I want to second this opinion. I hate "see long synopsis" descriptions almost as much as I hate the "none" designation.
A synopsis is usually easy to write even if you haven't read the entire book. I've been assisting Allison Hiliker in writing synopses for publisher quality books, and believe me, it's easy, and can be fun. I've found several of those books I'd like to read, not because of the title or author, but because of the short descriptions I find on the internet.
The short synopsis is a way to advertise your work. It introduces a reader to the writing skills of the authors, and the patience and care of the submitter and validator. (That's us folks.). Gone are the days when any scanned book was admirable, because books were so valuable. Now, books are valuable for themselves... what they have to say ... what they make us think. And, I, for one, consider it an honor to introduce my fellow readers to these valuable products of our efforts, and I want to do them justice. And, "see long synopsis" doesn't do them justice, in my opinion.
Thanks. Bob----- Original Message ----- From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 6:42 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] see long synopsis a waste and frustrating
Dear Booksharian Friends,Those words, "See long synopsis," which appeared on several titles on Sunday's new books list frustrate and annoy me every time I read them. From yesterday's list I uploaded 6 books but none of my choices had those dreaded words in their descriptions.Your valuable volunteer and staff efforts have given me so many wonderful, usually unexpected, books to read, I don't take time from my volunteering reading, and real life to look up titles that refer me to the long synopsis.I also don't punish myself either to make a point by failing to read books I recognize that I like whose authors or titles I already know, just because the submittor and validator didn't take time to write any kind of helpful short synopsis for them. But, If I'm not familiar with the book, I don't bother to track down a long synopsis. If volunteers can't be bothered to write a helpful short synopsis, I conclude they don't care much about that book and don't waste unnecessary time finding out about it because I think it has a good chance of not being carefully prepared.If a volunteer cares about a book, you'd think she or he would want others to benefit from their work. You'd think they would hope many readers will select their book and it will be widely read. Why put your own book in the seconds bin by not writing an inviting and/or informative short synopsis for it? The short synopsis is the book's best publicity.In other discussions some volunteers have used the excuse that they can't write a long synopsis because they haven't read the book. By my personal work standards That already shows a considerable amount of lack of caring. However given the volunteer isn't planning to read the book, this excuse still doesn't hold up. Why not formulate a short synopsis by summarizing that famous long synopsis to which they direct potential readers. It wouldn't take too long to dash out some brief high points mentioned in that long synopsis. It's only 200 characters or less we're hoping for.I'll always appreciate everyone's work and am not targeting an individual since I didn't look up any of these books to identify the volunteers who write "See long synopsis." I wouldn't dream of trying to manipulate the volunteer community or the staff to weigh in on this issue or to institute major changes according to my personal guidelines and desires. It's my hope that expressing my opinion might result in some books in the future being given the more detailed short synopses they deserve. And if that happens or not, at least I've expressed my feelings.I assume all of us have the good of Bookshare at heart. I've written this pointed and fervent message from the perspective of both a volunteer and a reader who loves Bookshare. I'm stating my opinion to encourage volunteers to try a little harder to attract readers to their books and to make book browsing more satisfying to me.Always with love, LissiTo unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.-- No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.13/1376 - Release Date: 4/13/2008 1:45 PM
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