THE Group for Authors! discussion

Hi!

My name is Kaitlyn Oruska, and I just published my book today. I have added it to Goodreads, and know how to add a picture, but my only problem is I don't actually have the image saved onto my computer. I created it using the Kindle Cover Creator when I published it, and so it went right from there. Does anyone have any experience with this, and know how to still add the cover?

I hope this question makes sense! This is my first time around, obviously, so I have no idea what I'm doing. Thanks. :)

When you do the upload on Amazon, you can preview your book after the conversion is complete. In the preview window on the bottom right there are links to download files.

I think one is for a zip file. Download that and your cover will be included.

Yeah, I eventually figured it out, but thanks for much for replying :)

I'm glad you found it, Kaitlyn.

If anyone else comes along and reads this, the link is in the Preview window on the bottom left and says "Download HTML."

Edward wrote: "When you do the upload on Amazon, you can preview your book after the conversion is complete. In the preview window on the bottom right there are links to download files.

I think one is for a zip ..."

When you locate your cover image, place a copy of it and of your entire manuscript file on your desktop where you can access it easily because you are going to need it again in promoting your book.

Can anyone help with changing a book cover?
I've got four books listed on Goodreads but I've recently had new covers produced for two of them - unfortunately I can't work out how to change them.
Any advice appreciated!

If a book has a new cover, we do not remove the old one (unless it was NEVER published). See http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... and http://www.goodreads.com/help/show/85...

rivka wrote: "If a book has a new cover, we do not remove the old one (unless it was NEVER published). See http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... and http..."
Er... why? That seems a bizarre policy.
Many books go through jacket/cover changes. Why have a cover that is NOT the one that readers will see in bookshops (real or online).
Surely it is the perogative of the author and/or publisher to decide the image?
This doesn't exactly encourage authors to use Goodreads.

To quote a recent post from Otis, "We love having authors on Goodreads. But, we are a site that's focused on readers first. If there is a choice between what is best for readers and what is best for authors, we will always err on the side of readers."

Readers want to shelve the book they own, and if they have already done so, hate to have the cover of that edition changed on their shelves. We welcome the addition of alternate-cover editions for new covers, and have hundreds of active librarians in the Librarians Group ready and able to help you with setting one up.

rivka wrote: "Readers want to shelve the book they own, and if they have already done so, hate to have the cover of that edition changed on their shelves."

That may seem silly to some, but I know it's true from personal experience. Big publishers often assign a new ISBN when they change the cover (although technically, they don't have to), so when I add a book to my bookshelf, I usually search by the specific ISBN.

Whether or not I buy a book based on its cover, I do tend to associate a book with its cover, so having a different cover show up on my bookshelf would briefly make me wonder, "Where did that book come from?"

One of the things I dislike about reading on e-readers is that you have to go out of your way to see the full cover. I wish I had the option of having the cover display briefly every time I open the book to read it, just as would happen when I pick up a physical book from my nightstand. Many publishers go to a lot of work to produce beautiful covers, and I appreciate the artistry involved.

I wouldn't even know if a cover of a book on my shelf changed. Why would I be looking at old book covers? I wouldn't care if the covers on my physical books magically changed while I'm sleeping.

I think if the cover is changed, the author should have the option to make it the primary, and the reader should have the option to pick which one will display on their copy.

Also, if someone started off with a cheesy, unprofessional cover, then later developed something nice, maybe the reader is denying themselves a cover they'd appreciate more by automatically clinging to whatever was "original" and thus preferred for no discernable reason.

Overall, much ado about a nothin'.

What's that phrase - first world problems? lol

Edward wrote: "the author should have the option to make it the primary"

Actually, we added exactly that ability a few months back: http://www.goodreads.com/help/show/31...

Cool

rivka wrote: "Edward wrote: "the author should have the option to make it the primary"

Actually, we added exactly that ability a few months back: http://www.goodreads.com/help/show/31...-..."

Well...that was the information I was after! Thanks.

James wrote: "rivka wrote: "Readers want to shelve the book they own, and if they have already done so, hate to have the cover of that edition changed on their shelves."

That may seem silly to some, but I know ..."

Agree with you there, James. I find it really annoying when I download a book and it opens at the beginning of Chapter One. I want to start at the cover and look at anything else - dedication etc - that the author has included BEFORE the story begins!