# Just curious: How many of you are NOT authors?



## Rhynedahll (Oct 23, 2010)

Scanning through posts, It seems like the majority have books to promote. (Myself included.)

How many of you are just Kindle owners looking for new reads?


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## monkeyluis (Oct 17, 2010)

:raises hand:


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Not an author - maybe this should be a poll?


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## Aravis60 (Feb 18, 2009)

I'm not an author. Just love to read and talk about books.


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## AnelaBelladonna (Apr 8, 2009)

I am not an author.


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## tamborine (May 16, 2009)

I'm not.


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## Emmalita (Feb 24, 2009)

I'm not an author.


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## FrankZubek (Aug 31, 2010)

Rhyne.... if I may add....

What do you all think of these boards?
Do the comments help you make better buying decisions?
Is this a cool peek behind the scenes of writers and publishing?
Or are you just lurking?


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

I'm not an author, and I don't come to KB looking for something to read. I come here for the best Kindle-oriented community around. The Amazon boards are a nightmare I don't want to be around. I am glad many indie authors have found KB and find it to be a nice place to hang out, but authors are a minority here, they just happen to be the most vocal. if you think about it, there are almost 26,500 members here. I would think there are about 500-1000 authors here, but like most of the silent majority, I bet there are some silent authors who are still in lurk mode. And then there are people who come here daily and are not members at all.. I saw a new member yesterday say she had only become a member to answer a question about a non-Kindle device, yet she had been coming here since the early days of KB 3 years ago.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

If you see mostly authors as you scanning the posts, that means you need to get out more, out of the writers corners that is  .

Reader here. I read and lurk way more than I post. I still remember when there was no writers section on this board. So of course there will be mostly writers posting and in the Bazaar. Here in book corner is for readers to talk about all things books. Although some of the threads at least to me lately here seem more market research. Maybe that is just me. 

But there are so many other sections here even outside any book related ones. The main forum of course for Kindles since it is a Kindle boards after all  , the not kindle section is a fun one to read even if I don't always post there.

I do think there are a lot more lurkers, readers that lurk than it seems. You writers just like writing more I guess


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## Barbiedull (Jul 13, 2010)

NOT an author.  (Maybe a poll would work better than posts?)


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> I'm not an author, and I don't come to KB looking for something to read. I come here for the best Kindle-oriented community around..


I'm quoting because I don't feel like re-typing the same sentiments.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Funny how often you and I think alike Scarlet. and GLAD you seem to be back! Hope your plaid vacation was a blast!


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I'm not an author - I'm here to find something to read - isn't that what the 'Book Corner' forum is for - the official description is "Reader discussions - share your book reviews and recommendations, and new discoveries".


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## Rhynedahll (Oct 23, 2010)

Okay, for those that mentioned it. New and improved with a poll!


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## kindleworm (Aug 24, 2010)

Not an author, but, sure do love to read.  I guess that I also love to read about reading!


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Not an author.


brickwallwriter said:


> What do you all think of these boards?


Like the board overall. 


> Do the comments help you make better buying decisions?


Nope, I don't come here looking for books, I usually go to barnes and noble and look then get it on the kindle. Weird I know.


> Is this a cool peek behind the scenes of writers and publishing?


To be honest, not cool at all, not uncool either. Maybe I get in the wrong threads, I usually just read the unread posts since last visit and don't pay attention to what part of the forum it is in. There does seem to be an awful lot of focus from, people who identify themselves as authors, on money and overall whimpering about the unfairness of........(insert complaint of the day here). I'm not trying to bash at all, and I believe authors have as much right to be here as I do, but their posts here probably don't add anymore to the "coolness" for me than my posts do for them.


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## Laurensaga (Sep 29, 2010)

Can't I be both?


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Reader.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Laurensaga said:


> Can't I be both?


Of course you can, but which one do you primarily think of yourself as?


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## Laurensaga (Sep 29, 2010)

scarlet said:


> Of course you can, but which one do you primarily think of yourself as?


It depends on my mood. I have read about 40 or so books this year why attending school and working full time. It also depends on what board I am on. When I am here I am a reader. When I am in writer's market I am a writer.


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## EllenR (Mar 31, 2009)

Aravis60 said:


> I'm not an author. Just love to read and talk about books.


Ditto


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I'm not an author in the sense of writing fiction/novels/short stories (I've written/edited technical manuals and software reviews). As someone else said, I'm here for the community and discussions. I don't have much trouble finding books to read, even with a limited set of genre preferences.

I'm delighted there is a section here for authors to do self-promotion (which I wander into once in a while), but I'm also glad there are restrictions for that sort of posting in here in the Book Corner. 

I’m also happy to see comments here by authors on the works of others and/or the writing process and publishing business. I regularly read the blogs of several writers and find the comments fascinating.

Mike


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Of course with this being in the book corner and most of the authors, especially the newer ones, not visiting the areas of the board outside of the bazzar, the totals will be skewed.


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## Guest (Nov 5, 2010)

intinst said:


> Of course with this being in the book corner and most of the authors, especially the newer ones, not visiting the areas of the board outside of the bazzar, the totals will be skewed.


