THE Group for Authors! discussion

One day a reader may add a quote from my books. Until that day -- I don't think it's for the author to use. My opinion.

PS. H.R. I have rather strict ideas. A lot of authors add their own quotes, and I gather there's nothing to say you can't. Since I've seen Goodreads Librarians commenting negatively to each other on authors who go way overboard adding quotes, and in extreme cases, they can intervene.

I yearn for the day, like any author. :)

It is fine to add quotes but as mentioned too many appear as "spamming" to other readers and can have a negative effect.

If a reader highlights what they like when reading a kindle edition, I think that shows as popular highlights to other kindle readers who have that feature turned on.

I don't think it automatically shares to goodreads, facebook, or other social sites (reader has to choose to share to sites they authorized; I did not see a choice for foodrwads but I may have overlooked.)

Personally, I have added quotes I liked from my short story book when I first published it and since then readers have liked my quotes and responded in a positive way. I also put up a saying I always ssy as a quote and that was liked as well. It really is a personal thing. I only put up a couple and I'm not going to abuse it but there is nothing wrong with using it.

I really don't think there is anything wrong with putting three quotes to give people a taste of your work. Make sure it's your best though!

H.R. wrote: "Janiera wrote: "I really don't think there is anything wrong with putting three quotes to give people a taste of your work. Make sure it's your best though!"

Good suggestion. I think that's what I..."
No problem. Your welcome. :)

Sorry, is there a link to the "quotes place?" I've never seen it.

Thanks!

Under the "Explore" dropdown, one option is quotes. It goes here: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes

Thanks, Rivka. I didn't know it was there.

I think it's like most things on goodreads in that there's an overkill point at which certain behaviors start looking like spam. Putting a couple of quotes from a book out there, fine. Dozens and more start looking spam-ish and readers will at best think you are odd or at worst overproud.

Very few books have hundreds of lines/sections suitable as "quotes" — yes, one author did go overkill and quote a sentence or more from each and every paragraph of their book. More disjointed excerpt than quotes and they were not getting a lot of ratings or shelving of their book. (Last I checked, since removed.)

It's like shelving your book or putting it in appropriate group threads. If you wrote a blazing bit of erotica and added to a few of your custom threads as "erotica" "adult" ... And found promotion threads in erotica groups and mentioned — perfectly fine. If it went on a few thousand shelves including "sports memorabilia" "childrens board books" and whatever genres were showing popular at the time and posted it out on a few thousand threads, related or not ...

A bit off topic, but, one of the authors I read was cracking up over the fact that his most liked quote was just a random, pithy, last minute bit buried in the acknowledgments a reader shared as quote and apparently had more likes than the story. Goodreads can be odd; then again, it's a community of booklovers so things happen that readers get or that rile them up in a way non-readers don't get.

Non-readers? I believe that every author is a reader...no...make that everyone who knows how to read. We read everyday of our lives whether its for work or ordering off the dollar menu. Everyone is a reader really. Some of us just choose to read more than others.

Inspiring words Hannah. If only the last girl I hung out with saw things the same way. I tried to explain to her that my avid love for Twitter could be construed as a love for literature but she wasn't having any of that.

I'm clearly hanging out with too many judgmental people.

I love Twitter also. I enjoy Twitting out obscure quotes and waiting to see if anyone would "get" them.

Martin wrote: "Inspiring words Hannah. If only the last girl I hung out with saw things the same way. I tried to explain to her that my avid love for Twitter could be construed as a love for literature but she wa..."
Ha, Ha. but its true. I think reading can get you hooked. (not sure about twitter, though) I am trying to get my grandson off the Games and somebody suggested comics. I just ordered a bunch. It a form of literature, albeit not quite Shakespeare.