Hope wherever you all are that you're not melting like we are in Philadelphia. . .

I was just checking my Facebook page and there was a post from Book Country about the newest member spotlight article (congrats, Marc!). Well, with the old version of this site, I had no problem finding the member spotlights. They were there - brought to our attention on the opening screen of Book Country along with a lists of top discussions, most active discussions, etc. 

I'll follow the link from Facebook (as opposed to searching and browsing through the discussions) so that I can read the spotlight, but this is just another example of how the "community" part is sadly missing.

I just found this.

http://www.bookcountry.com/Member/ManageSubscriptions.aspx 

Very user UNFRIENDLY .... There need to be CHECK ALL and UNCHECK ALL options! Please!

I got excited when I saw the page. I thought, "Oh, now I can just click and be done with all those subscription notices"** and be done with it. I was wrong. You have to go through and tick every single box. And since I don't know what I'm subscribed to and where - because I was opted-in without being offered the choice (never do this!) - that means I can't just look up "Fluff Bunny Thread" and unsub.

** which, incidentally, i don't receive that many of any more since it seems most people have left and/or are leaving BC which is a crying shame.  

I've been following this discussion for awhile and decided I had to chime in again.

In no particular order:

(1.) Yes, I miss the ease and functionality of the old site.

(2.) But have every hope that this new site will improve over time.

(3.) Since this is a beta site, I expected a ton of teething troubles. And got 'em.

(4.) I sincerely hope I don't lose contact with "the old gang"--you know who you are!  

(5.) In the meantime, how about a little encouragement for the hard-working staff of Penguin's Book Country? Can you imagine how much of a downer they must be on, reading almost nothing but ever-angrier and exasperated criticism day after day? Which do you think is easier: being you, sharing admittedly valid criticisms day-after-day or being them: logging on to read and respond to these criticisms in a timely and efficient manner, the while keeping a "stiff upper lip" of confidence and positive outlook in the entire process?

(6.) Look at what we've already gained: larger viewing windows, spell checker, font choices, private e-mail, enhanced site options, the ease of taking your book from an amateur, complete unknown status to publication.

(7.) Let me repeat that: PUBLICATION! Penguin Books has spent who knows what sums of money to underwrite a community of writers who self-critique, dialogue and publish. Cost to us? Not a penny. (Unless you publish with them.) 

(8.) Having said that, the tools for doing so are completely broken. The cover generator just flat-out doesn't work, and what should be a matter of moments becomes a drawn-out, days-long process of back-&-forth communication with the CS team.

(9.) I don't want to see Book Country's staff throw up their hands and say, "You know what, guys? You're right. It won't work; things are a mess. And since there's no hope of anything ever improving and you guys are leaving the site in droves what say we just pull the plug now and call it quits?"

(10.) Yelling at the management staff won't make them work any faster. Does that work on you?  

............................................

In conclusion I'd like to say: I love and respect you all. I hope that when these teething troubles are behind us I have a good half-dozen writers left with whom I can swap critiques with in, say, a 7-day turn-around period. 

Because here's the thing: breaking into print has changed the rules of the game for this Chicago-based writer. When real money and an actual (be it ever-so humble) literary career is on the table the stakes have changed: from amateur to professional.

I wish to conduct myself like a professional. That means communicating honestly with BC staff but not brow-beating them on a daily basis. It means being honest with you, my fellow writers, without minimizing or dismissing the many legitimate criticisms you have, criticisms I share.

I want all of us to succeed. Every single one of us! 

PS. This needs a re-write. But I have no time to pretty it up or massage words into more lapidary constructions. Like you I'm out of time and under pressure. I would only ask: Don't assume that every writer on the site who's gone dormant has left. We're watching and waiting for improvements, like all of you. GD and Angela (and others) are correct in stating that we need a more manageable front-end to easily track our watched books, followed discussions and self-started discussions.

I hope you understand and appreciate the spirit in which this is written. This is directed at myself as much as anyone else.

Or as Bill Clinton might say: "I feel your pain!"

--edited by Carl E Reed on 7/17/2013, 1:54 AM--

Crap! It appears that you are not able to message someone who is not a connection. 

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David Pearce, I have reviewed your lone chapter (trial balloon?) and I absolutely love it (a rare occurrence, I assure you). I hope my review tickles your tummy and toasts your tootsies. 

.

--edited by Mimi Speike on 7/16/2013, 4:43 PM--

Carl is right. This was a grand site before, and I believe it will recover itself. I'm willing to wait and see. Sorry Brandi, for the moaning and groaning. I figure most of us will drift back when this ship gets righted. Carl, I'm so glad to hear from you.

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Folks, let's have a show of hands for Brandi. Are you out there, watching and waiting? Say, Yo! or Here! or Present! There was no site that bested BC before, for the things that most mattered to me, the support and interaction. I bet it will be like that again. 

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--edited by Mimi Speike on 7/16/2013, 4:40 PM--

This is a complete annoyance, honestly. The sharing bar at the bottom of the screen? Sure, you can click on it and it will get tiny and slide up the side of your browser. But click on another page on the site, and it goes right back to the bottom of the screen. Not fun!

And are we going to have to keep that annoying floating pen thingie on the left?

Hi, Mari. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. We're listening, care about what you have to say, and are thinking about your feedback (and what the other Book Country members have told us) as we make design and development decisions.

When you click on the button on the upper left that looks like a fountain pen nib, it take you to the top of the page.

As I mentioned over email, the developers have been working hard to address bugs and add new features. We're in the final stages of testing and plan to make a couple of releases in the next two weeks.

Carl, thanks for your honest words. We really appreciated it!

yes, I know exactly what that icon does when you click it. but it takes up a lot of screen space and is annoying and is redundant - there's a link at the bottom of the boards that says back to top and it works just fine. also, the social networking bar at the bottom, i'm not sure it's working the way the developers intended it to. i can't hide it. i mean, i can hide it like right now, on this page. but when i browse to another page, it's right back again.

also, i'm still getting a blank screen after i login.

--edited by MariAdkins on 7/21/2013, 12:38 PM--

Thanks to everyone for your feedback throughout the beta period. We've taken your concerns seriously and have incorporated many of your suggestions into upcoming releases.

We're closing this thread because we are now live. Here's my announcement about what's new, what's to come, and where to add feedback for the live site.

 -Brandi.