Strange omission from profiles

James_Wilde · 11-30-2010, 06:25 AM

Given the number of authors on MR, it seems strange that one's profile doesn't provide a space to present the blurb from one or more of one's books, published or soon-to-be: a little more than a logline, the sort of thing that would appear on the back of the jacket.

I know we have the Author Self-promotions forum, but that's more for a one-off announcement of a book's availability, together with the chance to bump it when one changes the availability, price, etc.

Seems like a strange omission.

Alexander Turcic · 11-30-2010, 11:24 AM

Thanks for the suggestion. Honestly, we haven't considered it, not intentionally though.

Will look how we could implement something along the lines.

Best
Alex

corona · 11-30-2010, 02:26 PM

As a non-author here, I think this would be a very good idea.

GraceKrispy · 12-01-2010, 12:21 AM

Ooh, I like that idea as well! There are plenty of times I see an interesting book cover in an avatar and wonder about that book.

LCF · 12-02-2010, 05:01 AM

You can create albums with covers and add description in the description panel. Link to the album from your signature. Just a suggestion, until something better becomes available.
I'll try an example.

Here it is.
If you hover over the one with the two swords you can see the first 140 characters*. When you click the pic the full description is available.

*I have this thing for hovering over thread (to see the first post) enabled, I don't know if you have to have it turned on to view these first characters.

Javed · 12-02-2010, 05:41 AM

LCF. Good temporary idea. The 140 characters for the hover seems generous.

(I have hover over thread enabled also... not sure if this is needed either for images).

James_Wilde · 12-02-2010, 07:40 AM

Great idea, LCF. That does it for me. I'll never have more than 5 novels on the go at the same time!

Thanks

Wetdogeared · 12-02-2010, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCF

You can create albums with covers and add description in the description panel. Link to the album from your signature. Just a suggestion, until something better becomes available.
I'll try an example.

Here it is.
If you hover over the one with the two swords you can see the first 140 characters*. When you click the pic the full description is available.

*I have this thing for hovering over thread (to see the first post) enabled, I don't know if you have to have it turned on to view these first characters.

Excellent suggestion LCF.

You don't need the hover option enabled to see the first 140 characters of the image in an album.

Any author could create an album of their ebook covers. Once directed to the album via a sig link, hovering over any cover would display the first 140 characters of the image caption and clicking on the image would bring up a synopsis, where the author has had plenty of room for commentary.

You could also get some feedback from members leaving messages.

A direct link in your sig to your album of ebooks is a good idea and would help in decreasing the size of some of the larger sigs. I've updated my signature temporarily to show how an author might link to their album of ebook wares. (I'm Emily for a short while, just as an example.)

Unfortunately, the caption area for album/images does not allow the use of BB codes and links don't work. The author could use the first comment to add links to where the ebook may be purchased or downloaded.

If you have your own website, don't forget to include in your profile.

I invite authors with one or several ebooks to try this method out to display their wares. You can still make your inital post with images and direct links in the Author Self-Promotion thread, this proposed method is just for downsizing the sig on every post that is made.

Please let me know if the above explanation needs clarification.

Here is an example of the code required in your sig to link to an album. Change the albumid to your album.

Code:

Please view  [URL="https://www.mobileread.com/forums/album.php?albumid=508"][COLOR="Blue"][U]my bio and album of ebooks[/U][/COLOR][/URL].

*edit* Displaying sigs today (after several months of not displaying them) it seems that most authors are getting the message about sig sizing, therefore the above suggestion may be moot, unless an author wants to add a direct link in their sig to their bio or more detailed descriptions of all their ebooks at one location, on site, in their album.

11-30-2010, 06:25 AM	#1
James_Wilde Guru Posts: 802 Karma: 4727110 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Iriver Story	Strange omission from profiles Given the number of authors on MR, it seems strange that one's profile doesn't provide a space to present the blurb from one or more of one's books, published or soon-to-be: a little more than a logline, the sort of thing that would appear on the back of the jacket. I know we have the Author Self-promotions forum, but that's more for a one-off announcement of a book's availability, together with the chance to bump it when one changes the availability, price, etc. Seems like a strange omission.

12-02-2010, 05:01 AM	#5
LCF Wizard Posts: 1,472 Karma: 9795311 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germany Device: Hanlin V3 (LBook), GS3	You can create albums with covers and add description in the description panel. Link to the album from your signature. Just a suggestion, until something better becomes available. I'll try an example. Here it is. If you hover over the one with the two swords you can see the first 140 characters. When you click the pic the full description is available. I have this thing for hovering over thread (to see the first post) enabled, I don't know if you have to have it turned on to view these first characters. Last edited by LCF; 12-02-2010 at 05:07 AM.

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11-30-2010, 11:24 AM	#2
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Thanks for the suggestion. Honestly, we haven't considered it, not intentionally though. Will look how we could implement something along the lines. Best Alex

11-30-2010, 02:26 PM	#3
corona Addict Posts: 324 Karma: 25168 Join Date: May 2010 Device: kobo	As a non-author here, I think this would be a very good idea.

12-01-2010, 12:21 AM	#4
GraceKrispy It's Dr. Penguin now! Posts: 3,909 Karma: 4705733 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: (USA) Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)	Ooh, I like that idea as well! There are plenty of times I see an interesting book cover in an avatar and wonder about that book.

12-02-2010, 05:41 AM	#6
Javed Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,270 Karma: 1126878541 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Astak Pocket PRO, iPod Touch, PRS-650	LCF. Good temporary idea. The 140 characters for the hover seems generous. (I have hover over thread enabled also... not sure if this is needed either for images).

12-02-2010, 07:40 AM	#7
James_Wilde Guru Posts: 802 Karma: 4727110 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Iriver Story	Great idea, LCF. That does it for me. I'll never have more than 5 novels on the go at the same time! Thanks

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