LibriVox Forum

One other thing to consider. I have over 100 LV titles in my iTunes library, things I've subscribed to that I might like to read when the mood strikes, because I'm following a particular reader or a particular author or just a book recommendation. When I finally open a title in my Podcast ap, weeks or months down the road, I usually have to refresh my memory about the author and what it is about by reading the Summary, at which point I realize I can never tell who the reader is. Reader info displays in the LV catalog, but not on the IA or iTunes platforms. Thus, I have started ending my project summaries with "read by Michele Fry", or solo by Michele Fry, or if it's a group project "read by Librivox Volunteers".

Is it necessary to credit who wrote the summary? If so, then "Summary by Somebody, read by Michele Fry" or "Summary and solo by Michele Fry" conveys the most valuable information. I wish everybody would start doing this.

I also really like seeing the date the book was published.

these things are let to the bcs. when you start a project, you get to write the summary to it and include all information in it which you think is interesting.

i myself also often include the publication date in the summary, but i couldnt care less about being credited for writing a summary, or even as a reader.

everyone is different

Sadly, it isn't always possible to include the publication date in the summary, as some Project Gutenberg texts don't specify the edition from which they are transcribed. I do recommend it to be included where possible, though.

Ruth

Carolin wrote:these things are let to the bcs. when you start a project, you get to write the summary to it and include all information in it which you think is interesting.

i myself also often include the publication date in the summary, but i couldnt care less about being credited for writing a summary, or even as a reader.

everyone is different

Good to know the BC's can include what info they think is important. And the crediting I'm talking about isn't so much to credit the reader, but to inform the listener.

I did a Ty Newydd (it's a world famous writer's workshop) course on theatre criticism (long story ) and so I write my summaries like I write the intos to my critiques. Basically, why is it worth your time to listen to/volunteer for this book right now! For my LV In Progress summaries, I like to go in more detail (because I'm good at BCing the obscure) with almost full plots so that people have a good idea of what's going on and how the characters relate/who they are. And I try to make it colloquial and fun because some of the tragedies are quite hard hitting/seriously unfunny stuff but if I wrote "this is a bit boring, long winded and will give you a headache when you find out the twist at the end" not even I would want to read in it!!

I generally think that people looking for dramatic projects in the catalog are one of two people: 1) students/students-at-heart looking for a play they want to study or know more about or 2) people following a particular person because they like their voice and, in doing so, discovering all sorts of weird and wonderful drama. (I must admit I was both categories. Young Charlotte found LV to hear Macbeth and in doing so, really liked mb's voice and thus listened to every drama he was in - I'm charming like that!) But in either case, the only thing a dramatic work summary has to do is not make it sound boring!!!

catrose wrote: For my LV In Progress summaries, I like to go in more detail :

Which brings up a point of interest to me. I also tend to tweak (change) my summaries as the project develops, so what first goes into the Project Template is far different from what ends up there. But, and I learned this the hard way, when the MC catalogues the project, the original material is what gets catalogued. Why it doesn't update I don't know, but I've taken to reminding my MC to be sure and use the latest summary. BUT, on at least one occasion my MC began cataloguing before I said GO, and then they had to go through the trouble of changing the summary on both LV and IA, which I hear is a real pain. I highly recommend the MC check with the BC before commencing to catalog, including checking to see if the summary is finalized!

msfry wrote:

catrose wrote: For my LV In Progress summaries, I like to go in more detail :

Which brings up a point of interest to me. I also tend to tweak (change) my summaries as the project develops, so what first goes into the Project Template is far different from what ends up there. But, and I learned this the hard way, when the MC catalogues the project, the original material is what gets catalogued. Why it doesn't update I don't know, but I've taken to reminding my MC to be sure and use the latest summary. BUT, on at least one occasion my MC began cataloguing before I said GO, and then they had to go through the trouble of changing the summary on both LV and IA, which I hear is a real pain. I highly recommend the MC check with the BC before commencing to catalog, including checking to see if the summary is finalized!

Or you could write something like "Temporary Summary by..." so that they know it's not the full summary as to not put it in the catalog yet. Because more often than not, in most regular projects, the summary at the beginning is the same as the last. I just find I cannot put a normal serious summary if I want anyone to actually read in my obscure dramas now I don't have Elizabeth Klett around to tell people it's not that bad a play

"Temporary Summary By" is the best option, IMHO.

But, and I learned this the hard way, when the MC catalogues the project, the original material is what gets catalogued. Why it doesn't update I don't know

Because the original summary is automatically entered into the database entry when the project is set up, along with all the rest of the project info (title, author, etc.). Since the first post in the forum is not directly tied to the DB entry, any changes made in it don't automatically update the DB entry, so yes - inform your MC if you make changes to the summary.