The Swap Site

Includes a wealth of information including a FAQ, information about the various bookboxes, and more.

The Swap Results themselves are no longer being published on Shaunie's Swap Site and instead can be found at the following:

BookObsessed Owed Books Database

More information on the database, including registering for you own account and updating your own information can be found in the Official Announcement and FAQ (from the Site News & Announcements forum).


Swap Scheduling is taking place in this thread or you can just add your Swap to the site calendar and it'll get posted into that list.

Thanks!

~Cherie & Shaunie

With the influx of new members, I see the need to expand on the FAQ already included at Shaunie's Swap Site. Specifically we need to cover some additional information helpful to newbies, such as how to prepare a reveal, how to leave moves in your signature, and generally acceptable swap etiquette. Along with anything else I'm forgetting... :D

Both experienced swappers and non, please contribute to this thread if you've got anything to add to the information not already included on Shaunie's FAQ.

Newbies, was there anything you found particularly confusing during your first swap that isn't covered in Shaunie's FAQ (besides the items I mentioned above)?

Once we've got enough submissions to cover everything, I'll consider consolidating it all into something Shaunie can easily add into the existing FAQ.


So without further ado, let's get our brains a crankin' :thinking:

Here's the first few submissions:

How to prepare your reveal *updated link/post with better image information

How to leave moves in your signature


Q: What exactly is a cozy mystery? :blink:

A: This website seems to define a cozy mystery best: Definition of a Cozy Mystery

Terminology
Reveal: When used as a noun, as in your reveal, it refers to your book that you will be playing with in this swap, which is kept secret until you are asked to reveal (a verb).

In the second instance above, used as a verb, you are simply being asked to show your book, aka reveal your reveal. :P


Swap Etiquette

1. Players are expected to check in at least every 12 hours, though most do so much more often than that.
   
   
2. PMing or otherwise messaging other players to let them know it's their turn is more a courtesy as opposed to a requirement. The players are expected to keep track of the game and know where things stand.
   
   
3. Before the start of the game, please send your reveal information (see this post) to at least two other players, preferably in different time zones are at least here at different hours, so you've got coverage around the clock.
   
   When you receive someone else's reveal information, it's considered bad form to look at the reveal before it's needed. Once you see that you have the email or PM, don't open it until you need to reveal the person in the swap.
   
   
4. If you plan to be away from the computer for more than a few hours at a time, please post a message in the PLAY thread letting the other players know and when you expect to return. Also, please leave moves with other players or in your signature (see this post) and let us know at what point you'd like us to wait for you and at what point it's okay to use your moves.
   
   Remember, we won't wait more than the time indicated in the swap (usually 12 hours). (Ex. Please wait for me if I'll be back within x hours, otherwise go ahead and use my moves. or Please wait for me if it's after (time), otherwise use my moves.)
   
   If someone leaves moves in their signature, you shouldn't look at them unless they're needed to move the game forward. While it's always tempting to peek, it makes the swap less fun for everyone.

Additional Game Play Notes

• To make it easier to review the books revealed so far, without having to page through the numerous pages in the PLAY thread, we usually keep a separate REVEALED BOOKS THREAD which may also be accessible from a link in the Update.
  
  
• When there is only one reveal left in the game, the player to request that reveal effectively ends the game.
  
  
• Someone asked me to clarify what is and isn't okay to discuss outside of the swap with relation to the swap itself and reveals not yet shown. Though I believe most members can simply use common sense, I'll attempt to lay this down anyway to satisfy some of the more confused members.
  
  1. It is perfectly acceptable to discuss books and other swap-related stuff, even the swap itself, outside of the forum.
  2. It is not kosher to tell someone else who's playing in the same swap what your reveal is.
  3. In the same vein, it is not cool to look at someone else's reveal that they've PM'ed you before it's actually requested in the swap.
  4. It is okay to give hints about your reveal, particularly if they're not too specific, don't give it away completely, and will get others excited about your reveal.
  
  Here's a real life example: I've been doing Secret Santa Yankee Swaps with my RL friends for 20+ years now so those who've done these in the past can apply the same discretion here. After I walk in with my gift and hide it under the tree, one of the gals might turn to me and say, "So what'd ya bring for the swap?" Of course, I don't want to tell them directly so I might along the lines of, "Well... I didn't see one in your kitchen last time I was over." :wink: That kind of answer gives them just enough to mull and get excited over, without really telling them anything at all! Since perhaps they already have one and don't keep it out on the counter. :P

Another thing that I think may not be obvious --

What to do (and not do) when you receive a reveal/etiquette regarding moves in people's signatures:

1) When someone sends a reveal to you, it's considered bad form to look at the reveal before it's needed. Once you see that you have the email or PM, don't open it until you need to reveal the person in the swap.

