Yes, the changes are taking place.
In The Past
Right now you can earn points by donating an ARC. You can also earn points by mailing early. Mail within 4 days and earn points.
In The Future
You can redeem points by guaranteeing a spot on a tour. You can NOW redeem points to be 2 days late. To Earn/Redeem points you must always post on the points page, I will not track you down.
I have also decided things are going to change with reviews. As always, reviews have always been due within a week of mailing. They still are. But if you do not have your review posted within a week of your mail date you will get a warning from me. If its not posted after 3 days of that warning you will get a strike. I won't just automatically give you a strike, I will give you the opportunity to get your review in! I wish I didn't have to do that but too many people are getting behind on reviews. This is a review site so its only right we stay on top of our reviews.
Right now, for the next week, I want everybody to focus on the current tours. Go down the list, see which books you are missing reviews for, get caught up this week. If you are not reviewing a certain book, the decline form needs to be submitted. The main focus is to get all current tours linked (and retired after 7/20)
In the next two weeks, I want everyone to go through the retired list and link your reviews! I have also added in another step on the review process. I know its going to take a few extra minutes while you go through but its also going to help us keep track of which books you are passing on. Failure to do one of these steps will result in a strike. Form HERE
In The Past
Right now you can earn points by donating an ARC. You can also earn points by mailing early. Mail within 4 days and earn points.
In The Future
You can redeem points by guaranteeing a spot on a tour. You can NOW redeem points to be 2 days late. To Earn/Redeem points you must always post on the points page, I will not track you down.
I have also decided things are going to change with reviews. As always, reviews have always been due within a week of mailing. They still are. But if you do not have your review posted within a week of your mail date you will get a warning from me. If its not posted after 3 days of that warning you will get a strike. I won't just automatically give you a strike, I will give you the opportunity to get your review in! I wish I didn't have to do that but too many people are getting behind on reviews. This is a review site so its only right we stay on top of our reviews.
Right now, for the next week, I want everybody to focus on the current tours. Go down the list, see which books you are missing reviews for, get caught up this week. If you are not reviewing a certain book, the decline form needs to be submitted. The main focus is to get all current tours linked (and retired after 7/20)
In the next two weeks, I want everyone to go through the retired list and link your reviews! I have also added in another step on the review process. I know its going to take a few extra minutes while you go through but its also going to help us keep track of which books you are passing on. Failure to do one of these steps will result in a strike. Form HERE
-I'm not going to be harsh on this. If your behind on retired reviews, or have them still posting to your blog, just link them when you can.
- If you can't remember which retired tours you submitted forms for, do it again. And than follow the steps. Easy!
-If you already submitted the form, you still need to link your blog as stated.
These rules are to help the tour site stay active and be the best it can be. I'm not trying to be mean. I hope you all understand why I have to get stricter about this.
Publicists and authors who donate books want to know their book is getting reviewed. And that is the focus of this site.
Review All Other Tour Rules HERE
- If you can't remember which retired tours you submitted forms for, do it again. And than follow the steps. Easy!
-If you already submitted the form, you still need to link your blog as stated.
These rules are to help the tour site stay active and be the best it can be. I'm not trying to be mean. I hope you all understand why I have to get stricter about this.
Publicists and authors who donate books want to know their book is getting reviewed. And that is the focus of this site.
Review All Other Tour Rules HERE
________________________
UPDATED 7/22/2011
First off, I want to say how much I love the tour site! I love that we all get to read books that others donate and aren't released yet, and we get to review them early!
Second, too many people are getting behind on book reviews. Yes, I do notice, LOL. Please don't make me start bugging you to link them! I will if I have too! They should be linked within 2 weeks of you mailing the book off. If you choose not to review a book, please fill out the decline form located HERE.
I also want to point out, some people have gotten a lot of tour books lately. A lot of people have been on vacation so its been hard for me to shift people around. I have been trying to do my best and with August coming, this should get better and you should have more time to read a book instead of trying to read two a week (LOL).
Third, I have been thinking of changing the point system a little bit and wanted some opinions on this.
Right now you can earn points by donating an ARC and mailing an ARC early. To redeem your points, you can guarantee yourself on a tour or be put in the beginning of the tour.
I am thinking of spicing up the point system a little bit, expanding it. Ways to use your points more. Will this benefit you?
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of this.
We could expand the point system by letting people be late and using up a few of their points (and not getting a strike). We could also let people use points to take away strikes (remember this will take quite a few points). This will also enable less people to get banned, is this a good idea or bad? If you have any of your own suggestions, please share them and comment. Do you like this idea or dislike it?
I would like all tour members to give me your opinion please. Don't by shy. Let me know what you think. But please don't be mean to anyone in the comments giving their opinions. Remember, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
Any other ideas for point use? Any comments at all?
I want to hear from you.
-Cindy
Posts
I couldn't find how many point's we need to eliminate a strike for a book mailing that is under 2 days late?
ReplyDeleteThere is one thing that is on my mind, some people mail them up to 5-7 days late and get one strike when some of us are 1 day late and receive the same strike. I'm not saying 1 day late is good, it's not but when you've sent out multiple reminders to one reviewer and they finally send the book only to receive one strike while another reviewer gets the reminder of who to send the book to and is 1 day late and needs no additional reminders gets a full strike....
It seems like those that are one day late should only get 1/2 a strike. I know it's wrong and goes against the rules but it's not the same as 3 days or more. It just doesn't seem fair. Have you though of using 1/2 strikes? I agree there needs to be a reprimand system in place so that people don't take advantage of the system.
It's important to keep the book moving but the one day late rule maybe could be changed to 1/2 pt?
I agree you shouldn't have to chase after us; we're all adults and should act as such. I think we have a great group here, everyone is always pleasant and fun :o]
Cindy: I think you do a most excellent job keeping track of all the tours, sending out of all the books, watching reviews come in, keeping track of strikes and points, making sure this all runs smoothly not to mention the cost of sending out ARC/ARE's plus keeping up your own blog :o] This isn't a kiss butt statement, it's a 'I don't think I could do it in a million years' statement. Kudos to you and I, for one, am extremely grateful to you and the members that send in the ARC/ARE's.
I think we should all give a little bow and a big thanks to Cindy for making this possible for us :o]
Hi!
ReplyDeleteActually a person being a day late, gets a strike, correct. And they have 5 of those (on the 6th-banned). But if a person mails 5 or more days late, they get a strike, but it counts against their 5 day strike (if they get 3 of those they are banned). Does that make sense? It would be nice to give out half strikes but that wouldn't be easy. Plus late is late.
The member points are located here: http://princessbookiearctours.blogspot.com/2011/01/member-points.html
and to be up to 2 days late costs -Mail 2 days late: 3 points which really isn't too many points. Hope that helps!
Also, the half strikes wouldn't really work too well. That would mean a person can be late 12 times a year. That is just too many. Because the goal is to get as many reviewers before the release date as possible. Really, a person should only be late in emergencies and thats what the strikes are for. For example, sick or bad weather.
ReplyDeleteAnd, if a person earns points once in a while, than they have had to either donate or mail early to earn the points. And people who only get arcs through the tour site still have the option to earn points by mailing early sometimes.
Does that make sense?
It does, thanks for answering so quickly!
ReplyDelete