Support for Indie Authors discussion

Anyone know how to un-publish a book here on Goodreads?
Also, how to change a book cover when it needs Librarian approval?

Un-publish? You don't. Ever haha!

Changing a cover? Always requires a Librarian (Goodreads Librarians Group) But you can only change a cover if it has never been distributed, including ARCs.

Hope that helps ^_^

Hugs,
Ann

As I posted on a different thread, there are some rare circumstances under which a book can be removed, but you would have to write to customer service, not a librarian.

Covers can be added as new editions, not changed. You don't necessarily need a librarian for that. You can make the edition, note the new cover charge and the associated ISBN or ASIN, and then select that as the default edition.

Oops. Miss Christina is totally right! I should've said you can add covers as new additions. Was thinking placeholders and stuff. Sorry about that!

I've found that I had to transfer the ASIN or ISBN to the new book, meaning that I had to delete it from the original and apply it to the new one. Otherwise, you'll get a message that tells you that the ASIN or ISBN is already assigned to another book.

With the way Goodreads works I would be surprised if you could remove a book. This is a site really aimed at readers, not so much authors, and anyone can go and add (or re-add) a book at any time.

Also I suspect Goodreads must have some automated bots crawling sites like Amazon for titles, because my first book appeared here without any action on my part before I even had an author page. If you did manage to remove it, I don't see there's anything to stop it popping up again.

Ken wrote: "I've found that I had to transfer the ASIN or ISBN to the new book, meaning that I had to delete it from the original and apply it to the new one. Otherwise, you'll get a message that tells you tha..."

I didn't add the ASIN, just posted a note that said "Current cover for ASIN (number)" and made it the default. On one book, a librarian went in and added it so it would show up any time someone clicked the book.

It really seems silly that with ebooks, we dont have the option to archive old covers. If a cover on a kindle edition is updated, then it is updated on all devices that connect to the internet.

Annie wrote: "Un-publish? You don't. Ever haha!

Changing a cover? Always requires a Librarian (Goodreads Librarians Group) But you can only change a cover if it has never been distributed, including ARCs.

Hope..."

Annie you are funny!

Christina wrote: "Ken wrote: "I've found that I had to transfer the ASIN or ISBN to the new book, meaning that I had to delete it from the original and apply it to the new one. Otherwise, you'll get a message that t..."

So create another edition for the book and leave a note where the ASIN should go, stating the cover on the new edition is the cover for all editions right?

Ian wrote: "With the way Goodreads works I would be surprised if you could remove a book. This is a site really aimed at readers, not so much authors, and anyone can go and add (or re-add) a book at any time.
..."

I removed it from amazon. Should that help to delete it?

Dorsey wrote: "I removed it from amazon. Should that help to delete it? "

I don't think that would do anything on its own. Goodreads must have lots of titles not on Amazon so disappearing from Amazon should not be a trigger for it to disappear from Goodreads.

Also, think about the purpose of Goodreads from a reader's perspective. If I've read a book and added it to my shelves, maybe also reviewed it, that should not change just because the author wants to unpublish it. My record of the book should remain no matter what, which should mean the title is still on the site.

OK, that's me thinking like an IT software developer, which of course doesn't mean that's how Goodreads actually works in practice - just how it should work :D

Actually, Mr Ian...

GR agrees with your IT brain and works exactly how it should ^_~

Dorsey wrote: "So create another edition for the book and leave a note where the ASIN should go, stating the cover on the new edition is the cover for all editions right? "

Not where the ASIN goes. Leave that blank and note in the comment area that it's the new cover and the ASIN/ISBN. Just make sure you check the box for the default edition.

Dorsey wrote: "So create another edition for the book and leave a note where the ASIN should go, stating the cover on the new edition is the cover for all editions right? ..."

I don't leave a note. I just edit it myself. Takes less than a minute and it's done, unless they've changed it since the last time I did it.