2) If someone leaves moves in a signature, you shouldn't look at them unless they're needed to move the game forward. While it's always tempting to peek, it makes the swap less fun for everyone.

:goodjob: :thumbsup: definitely good pointers. will go right into the "Additional Game Play Notes". :)

When checking in, add a message so that everyone knows you have been here. Otherwise it looks as if you :
- are lost
- have completely forgotten about the swap
- something worse and we may all worry about you.

If you can't think of anything witty to say just a 'Hi, checking in' or a smilie :waves: will do.

I'm not sure how I feel about the phrasing of this. It kinda makes it feel to me like you need to leave a move. And really, unless you're going to be gone for a really long time (as in more than 12 hours after your turn comes up), you don't.

I know that it's polite to leave moves so that the game can keep going, but I also know that there are people who feel very strongly about leaving moves. Sometimes, you only get to make one move in a swap, and it's really disappointing if you only get one move and someone else makes it for you... especially if you come back within the time frame that would have let you make it yourself.

Maybe change it to something like:

If you plan to be away from the computer for more than a few hours at a time, please post a message in the PLAY thread letting the other players know and when you expect to return. Also, please leave moves with other players or in your signature (link) and let us know at what point you'd like us to wait for you and at what point it's okay to use your moves. Remember, we won't wait more than the time indicated in the swap (usually 12 hours). (Ex. Please wait for me if I'll be back within x hours, otherwise go ahead and use my moves. or Please wait for me if it's after (time), otherwise use my moves.)


That way people won't feel like they HAVE to let others move for them no matter how long they'll be gone. These are (usually) 12 hour swaps, and if I want to say wait 12 hours for me so I can make my own move, that is okay.

Good point, Pepper. It can be very frustrating when your one and only move is made for you! Been there! :rolleyes:

What about duplicates? As in like, say Shaunie revealed It by Stephen King, then say my reveal was the same book. Do I change my book to something else?

This is the reason I've stopped playing in anything but the SSS. The expectation that you have to be in front of the computer 24/7 or leave moves so that the game isn't held up any more than a few minutes. I'm sorry, but it's a game and it's supposed to be fun for everyone and that includes letting me play my own moves.

Hence the reason I suggested the change in wording.

If it's a 12 hour swap, I should only have to leave moves if I'm going to be gone for more than 12 hours.

How do you feel about the way I phrased it? (Just out of curiosity)

Well... I've played in/watched a couple of swaps where a book was revealed twice... and I think it was stolen out of the game twice in one of those swaps.

I think that really depends on how popular it seems to be. If it's just sitting there, you might want to consider changing it, but if it's being stolen left and right, go ahead and reveal it by all means.

Your wording is fine.

I personally don't like leaving moves because things change during a game, and the move I thought I wanted to do may be different depending on what's happened while I'm gone. Since the expectation is that people have to leave moves, I just don't play, since I don't like being bitched out for being gone for a couple of hours.

Remember, this is just a thread looking for INPUT so that we can add it to Shaunie's FAQ.

After Pepper's post, I already went back and changed the text of how I worded it the first time. I didn't mean for it to sound as if you had to leave moves. And this is exactly the reason I'm asking that we all compose this together as a team!! :grouphug:

So please don't be upset by the way I worded it the first time around. I've had a ton of things on my plate lately and I tend to just speak very directly much of the time without stopping to think how it sounds on the other end. So I was glad that Pepper corrected that, because how she worded it is definitely how it usually is... not the bitchy way I wrote it the first time around! :bash: (that's for me!)

It's not you Cherie, it's a general expectation in the swaps. I've been bitched out because I didn't leave a move and wasn't there the exact second my turn came up. I've also gotten grief because I overslept and wasn't at the computer at exactly the time I said I'd be checking in.

How about explaining if one should offer a "browse my bookshelf to pick somehting else" if your reveal wasn't stolen even once? Are we obliged to offer? And is it rude to ask, I don't want the book you offer but I find something else on your shelf? Or we shouldn't unless offered?

V. important etiquette questions in my opinion.

I don't remember if we address the issue whether TBR is okay or if there is a time period for books to be sent out. I think I've seen the answers elsewhere but don't know if it has been included.

And for people leaving moves, as white is not an available color choice and has to be done manually, maybe an explanation will help first-timers.

This is not a requirement of a swap, but if I reveal a book that by the end of the swap has not been stolen, I give the person with my reveal a chance to have anything else from my bookshelf. That way they get something they want (and potentially even a wishlist book) in return for having to get stuck with a dud I chose.

