ENABLING. Boiled down to it’s most simplest definition it basically means helping too much.
Self-publishing is a business and most writers will never look at it that way. But the few that treat it professionally, this type of automation is just wrong. You’ll get poor results and, in my case, competition offered in x-ray enabled books. Granted, I do not mind sharing top authors and marketers in my profession with my readers, but it should MY choice whether I promote them.
No one knows an author’s book better than the author (or publisher). And it should be up to the author to make sure that information is correct. So if an automated system sneaks in and adds elements to a book, elements that may not reflect the best of the book, then it hurts the author and the reader experience.
The automated Kindle X-ray is doing a tremendous disservice not only to authors, but to readers. When it comes to self-publishing, readers want the best, and that means authors need to provide the best experience, from writing to promotion.
Last week I talked with Wally Tseng from Amazon.com about my thoughts on Amazon Kindle X-ray. He asked my thoughts on an automated Kindle X-ray system – meaning a computer pulling the characters from the book and automatically filling in the Shelfari information. I was NOT for it.
Amateur writers name everything in their books — everything. And professionals know that only the main characters and locations need names, otherwise the reader get confused. So I posed a question back:
“How does an automated system “KNOW” what characters or information to add to the list?”
Automated System adds Competitors to my book
For the past two days I was confronted with “unknown assailant” on my Shelfari account. Twice it added characters to my book — a book that does not have characters (per se) because it is a non-fiction book. When I discovered it was an automated system, I immediately contacted Wally Tseng at Amazon.com.
Below is a screenshot/email stating that Shelfari had added characters to my book.
The last couple days I thought my book was being “attacked” on Shelfari — adding characters to my How-to book. But, after some digging, I find it is an automated system called X_ray for Shelfari.
While this may be your departments attempt to “help” authors, and in turn readers, this isn’t pertinent to nonfiction books. Mainly, it is adding “characters” to my Shelfari book that are not in the book.
Actually, the additions are people who have the same or similar books or business as mine (essentially competitors.) And by adding them you are adding this information into my ebooks on every device that reads Kindle X-ray.
While I don’t mind sharing or steering my readers to good quality information I would prefer to be the one doing the driving. This feature should be opt-in, not forced on the author. And it certainly shouldn’t be a surprise. A little heads up would have been polite.
If this new feature is an attempt to offer Kindle X-ray for all books, there will be a lot of backlash. (See http://www.shelfari.com/groups/10000/discussions/496123/X-Ray-Please-comment-if-you-want-Shelfari-and-Amazon-to-stop-usi#unread)
A better solution is to turn it on based on information supplied via Shelfari, Goodreads, Wikipedia, Youtube letting the authors maintain and supply what information they wish to offer.
If you implement an automated system then you will also end up with poor results. Automated systems cannot “know” what to put for characters or descriptions — only the author knows that and authors are very, very protective of retaining control of their work.
Conclusion
Since it appears Kindle X-ray will be rolling out soon, it would be wise for every author to add even a few details to Shelfari to provide a positive and accurate reader experience.
Less Automation, more hard work.
