What else are you reading, lately?

[Peter Ahlstrom]

I still disagree, because if this forum is about marketing anything, it should be about marketing Brandon Sanderson books, not other books. There's a very easily accessible books forum just a click away. If people need a sticky thread that's a redirect to a thread in the Books forum, that sounds like an OK compromise, but there's a lot of duplication if people are posting in this forum about non-Brandon books and also in the Books forum about non-Brandon books.

You don't expect to see Robin Hobb books shelved between Mistborn and Elantris. You expect them a few feet down from Mistborn and Elantris, i.e. a click away within the same forum. I'm not saying people should have to go to an entirely different website/store on the internet/shopping mall, just the shelf space right next to the shelf space that's set aside for Brandon Sanderson's books. People who are members of this forum are already members of the entire TWG site, so why not take advantage of it?

This thread is only tangentially related to Brandon Sanderson. The rest of the forum is also tangentially related to Brandon Sanderson. It's a perfect fit.

[Bookstore Guy]

so it's not ok to to have a resource for fans?  it's not ok to have people clicking on the link from Brandon's webpage directly to his specific forum and see a list of his recommended books and similar books listed?  i'm sorry, but a link to the book thread in the other forum doesnt accomplish anything -  it's TOO GENERAL.  what i proposed was a closed list that could be maintained and updated as new stuff comes out.  no comments, just a list with the "why" on it.  but it seems people would rather keep trying to say why Im wrong than address my idea. 

[Peter Ahlstrom]

And what I proposed was a thread in the Books forum that specifically recommended books to people who like Brandon Sanderson books. But I think your idea is an interesting one, if less forumy, since forums are generally for discussions rather than lists. I have seen some specialized list threads in at least one other forum though.

But I don't think a list is what people clicking a forum link from Brandon's website would expect to find. I can easily picture another link on Brandon's website listing other books the reader might like, if Brandon has chosen the list himself.

When you step back a level and just have fan recommendations, it becomes very subjective. There could easily be books that some people would think Brandon fans would like that other people would think Brandon fans would not like. How do you decide what goes on the list and what gets left off? So I think a discussion thread where people can share their opinions either way is a better idea--and that makes it just a normal thread that goes in the books forum.

[VegasDev]

Since Brandon is in the book business, and not in the car business your example is off-base. 

Ok, you make the rules.

I am intested in attending a convention. Brandon Sanderson has made several speaking appearances, most recently DragonCon, so I was hoping to get recommendations from his fans about speakers that are similar and conventions that I could attend. I would also like to hear from some of Brandon's former students, to get opinions on grading. Do you prefer the bell curve, etc.

[Bookstore Guy]

Ookla - ah see, i only saw that you wanted to link people to that general book thread that has been on-going.  it made no sense to me.  now i see what you are saying.  What if, like you said, we have a link to the books section from here.  That link makes clear that it goes to a section where people discuss recommendations specific to whether "if you like Sanderson you will like X"?

I think a evolution of this idea we seem to be brewing is in order, and i think you hit it - Brandon should have a list on his personal website where he lists specific authors he enjoys, and authors that a Bookstore Guy like me might recommend to people who like his stuff.

Whatcha think?

Vegas -
you still are taking the theme of this thread out of context.  sorry.  it still doesn't cross over into the root themes Ookla and I have appeared to make a game plan for.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Yeah, VegasDev, your analogies are a bit silly, and I don't think they contribute to the discussion.

Brandon has recommended plenty of authors from time to time in his blog, and I'm sure many people appreciate it. Whether he wants to put a more permanent list on his website is totally up to him (and Spriggan) and is not really any of our business. (He needs to update his bio page...)

I think a dedicated "Books that readers think would appeal to fans of Brandon Sanderson" thread in the Books forum would work just fine though.

[EDIT: Also, the first post in this thread doesn't make any restrictions about only mentioning books that would appeal to fans of Brandon's writing but basically just asks for people to list off whatever other books they're reading. That's definitely not something useful to have here.]

[Bookstore Guy]

ok then.