It's not a requirement, but it is considereate :)

:lol: I just answered most of those.

I wouldn't ever ask for another book. At the same time, I've never been asked because I always offer a different one first :)

And TBRs are perfectly ok!

Step away from the beer, "bunny"....you are slurring your words :D LOL

I have asked... because there have been several times that I've gotten stuck with books that I have absolutely no interest in at all.

Sometimes I get an offer before I get around to asking, sometimes I don't. Since I'd rather you not send me a book at all then send me a book I'm not going to read, I try to ask within a day or so of the swap end.

I also always (try to) make it clear in my request that by no means is it a requirement for them to send me a different book.

I usually say something like:

Hi. I ended up with X book in Y swap. While I'm sure it's a great book, it's not something that I have any interest in. (I know it's a great book - I've already read it!) I was hoping you'd be willing to send me a different book from your shelf.

I'm interested in:

A
B
C

(Only one, of course! Whichever is easiest for you!)

If for whatever reason you can't send on one of those books, that's okay too. Just don't worry about sending me anything. I'd hate for you to pay postage on something I won't read.

I really don't think anyone is going to be upset at a request for a different book if it's politely worded and it isn't assuming/demanding that they will be able to.

Maybe we could say something like:

If the book you revealed wasn't stolen, it's polite (but not a requirement) to offer the person holding it a replacement from your shelf. If you end up with a book you don't want, it is acceptable to send a politely worded request asking for a replacement from the offerer's shelf, but keep in mind that they don't have to give you one.

Or something like that... :shrug:

*sigh* this is one of those things I've tried to stay away from because there is no one right way to play... :erm:

Not to mention when we start making a gazillion rules or guidelines, it kind of intimidates people and maybe keeps them from playing, if they have to make sure they folllow 10 pages of rules and ettiquette, I dunno.

I do agree there are things we'd all like understood by the people we swap with (don't look at reveals, don't look at moves, it's nice to offer another book if the one you offered didn't get stolen, don't offer relay killers, leave moves if you're going to be gone a long time, etc.) but at the same time we each have a different opinion on some of these less clear cut things so it's kind of hard to come up with rules that everyone is happy with. :shrug: Maybe I'm just too much of a peacemaker, I don't know. It's just too hard to make everyone happy, so when this has come up in the past, I haven't really wanted to include some of it on the site because it was too... subjective I guess.

If you all want it up there, I'll put it up there, I've just avoided it up until now (oh yeah, and because I'm lazy and hadn't gotten around to it :blush: )

You're right, Shaunie. Plus, if we get too many things up there, it'll start to get overwhelming and it might scare people away from swapping!

I think really, once we get the basics and technical things hammered out, I think the one thing we all just need to keep in mind is be polite.

We may disagree, for example, if it's okay to ask for a different book if one isn't offered, but I doubt anyone will be offended by someone politely saying "Hey, do you mind... feel free to say no". It's if you said "I didn't like your offer, give me ___ instead" that people would get upset.

I'm wurring my slords? :lol:

I agree with Shaunie that the question as to whether or not to offer a replacement for a book that isn't stolen at least once is probably too subjective to be included in the FAQ. I don't think it's really a requirement for people to know this before they start swapping... they'll kind of just get the feel one way or another what they should do.

But perhaps we'll leave this thread here even after I we get some of this added to the official FAQ. So newbies can review the entire thread if they want, while some of the more important things we brought up will be over at Shaunie's (which we'll point them to loud and clear in the first post. :D

I personally offer up a replacement if my book is never stolen but I would be offended if I was told to.

I am also one of those who don't leave moves but I try to tell people when I will be back so they are not panting over their computers. Sarradee, come play in the Historical Fiction swap. It is very easy going :)

I think you hit the nail on the head there Ace! :bash:

I think it's just one of those things that many people probably do, I know I've done it in the past, but to be expected to have to do it as part of our etiquette just doesn't seem right. :huh:

TBRs are fine

If a book is going to take longer than 6 months, a PM might be nice just so the receiver knows you have not forgotten. Time isn't a concern as I think we all have enough books to read :whistle:

I would be upset if I received a PM like Pepper's but I can understand getting stuck with a 'dud'. So how about wording something like

This is not required but some people like to offer a replacement if their book has never been stolen.

What is it about that PM that would upset you?

I mean, honestly, I've worked hard on that phrasing to make it clear that I don't EXPECT people to send me a different book... but I don't want anyone to spend money on postage to send me a book I'm going to toss on the available pile immediately.

:sigh:

:waves: Mom always told me to just eat what was on my plate ...






