Making Connections discussion

Anything you can think of

No suggestions, just didnt really know where to post.

Just wanted to say that this is a fantastic group, a great idea. I am always looking for help with ways to do things on blogs and I just google and try to muddle through. This is great for learning and ideas. And combining it with reviews/blog tours/interviews, awesome.

Thanks Suzanne, I am really hoping this all goes the way I see it inside my head. LOL

Hey Tana! Maybe I thread who people like myself who work with authors who self promote & Indie Authors can post our info?

Hi.. I hope you don't mind me mentioning this here ;) ...this is just something I've noticed trying to review on amazon. I've noticed that authors generally like having their books reviewed there.. understandably so but I always get this message:

"Want to write a customer review?

To write a customer review: you must have used this account to complete a purchase* of an item from Amazon.com. There is a 48-hour waiting period after your first order has been shipped before you'll be able to submit your review.

If you have another account: and you have already used it to make a purchase, you can sign into that account to write a review.

Other options:



Go back to the item you were just viewing
Visit Your Profile

* A purchase requirement is used to maintain review quality. Learn more about writing customer reviews."

I'm not sure if anyone else gets the same thing since I don't happen to really come across this being posted. Just thought I'd mention this and see what others had to say ;) thank ya and I think I can review just about anywhere else..lol :) *A note also of being bought somewhere else, a giveaway, or being given to for a review where this wouldn't work for me.

I've heard of other people having trouble with Amazon, too.

I know you didn't have to purchase the book you want to review on Amazon to post your review there, because I post all of my reviews on Amazon, even ones I get directly from the authors/publishers.

I think you just have to have made a purchase of something from Amazon at some time. I buy from there all the time anyway, so it's never been a problem for me.

Ken do you have an account with amazon I am wondering the same thing as I have never had a problem but I do buy from amazon all the time.

I get the same message. Yes, I have an account but haven't bought from them ever.

well thats not good, wonder if we should email amazon and find out why or how to fix this and see what they say.

that'd be awesome! by we, you mean you, right?

lol yes on my list of things to do. lol

that is even awesome-ER! hehe

lol Midu

I can do it Tana...I was thinking of doing it anyway :)

Hullo Awesome Sheri! How do you do?

Oh thank you Sheri, that Midu was being bossy LMAO

love you Midu lol

:-)

Hi Midu!

This is on Amazon's help page:
"Who can create customer reviews?
Anyone who has purchased items from Amazon.com. All we ask is that you follow a few simple rules..."

I'm going to send them an email asking about it anyway ;)

Thanks, Sheri!

I had that problem on Amazon too. Until you make that first purchase you will be unable to write a written review. It can be a gift certificate purchase but a purchase no less. I did email them about it and they simply said until you make a purchase...blah blah. You can give a star rating, a like and tag which is a start.

Smashwords is similar in that if you do not purchase that particular book that you are wanting to review from them you are unable to write a review. Regardless of how many other books you may have purchased. That might be something to keep in mind for any authors that would like a review from Smashwords.

If any of you are like me you are a member on various on line sites so here's a bit of encouragement go forth and spread the word... I review on many on line sites for authors that have been so generous to offer their books here to us readers and have been a bit of a crusader in that I review everywhere that I possibly can and when that fails I use word of mouth. Posting the same review apparently is fine.(this has been discussed in another group that I'm in) It can be tedious to review everywhere so cut and paste is a blessing.

thanks Margaret for letting us know, maybe we will have to send gifts out to the ones who are having this problem.

I'm going to start a new thread about this :)

good idea

Tana wrote: "thanks Margaret for letting us know, maybe we will have to send gifts out to the ones who are having this problem."

Just to warn you it must be a gift certificate gift so they get the exact amount of the book in a gift certificate and then purchase the book with it. Just a gift of the book will not do it. Hope this helps. Oh of course it only needs to be the one time because after you make that first purchase you're on your way...

oh that does help a lot, thank you.

How about if they download free books? Do you know if that counts as a purchase?

Sheri wrote: "How about if they download free books? Do you know if that counts as a purchase?"

No it doesn't. It is frustrating when you want to write a review and cannot. I'm glad to have gone through this and be able to help now.

Heres an idea: what if our group made a blog and we hosted the authors in here on the blog once a week. We could post all the books that are up for review maybe even link back to this group... Now I would need help as I have my own blog to run...we could post interviews find followers etc etc. lol who here would like to see this happen and if you think its a good idea who wants to help lol andif you think its a bad idea also let me know.
sign up below
Tana

thanks Amber.

Tana wrote: "Heres an idea: what if our group made a blog and we hosted the authors in here on the blog once a week. We could post all the books that are up for review maybe even link back to this group... No..."

This sounds like an awesome idea to me.
Mike

Anything that gets our books in front of people is a great idea.
Denise

Tana wrote: "Ken do you have an account with amazon I am wondering the same thing as I have never had a problem but I do buy from amazon all the time."


Yeah it's a newer account though Tana... I thought I had one before (must have been with an old e-mail that I no longer have that I may have made a purchase or two on before). Thank ya and everyone for their feedback. I guess that makes sense to verify someone being there ;) It was starting to sound like you had to buy every item from there before you could review it, and I was wondering why I was hearing so much about reviewing there for free books for a review ;)

Thanks again... I'll have to try to make a purchase or two there in the near future... maybe more we'll see :)

Tana, a group blog is a great idea. Let me know what you need from me.

Thanks!
Kristine

Ok this is what I through together pretty fast have a look and let me know what everyone thinks

http://makingconnectionsgroup.blogspo...

I am not to crazy over the heading though I wish I could make it a red instead of white background, but then the pictures look bad.

Looks good Tana!

Since this site is growing, is there a way to separate the books and authors by genre. If I am interested in a read, I have to click thru all of them to see which ones fit my taste.

you know Kat I was thinking the exact same thing...

I will work on that

:) thanks. I have OCD and if it isn't black and white.. well all **** breaks loose.

lol I am ADD so I get distracted easy lol and sometimes I plan on doing 20 things at the same time so I can relate to you.

Ok I need some suggestions what does everyone think of Kat's suggestions to split the books up in different genre's?

I had thought the same thing last night and was hoping i could make sub catagories which I am not sure you can do here on goodreads. But now a few more things have come up.

1. would you ever look at a book description in a genre that you typically don't read?

2. What about books that are say ya paranormal and science fiction or any book that may be of two genre's

Just wanted to see what the members thought.

I feel splitting the genres is a GREAT idea :0)

THose with multiple genres, I would narrow it down to the most prominent: Cont Romance, Historical, Mystery/Thriller, Paranormal
YA, Fantasy Is that possible? I think i have seen this before on other groups here.
No need for description, are those books also on goodreads, that they can provide a link for reviewers? I am more a cover first person.

Tana wrote: "Ok this is what I through together pretty fast have a look and let me know what everyone thinks

http://makingconnectionsgroup.blogspo..."

I like the idea, and I am now following the blog page. Are we reviewing each other's books on here (for those of us who are authors)?

R.M.

Hi R.M. yes anyone can go read and review books I do know a few of the authors have signed up for others books so yes anything you see that you like you should put your name on.

Hi everyone, ok I have moved the books around to genre's hope that helps everyone see all the great books listed to review.

I'm going to put up four book covers a week from the authors in our group looking for reviews..this is done randomly, trying to hilight all the books up looking to be reviewed

Ok everyone here is a question.......there are still so many books that need to be reviewed, does anyone know how to find either more members to review the books or is there something that anyone can think of to help with this problem.

ask people with blogs to promote the group?