I will start a thread there that is the product of this discussion.  i will lay down some ground rules in it.  i will then put a list of books that i think fit the criteria and let the conversation flow from there.  In addition, i may include some WoT stuff in there since that is all the rage now days.

Once that is posted (i'll get to it tonight i hope), we should get a stick thread in THIS forum stating "Book recommendations/discussions for those who like Brandon's novels" or something like that.  locked topic with a brief lowdown on what to expect by clicking on the link.  this way, both of our ideas are accomplished - people see that there are indeed Brandon specific fan recommendations somewhere here (like i think is essential), and they see more of the forums and hopefully get more involved (like you think is essential).

yeah? yeah?

once again...

...we are BRILLIANT!!

[mrod271]

Since Brandon Sanderson's website endorses this forum as his official forum then all Brandonesque posts should be contained within.  Even those only tangentially associated with Brandon Sanderson. It should NOT be spread out between multiple forums. His link and therefore a majority of the sites traffic is directed into this forum and not the book forum.  Why not just create some static sub-categories under Brandon Sanderson's main forum link. Accessibility is important, I too read a number of forums for a number of different authors. As a new fan I click  travel to this forum through Sanderson's web page. IF there were sub categories listed under the Author that I wished to read about then I would agree 100% to move threads to different forums as long as they are all under the umbrella of the MAIN Brandon Sanderson link.   Administrators working with Brandon's People could determine what those categories are. Since new books are always being released and the book thread's are common in almost every forum out there, it would be a great static sub-category under the main Brandon link. Until then it is simply not reasonable to expect the vast majority of the traffic to back track from a main entry point to the site.
 
To reiterate: It is unreasonable to expect people who are directed into the brandon forum through the website to back track to an "appropriate" forum. The easy solution is to create static sub categories that divide the topics for Brandon's Fans under the MAIN Sanderson Link.

[Andrew the Great]

Which is, in a way, what they are doing. They're creating a link in this forum to the appropriate place to discuss it. The actual thread. I think it's an excellent solution, really.

And though Brandon is responsible for a spike in forum traffic and probably a good portion of the growth, I wouldn't say his fans account for the "vast majority of the traffic." Although, notably, a number of the people on twg are fans of his, it's not necessarily because of him that they're here. I enjoy most of the other sections of the boards as much as if not more than this one.

[Bookstore Guy]

I think it's an excellent solution, really.

thats because...

...we are BRILLIANT!!!

mrod271 - this IS what we are doing.  since we cannot make a "Brandon Endorses" list with out lots of discussion with him and his approval (which should be left to his own designs on his personal website), we are doing the next best thing - providing accessibility and discussion.  Brandon's website --> this specific forum --> specific thread in the books forum.

[mrod271]

So maybe not a vast majority that statement really wasn't based on any facts but I bet its a good portion of any new growth in visitors to the forum.

The topic should just be made static, not here a link there a link jump around the boards...thats silly. Just keep it all under Sandersons Name.

[mrod271]

Good. A victory for the new guys lol

[Bookstore Guy]

glad to see you get what we are saying

i'll try and get this done tonight.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

mrod271, I don't think anything tangentially related should be here, like what movies Brandon likes or what webcomics he reads or whatnot. Why make subforums under the umbrella of Brandon Sanderson when Brandon is one of the founders of The Official Timewasters' Guide in the first place? Brandon's brother even maintains the server. Basically it sounds like you're wanting to read only pages that have Brandon's name on them; well, as The Official Timewasters' Guide is partially Brandon's, you might just consider the whole forum as his forum if it will make you happy.

[VegasDev]

Yeah, VegasDev, your analogies are a bit silly, and I don't think they contribute to the discussion.

I agree, they are silly. Yet, they are just as valid excuses for discussing other topics unrelated to Brandon Sanderson as those used in this thread. Some people do feel they can discuss any topic as long as it is even remotely related to Brandon Sanderson, despite what forum rules suggest and it will only get worse as AMoL gets closer. Not that I don't care for them (I discussed Brooks earlier), I was merely providing examples supporting any moderator action taken to these types of threads.