: "I have just been through this same problem - and lived to tell the tale, or rather now have my new covers on display. It ought to be oh so much easier than it is. However, as you now have a Goodrea..."
I've had this problem with several of my covers and I'd like to put in another vote for Goodreads and parent co. Amazon to eventually give authors the option of changing this. I'm sure I'm not the only author who hastens to publish an ebook in time for a holiday (Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day, etc.) and uses either a sub-par cover as a placeholder or a holiday-specific cover for that event.
If only there was a way we could suppress a certain version of our own book so that viewers see the cover we are most proud of...
R. wrote: "I've had this problem with several of my covers and I'd like to put in another vote for Goodreads and parent co. Amazon to eventually give authors the option of changing this. I'm sure I'm not th..."
You can change your cover. It is not quite as straight forward as one would wish, but it is possible. I have done all of my covers.
Doing this on Amazon is of course dead easy; you just upload your new cover.
Goodreads is not so easy. I suggest you read up a bit on how to do this before starting to do it! As I recall there are a few leads one can follow.
When you have pulled up your book title, move your eye a little down the page and you'll find 'Add an alternate cover edition'. This is where you start. For reasons best known to Goodreads they like to keep one's old cover; so this is why you make a 'new cover edition'. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the full process and I did have to contact Goodreads Help to get the whole thing sorted, but, take heart, it is possible.
Mod
Leslie wrote: "When you have pulled up your book title, move your eye a little down the page and you'll find 'Add an alternate cover edition'. This is where you start. For reasons best known to Goodreads they like to keep one's old cover; so this is why you make a 'new cover edition'. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the full process and I did have to contact Goodreads Help to get the whole thing sorted, but, take heart, it is possible."
When you add the edition with a new cover, there should be a 'make this the default edition' button or something along those words. That'll make anyone searching for name see that edition (with that cover) first, unless they have the full URL for another edition.
Goodread's explanation of keeping old covers is so people can have the option of shelving a version with the same cover they bought (or borrowed). The only way I believe to get rid of a bad cover is if it was a placeholder that never saw print/publication and you could prove that.