I say let new people learn by example, if they see other members offering a consolation prize they might decide to do it too.

I would be upset because I already know that the book was a dud and do not need to be told again. I would rather I mail it and you wild release it. I may be in the minority here on that though

Well, I will try to remember to not send you that PM if I end up with a book from you I don't like. It certainly isn't my intention to upset anyone.

I started sending that PM if I hadn't gotten an offer within a day or so because I have this alarming tendency to end up with books that I have no interest in - usually it's a genre thing. For a while, I tried playing in only genre specific swaps, and I'd end up with books I'd already read!

Here's another question for you... Would it be different if you got a PM similar to that, but it started out saying "I ended up with x book from you in y swap but I've already read it/I already have it on Mount TBR"? Would that upset you as well?

And just remember, just because a book wasn't stolen, doesn't mean it's a dud. I've PMed to offer replacement books and it turned out that the person was THRILLED that the book wasn't stolen from them 'cause it was the one they really wanted.

:waves: Pepper

For me, the issue with what you're getting at is not saying I'm not really interested in this or I have this on TBR or I've read this already.
The issue is that you then go on to say - here are some books off your shelf that I would like instead (though you may not have worded it that way, this is essentially what it comes down to). The person who receives the PM pretty much has to give you one of those books because you have asked for it. And yes, you can say that they don't have to, but really do they because that person is guilted into it, and who here is really going to say no to something like that after offering up a book that wasn't stolen in a swap? :shrug:

So then would it not upset you if I just said "Hey I ended up with x book in y swap from you but I've already read it/have it on Mount TBR/have no interest in reading it, would you mind if I picked another book off your shelf?"

Without mentioning any specific books?

I just REALLY do NOT want books that I'm not going to read mailed to me. I don't do PBS or BookMooch or Posh Points or any of those other trading sites. It's been close to a year since I've wild releasaed. My available books are overflowing their crate and I have enough other books that go in there that I don't need to add more books that I'm not going to read.

I've asked that a book I ended up with in a swap that I wasn't particularly interested in reading be wild released by the sender or that they pass it on in some other way. I figure, I play in the swaps for the fun and getting the books is an excellent perk that *usually* happens. Sometimes it doesn't, but I've had a good time for the price of sending the book I've offered, so no big deal. It's not like I am hurting for books to read! :lol:

Another good idea... :D

I know someone ended up with a book and asked for me to RABCK it to another person (they obviously were just playing for fun since they stole it to end up with it)

I just gave her the full BCID # and she made a JE so it showed up from her and with me being in the states, I saved the time and effort for her and not to mention shipping $$ for myself, by sending it to the "RABCKee" from here.

I've done that before. I've used two swaps to fulfill BallySwapper commitments. I've never thought of asking them to Wild Release it, but that is a thought as well... it just never occurs to me as I'm not huge into wild releasing.

It's not that I HAVE to have a book. I've honestly told people not to send me books before... I've told people to send them to someone else. I just don't want more books that I'm not going to read coming into my apartment.

Plus, I would like to get books that I will read sometimes. I'd say that 75-80% of the time I swap, I end up with a book I've already read, I have on Mount TBR, or I have no interest in reading. I could count on my fingers (probably on one hand) the number of swaps I've ended up with a book I wanted. Not that there weren't plenty of books I was interested in being swapped... I just didn't end up with them.

That's just the kind of luck I have.

I swap because I enjoy it... but that doesn't mean it's not nice to get a book I think I'll enjoy too.

It's never been my intention to offend anyone, and if anyone who received that sort of PM from me was offended, I'm sorry. I didn't think people would because I wouldn't be and I've talked to other people who wouldn't be so it didn't occur to me that anyone would be.

Pepper , WE wouldn't have a problem because as soon as a swap is ended I send a PM to the person to browse my shelf.

I had been swapping for a while before I found out that some people only offer a different book if the book they chose hadn't been stolen at all. Even if someone ends up with a book from me that was stolen at some point, I usually offer the person a chance to look at my shelf and pick something they might enjoy more. My general feeling is I usually offer TBRs so it doesnt make any difference to me if I'm reading a book I chose or a book you chose.

I have in the past PM'd someone in a swap to say that I ended up with a book that I wasn't particularly interested in but instead of asking for a specific book , I'll ask them if they mind if I look at their shelf for something else. Mainly because that's the opportunity I offer someone else. I wouldn't be offended if someone did the same to me, but I do apologize if I offended someone. I pretty much stopped playing in the swaps that weren't genre specific because I have pretty particular reading tastes and I found I was most happy when it could be at least somewhat guaranteed that I'd be getting a book I was remotely interested in.