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I need your help and your suggestions...

Darren

Darren

Active Member
I never like to let the site remain static for too long, so I need your help.

First,
Any areas which could be improved or altered to make them easier to use?
Any new areas/forums you'd like to see.

I've got plans to include a page with details of new & recent releases, along with any future publication dates - just working out the finer points of how to display and navigate the data.

Second,
We need your help with content. We need memebers to write brief reviews to help build our book library into a large valuable resource. We've added lots of books and continue to add more each day, but the reviews really add content and depth to the library.

What sort of information would be useful for each book. Most include a brief synopsis, and jacket cover. Would information about publishers, publishing dates and other such info be useful? Would you like more about the authors?

The links directory also needs some new links and category suggestions. Don't forget members can rate and review their favourite links. You can also add links to your own personal favourites so that you can access them from any computer you use to surf this site.

Lastly,
I've been contacted by several authors and publishers, asking if we can review books for them. I don't have the time to read all these books, and some aren't what I like to read. If anyone is interested, drop me a line by email or PM with details of what types of book you'd like to review, and hopefully we could build up a "review panel" with a wide variety of tastes and opinions!

Thanks in advance :)

Darren.
 
Originally posted by Darren Lewis
Any areas which could be improved or altered to make them easier to use?
Click to expand...
I don't know about the others, but I've always found the Directory part of the site rather difficult to navigate. Is there a possibility to make it more "surveyable"? I love surfing around and I do come across quite a few websites that are worth mentioning, but it takes so long to add those to the directory it seems.
Also, it doesn't have the same feel as the rest of the website. Changing the font from Arial to Verdana and using the same buttons for the Directory as you did for the Reviews might be an idea? I don't know, I'm just making it up as I go along ;)

Originally posted by Darren Lewis
We need your help with content. We need members to write brief reviews to help build our book library into a large valuable resource. We've added lots of books and continue to add more each day, but the reviews really add content and depth to the library.
Click to expand...
I always tell myself to write a little "review" about every book I read, but I've never really listened (too lazy I guess). I'll try to do something about it and help out for a change (instead of just sitting back and enjoying all the work you do) Don't expect too much from it though... My English writing skills aren't all that. ;)

Originally posted by Darren Lewis
What sort of information would be useful for each book. Most include a brief synopsis, and jacket cover. Would information about publishers, publishing dates and other such info be useful? Would you like more about the authors?
Click to expand...
I guess the information that's most important to me are author, publisher, year of publishing, ISBN, synopsis and genre.
 
I think that the site is very well done and easy to move through. As has been stated before the forums are the friendliest I've found on the web. You've done a great job here Darren.

The only trouble I've had is writing reviews when the book and author are not already in the library. (Could just be me since I read mostly SciFi but you asked.) It kind of takes the wind out of my sails to sit down to write up a review and then have to go in and recommend the book, find out the author's not even in the data base, recommend the author, wait a day, come back and recommend the book, wait some more, and then write the review. If you're asking folks to write reviews then it needs to be easy for them to write it on whatever they've read (IMHO). If content is an issue, which is why I assume you have folks recommend books and authors, make your expectations clear as to what books and reviews won't be posted. I think people would respect that. (And if not and they get ticked off because you won't post their porno review or whatever I think most folks would understand that too.)
 
Thanks for the feedback :)

lies, I'll have a think about the directory to see how I can make it more user friendly.

Prolixic, I'll try to make sure I add some more sci-fi to the database. Could you pm me a list of authors and I can add them?

There seems to be a lot of members here who like to read Sci-Fi. What about a separate forum area to discuss sci-fi?

Thanks.

Darren
 
I think the site is great, Darren. As I've said before, though, my experience with forums is minimal. Point is, it works for me. Since I've not written a review yet (I've been sorely remiss) I haven't encountered the problem Prolixic has.

I think the Sci-Fi forum area would be great. Or maybe Sci-Fi/Fantasy, if Sci-Fi doesn't generate enough participation on it's own.
 
There are those who adamantly oppose the combination of the two but as Dawn stated it is unlikely that SciFi or Fantasy alone will generate enough participation. Personally, most of the folks I know who read Sci Fi read Fantasy on occasion and vice versa.
 
Well, for starters on the list of books and authors we've got a great SciFi thread in General Book Discussion (Science Fiction and Fantasy)...and all of these have been read or suggested by members.
 
OK, I'll have a read through that thread and make a note of them. I've already imported a lot of sci-fi authors into the database, will add some books later this week.

Thanks.

Darren.
 
There are those who adamantly oppose the combination of the two but as Dawn stated it is unlikely that SciFi or Fantasy alone will generate enough participation. Personally, most of the folks I know who read Sci Fi read Fantasy on occasion and vice versa.
Click to expand...

I was holding my breathe waiting for someone to raise objections to the combination. :)

I, for one, read mostly Sci Fi and Fantasy. I generally go back and forth between the genres, depending on my mood. So, I don't mind them being combined. Ok, I do understand there are those that gasp at the notion.

If the protestors wish to argue their case for separation between the two . . . well, that would be an interesting thread wouldn't it?
 
Darren the links to Sci Fi and Fantasy sections in the library under the heading Specific Genres>Science Fiction and Fantasy are a great help in getting to the books you want to review. Its pretty easy to get to the section you want that way without having to look it up.
 
I agree.

Would it be much trouble to post a link to the Book of the Month in the description for the Book of the Month part? (If it's in the database of course.)
 
Originally posted by lies
Would it be much trouble to post a link to the Book of the Month in the description for the Book of the Month part? (If it's in the database of course.)
Click to expand...
Done.
 
Yes, I changed the default font to Verdana to match the rest of the site.

As for the layout, what would you suggest to improve it?
 
I have been thinking about that, but I have to admit that I don't know. Maybe it would be easier to have the entire alphabet instead of just the a, b and c (for the author websites) on the directory main page? That would limit the clicking to a minimum. I know it's not much, but it's the best I can come up with, lol.

--

As far as the layout is concerned... Maybe someone with a more "graphic" mind can help out?
 
A fair point. It was created this way to allow for expansion. At the moment their are over 800 authors in the book library database. If all of those eventually have categories or links in the main Authors category of the directory it will make navigation a nightmare unless they are broken up somehow.

If an author has more than one site they get a category of their own to try to keep things organised. General author sites go in the "root" of the author category.

Don't forget that members can add links to their own favourites listing which will be accessible each time you visit the site.

Keep the ideas (and the links) coming :)

Thanks.

Darren.
 
Yes, I realize that. I meant like a shortcut to the authors, but keeping the main category (the "root") as well? Like what the links on the fora here I mean?

Or am I missing the point here?
 
Hi Daren,

I wonder if you might want to open a section that deals specifically with the aspects of the publishing of books. As it falls presently under "Writers Block" that's not where someone would particularly go to find discussions about publishing. Notwithstanding, the few threads that I've started about the subject have gotten lots of reads. (Not as many posts as I'd like 'cause I love to discuss this stuff.) I'd be happy to moderate it, but I'm not quite sure what that entails or whether it's even polite for me to suggest such.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Obarz. A publishing industry forum is not something we will be opening here. We are firstly a forum for readers and book lovers. The writing and publishing forums are there more for general interest and curiosity than any serious industry discussions.

Darren.
 
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