On what may very well bring the death of the Book Blogs Ning

[Maw Books]

SPAM! Lots and lots of spam.

[Tricia]

These are great ideas Ann. I will definitely be looking back to these as I draw something up. If you want to email me more ideas, please feel free!

[Bluestocking]

Tricia,

I have a book discussion forum on my blog. I drafted a set of simple rules. They are very basic, but I think they get the point across. Cafe Blue.

[chrisbookarama]

Those are great!

[Linda]

All I can think is that maybe there should be a seperate ning for book blogs. Even though this one is named BOOK BLOGS, I'm just not feelin' the love here :) It does seem like everyone has a different idea as to what is welcome here. I guess I will wait until the rules are decided.

[Maw Books]

Seriously? Really? I'm truly flabbergasted.

[Trish Collins]

Hi, Linda! I don't think everyone has a different idea as to what is welcome here. If you'll notice, those who are aware of forum etiquette have decided to speak up because there are plenty of people here who were obviously unaware of forum etiquette.

You're right, this ning is named book blogs, but most of us don't want to get tons of emails because a blogger has posted in all the groups they belong to that they *gasp* posted a new review! I'm sorry if some of the members speaking up and saying that means there's no love, because I think quite opposite is the case.

[Laura de Leon]

That's the beauty of ning groups. If one isn't too your taste, you can easily start your own. There's room for many different styles of interaction.

Personally, the things mentioned in this thread have been bothering me as well (posting giveaways in another publisher's forum REALLY pushes my buttons), and I'll be very happy to see rules clarified.

I'll stay here, but would look at other forums. I'd see what they had to offer. My guess is, if you are objecting to the comments in this thread, your group wouldn't be to my taste. And that's just fine.

[Linda]

Now I'm flabbergasted because I have done no such thing.

[Maw Books]

You personally may not have done such a thing. But there are a few who have. No one is using any names here.

[Laura de Leon]

I know you haven't done any such thing! I actually checked your past posts, and all of them were posted in appropriate forums.

I apologize, because on re-reading what I wrote, I can see that it could be read to say you had posted inappropriately, and I didn't intend that.

My point was that I think all of the changes being discussed in this thread will improve the forum significantly. I listed one specific case that bothers me personally.

If you are objecting to the changes being discussed, or if you want something different, then it certainly would be reasonable to start another group. If the changes in this group are the problem, then I'm unlikely to join in. If you just have a different kind of discussion in mind, I might be interested. I'll certainly look.

Again, I apologize, and state that you have NOT posted inappropriately, and I'm sorry if it was read to say you did.

[Amy]

Perhaps the other could be named Book Reviews. Go for it! :)

[Deborah]

here's another example of spamming

http://bookblogs.ning.com/group/earlybirdsarcreview

this is a group for Hachette Publishers to offer up their titles as ARCs for review. as you can see from the first comment, someone is trying to get bloggers to read their own book, clearly not a Hachette publicist and joined the group just to spam and find readers