RULES

  • Community Rules
  • Rule 1: Be nice!
    Interact online as you wish to be treated. Remember, your digital interactions involve real people with emotions. Pause and envision a face-to-face chat over coffee before responding critically, considering how you'd converse in person.
  • Rule 2: Be honest
    Respect the rules: no poll manipulation, no plagiarism, and definitely no impersonation. If you're an author or publisher here, be genuine about your identity and intentions. Don't masquerade as a fan. We're perceptive. Utilize the designated forums for book promotion - fiction and non-fiction. Posts advertising books elsewhere will be removed.
  • Rule 3: One username per person
    Maintain one account and username. Creating fake accounts will result in bans for both. To change your username, reach out to Chris O'Connor, the owner of BookTalk.org.
  • Rule 4: Post to the appropriate forums
    Familiarize yourself with forum names and descriptions prior to posting. Ensure your post aligns with the suitable forum.
  • Rule 5: No crossposting
    Refrain from sharing identical messages across multiple forums. Select the appropriate forum and post your message exclusively there.
  • Rule 6: No ALL CAPS posting
    Typing in ALL CAPITAL letters is seen as shouting, impolite, and breaches our "Be nice!" rule. It also gives the impression of a lack of education.
  • Rule 7: Maintain a valid email address
    Your email can remain concealed from fellow members using your profile settings, yet the forum administrator requires access to a valid email address for member communication.
  • Rule 8: Keep it clean
    No adult content, including explicit messages, images, or links. Minimize the use of profanity, indecency, racial comments, or unfitting remarks.
  • Rule 9: Cite your sources
    Ensure proper attribution by citing sources when quoting, sharing excerpts, posting book reviews, or using external content. Honor copyright regulations. Plagiarism is both morally wrong and frequently against the law. Clearly distinguish between your own writing and quoted text. Authors generally welcome and feel honored by quotations, but employ good judgment and consistently include a direct source link.
  • Rule 10: No bandwidth theft or hot linking
    Usage of inline ([IMG][/IMG]) image tags, directing to images or data on third-party platforms without proper permission, may result in removal. Rather than hotlinking, consider attaching the image when making a post.
  • Rule 11: Write right!
    Employ online jargon, slang, and abbreviations with moderation. Refrain from overusing punctuation, emoticons, large/small fonts, colored fonts, and images. While all these elements have their role, excessive usage can prove bothersome to fellow members.
  • Rule 12: Do not contact authors on behalf of BookTalk.org
    Kindly avoid reaching out to authors on behalf of BookTalk.org. Members should not initiate author interviews or live chats without explicit permission from Chris O'Connor. This prevents the misconception that a member represents BookTalk.org. If you wish for a specific author to be interviewed, discuss it with Chris O'Connor for consideration.
  • Rule 13: No preaching or prosthelytizing
    Refrain from utilizing the BookTalk.org forums or chat room for preaching or proselytizing. We encourage insightful, two-way discussions on religious and political matters, but preaching or proselytizing by members is not permitted.
  • Helpful Tips
  • Tip 1: Use descriptive subject titles
    Craft informative titles for new discussion topics to provide fellow members with a clear sense of the subject matter at a glance.

    Here are well-crafted examples of titles: "Envisioning a World without Conflict," "Exploring Views on Same-Sex Marriage," and "Challenging Aspects of Liberalism." Ensure your thread's purpose is clear for fellow members to make informed decisions about engagement.

    Moreover, effective descriptive titles aid search engines in categorizing your post. Provide accurate descriptions, and search engines can attract new members seeking similar keywords.

    If you notice low engagement with your topics, consider evaluating your title's appeal. Is the thread inviting? Does the title convey the topic's essence without ambiguity?
  • Tip 2: Fill out your entire profile
    Have you thoroughly explored and completed your profile? For a complete BookTalk.org experience, we recommend completing your profile in its entirety.
  • Tip 3: Read our past author interview transcripts
    Throughout the years, we've had the privilege of interviewing numerous remarkable authors. Frequently, these interviews take place in open live chat sessions for all BookTalk.org members to join. Feel free to delve into the archives of previous author interviews and chat transcripts.
  • Tip 4: Use the "Recent Posts" sidebar block
    Located in the upper section of the right sidebar is a box labeled "Recent Posts." When you log into BookTalk, consider glancing through this dynamic list of recent topics to find the latest posts. By clicking on any link within the box, you can quickly navigate to the relevant discussion.
  • Tip 5: Use the chat room
    Our fantastic chat room is available around the clock, every day of the week. While it might feel solitary if you're the sole participant, joining one of the scheduled chat sessions can change that. You're also encouraged to initiate your own chats with fellow members.
  • Tip 6: Promote your books on BookTalk.org
    For authors and publishers looking to showcase their books on BookTalk.org, we invite you to explore advertising opportunities on our ADVERTISE page.
  • Tip 7: Explore our BOOKS page
    Delve into our collection of book resources covering best sellers, book awards, newspaper book sections, banned books, and more. You might discover captivating new additions for your reading list..