I really don't understand authors only visiting the bazaar. I mean, what would you do in there?? Sit on your thumb and watch threads sink like lines of code in the Matrix while waiting seven days to bump yours?

Can I jump on BTackitt's comment about being here for the community even though I'm an author? Yeah, there's the writer's cafe stuff, but mostly it's just talking about books and kindle tech.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I'm not an author, just an avid reader always looking for good books and new authors to discover.


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## Tatiana (Aug 20, 2010)

I am not an author, just a librarian.  I like to read and discuss books.


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## jason10mm (Apr 7, 2009)

Not an author, or at least I don't consider my mid-90s alt.chat.chatsubo short story contributions to count. Even though they are still terrifyingly available with an appropriate google search :O

But I take pride that I, in some small way, helped pave the way for electronic self-publication 

Flees before some crusty old guy comes in and says he was posting to the internet before Al Gore was even born


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Of course, the Bazaar includes the writers cafe as a child board.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

I'm a professional writer, but not an author -- I have no book to sell here, I just like talking about books!


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## DLs Niece (Apr 12, 2010)

I'm not an author, but my uncle is. Me... I just love a good book.


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## farrellclaire (Mar 5, 2010)

I wouldn't mind there being a poll to see just how annoying the majority of the boards find KB authors.  

I write but I'd still be here if Amazon somehow went out of business tomorrow.  I lurk more than I participate, there are plenty of people here able to express the same things I'm thinking a lot more eloquently than I can.

And I agree the poll probably won't be a fair representative of numbers, pity the same poll can't show on all of the boards here.


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## Mark_A_Lopez (Oct 24, 2010)

LauraB said:


> Not an author.
> Like the board overall.
> Nope, I don't come here looking for books, I usually go to barnes and noble and look then get it on the kindle. Weird I know.


Not weird at all. I love taking my Kindle to bookstores and browsing. I retain the social aspect of shopping w/Kindle pricing!

I only do this at chain bookstores, mind you. Never a mom and pop shop.


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

Author here.

I think the thread title will get more non-authors to vote, since it's not asking which you are, it's asking how many are NOT authors.  

Vicki


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

My guess is that less than 5% of the posters here are authors. But, I'll bet they account for 25+% of the posts.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

intinst said:


> Of course with this being in the book corner and most of the authors, especially the newer ones, not visiting the areas of the board outside of the bazzar, the totals will be skewed.


Only if you're trying to determine what the ratio is on the whole forum. Maybe the OP asked the question on this particular board because he was curious about the ratio on this board, not necessarily the whole forum.


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## Rhynedahll (Oct 23, 2010)

history_lover said:


> Only if you're trying to determine what the ratio is on the whole forum. Maybe the OP asked the question on this particular board because he was curious about the ratio on this board, not necessarily the whole forum.


Exactly.


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

Author, but I love to read and talk about books. Leftover behavior from my English major days. Can't help myself.  

I think the writers post a lot because we are used to expressing ourselves that way. Readers enjoy reading. Hence, they lurk more. Just a thought.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Reader.  I'm a wanna-be author in that I have all sorts of ideas running around in my head, but, gosh... the ideas won't just magically appear on paper    Strangely, I mostly hang out on in the Cafe.  Go figure   Mainly, though, I just love books


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## kyrin (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm a reader and an author.

I'm here for the people and interesting conversation not to conduct market research, push my books or get on people's nerves.

Okay, maybe I do the latter occasionally but hey two out of three isn't bad.


EDIT: Oh yeah, I also tend to lurk and keep quiet unless a topic really interests me.


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## RobertMarda (Oct 19, 2010)

I've been exploring the kindleboards to see what all is going on here and offered here.

I mostly hang out in The Book Corner and The Book Bazaar.  I want to find books to read that cost less than what I would pay in the book store since that is the only way I can make my recent purchase of the K3 pay off.

I think I am mostly not an author at this time.  I have a few technical articles that were published some years ago online and compiled with other writers in a couple books.

I am working towards becoming a fantasy author.  So in addition to being here to find books to read I am here to see how authors promote their books and learn what works and what does not while deciding if I am going to self publish or find a publisher.


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## Daniel Pyle (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm an author, but I don't think you can be an author without loving to read and I sneak into the Book Corner most days.  Although I will admit that I don't post here nearly as often as I do in the Writer's Cafe.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I've been reading this thread with interest. Not because I'm interested in the ration of non-authors to authors (I think the 5 per cent guess may be a little low, I haven't counted lately, but not too far off). But because the comment "Is this a cool peek behind the scenes of writers and publishing?" echoes the impression by some that KindleBoards is an author's forum. Just let me throw in here that KindleBoards is first and foremost a forum for Kindle users. We have discussions of ways to get the most out of your Kindle and how to troubleshoot it. As well as discussions of rice cookers, crockpots, movies, music and most anything else you want to talk about.

And the Book Corner is here to discuss books and recommend them. (So really, this thread might be better in "Not Quite Kindle." And, because some of our members are independent authors, we have the Book Bazaar so that our members can find good reading. If you DO want to have a peek behind the scenes of writers and publishing, be sure to visit the Writers' Cafe, where those discussions take place!

Betsy


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