I need help understanding this site.

[ireakhavok]

So correct me if I'm wrong. I wrote a novel, yet I can't say on this website that I'd like some people to read it? makes no sense. Hardly a book club. I don't understand how audible, and other audiobook websites, can advertise for their website, yet I can't search for someone worthy to review my novel? I'm purposefully not saying the name of my book, so this will be published to the forum, and I can get real answers, instead of an email saying "I was promoting my novel" which isn't allowed.

It's not like I'm trying to sabotage the website. I'd just like to reach out to a reading community that isn't in my area. It's become kind of a big deal around here. I've been featured in the newspaper and the local NBC news affiliate, KMOT, but I need more help, more reviews, and more people to take a look. People these days are lazy, and rarely help in spreading the word... they feel that it should do it by itself. My novel has done this, so far, but I need to pursue every avenue that I can.

I wrote a gem, and a ton of people are noticing. I've sold over 64 copies, with 35 copies pledged through my kickstarter. I've heard only amazing things back from my readers, but would like an unbiased audience to decide. I am currently at 99 books pretty much in the bag, as long as my kickstarter survives, which it seems like it will. I'm at 71%, halfway through, with several weeks to finish.

My question is: How can I have my book added to bookshelves on this site, I do not know how this website works. I need some better understanding on the website; what it's for, and where I can go to get proper reviews, that don't cost me hundreds of dollars.

[gali]

Self promoting on the forums is against the rules. If you wish to promote your book, you can submit your book for review or purchase one of the advertising packages.

For more details please read the Strict Anti-Spam Rules and REVIEW REQUEST ISSUES - Read this first.

[ireakhavok]

Thank you for the reply. I was able to find the link shortly after submitting this post. The website should be improved more, to help authors. It was hard for me to understand how to submit books. Thank you.

[Scott]

I appreciate the feedback.

Interestingly, if you don't mind me blabbering for a bit, the thing about this site is it is not made for authors. It's made for readers.

Authors love this site because readers love this site and because so many avid readers are actually consistently here using this site.

Most people don't read. More than most, actually. Over 75% of American adults have not read a single book in the last year. This site has become very popular. It's members are all of that special minority, that special 25%. And really probably most of our members are not even part of the part of that 25% who only read 1 book per year. We are the minority of that minority who are avid readers.

I do realize thousands of authors come here because they want to engage this big community filled with people from that special minority of people who actually read books. But, for every one of those thousands of authors who have come here, a hundred or even a thousand or more readers have come here.

Nothing is perfect. I will definitely make the site easier for authors to navigate. I deeply appreciate the feedback.

However, at the end of the day the authors are coming here precisely because this site is not made for authors but rather because our average member is neither an author nor part of that 75% of people who do not even a read a single book.

[Fran]

@Scott
I'm part of a minority of a minority - Oh! I feel so special

[gali]

@Scott
I'm part of a minority of a minority - Oh! I feel so special

Ditto!

[ireakhavok]

Thank you Scott for the detailed reply. Helps a ton. I'm a computer science major and it was kind of hard at first to understand how to navigate the site. The only thing that helped was the tiny box in the top right hand corner that suggested a link if I was a new author. Now I see an author dashboard in my menu bar that I don't remember originally. Hope that helps. My speciality for my internship was to build an uploading interface for a website called STEM. The website was designed with computer illiterate teachers in mind, so they could upload detailed lessons that met standards. This was done all while maintaining a self-managing database. If you need more insight to simplifying and streamlining, on any level, please utilize me. I'm obsessed with efficiency.

[Scott]

Please do continue to provide feedback on any trouble you have navigating or any proposed changes.

I have already made some changes to help authors new to the site get acquainted. I added an "Authors Start Here" where the "Author Dashboard" link would appear. This new link will appear both for logged out users and and for users who are considered new (less than 5 posts). I have also added a note to the top of the FAQ that will similarly display under the same conditions.

I am also adding a TL;DR to the anti-spam rules explaining the starting procedure which should help authors who want to get right to submitting their books not read about the rules of posting.

-- 22 Jul 2015 06:01 pm --

Tangentially, the matter discussed in this topic inspired me to show some special author appreciation. I am mainly trying to do it in the way I think the author's would hear the most which is in the form of increased book sales. To that end, I created a global announcement titled, "Author Appreciation!"

[greyraven201]

I read your request to not post problems with you site and have done as you asked to contact via thr FAQ page, but I've done that twice now and have had zero results. I keep getting emails requesting action for my book to be reviewed, it's for the same upload I have uploaded several times now. Your site is not very user friendly and I can't seem to do anything unless I pay for reviews which I will not do. I'm patient, I can wait, but your constant emails asking for the same thing has drove me to my breaking point. I also followed your directions on shutting down emails, which is all I seem to be allowed to do instead of simply retracting my review request, and I'm still receiving emails. I can't send you a private message regarding this issue so you get iton your forum. And I'm not allowed to promote my own book on your site? Doesn't seem author friendly at all.

[ireakhavok]

Patience, my friend, but you came to the right thread.

-- 30 Jul 2015, 23:19 --

If you paid for services, you get what you pay for. Just saying.

[Scott]

I read your request to not post problems with you site and have done as you asked to contact via thr FAQ page, but I've done that twice now and have had zero results. I keep getting emails requesting action for my book to be reviewed, it's for the same upload I have uploaded several times now. Your site is not very user friendly and I can't seem to do anything unless I pay for reviews which I will not do. I'm patient, I can wait, but your constant emails asking for the same thing has drove me to my breaking point. I also followed your directions on shutting down emails, which is all I seem to be allowed to do instead of simply retracting my review request, and I'm still receiving emails. I can't send you a private message regarding this issue so you get iton your forum. And I'm not allowed to promote my own book on your site? Doesn't seem author friendly at all.

@greyraven201 I am sorry you had this trouble, felt this frustration and appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback.

I already responded to the message you sent through the author dashboard. I generally always make sure all the new tickets started through the author dashboard or review team system have received a response before I check this forum. There should have been an estimated response time listed on the form you used to send that message and my response was well within that.

I checked your author dashboard and the only thing listed for you to do is upload your book cover. Are you saying that you already uploaded your book cover twice and it is both not displayed and still being listed as something that needs to be done?

In any case, I am sorry for the trouble you have had. I can assure you we have done thousands of free reviews without issue so no bait and switch is taking place. However, I definitely understand the frustration you have felt and am already taking steps based the feedback regarding the process seeming like a dishonest bait and switch or us not wanting to resolve author dashboard issues as fast possible.

[Elizabeth2015]

I am a new user, Scott. I just finished reading a book that was offered after I made my first 5 posts. Of course, I have only 3 points so far. How do I navigate to initiate and post a book review? Thanks.

[gali]

I am a new user, Scott. I just finished reading a book that was offered after I made my first 5 posts. Of course, I have only 3 points so far. How do I navigate to initiate and post a book review? Thanks.

You should post the review as a new topic in the Private Review Team Forum. Once you have posted it, go to the Review Team Page and submit your rating. You will find Review Team Guidelines, Policies, and Terms on you Review Team Page.