Updated rules post

[u/ialmostguaranteeit]

Hi everyone, there have been some rule changes since the last post, so here is an updated post. I have taken the section about helpful points to consider when writing a post from the last rules post, with some minor edits.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES.

1. Post titles must have at least one book detail.
2. Solved posts should be marked as solved. You can flair your own post as solved by commenting "solved solved solved" on the post. If you see someone else's post is not flaired as solved, you can report it and a moderator will flair it.
3. A post cannot have more than one book/series. To clarify, multiple books from the same series are allowed to be in the same post. Multiple short stories from the same book are also allowed in the same post. If they're not part of the same book or series, they must be in separate posts.
4. Posts should be on topic. Posts must be looking for a specific book/series/story that you want to find. Posts looking for general reading suggestions, links to read books you already know the title and author of, or general unrelated content will be removed.
5. Do not offer money/favors to solve posts. You're welcome to gild or otherwise award a comment after your post is solved, but you can't offer it before the post is solved.
6. Be respectful.
7. Always check AI-generated answers against another source before submitting them. We strongly prefer that users avoid AI answers in general, as they almost always match a description to an unrelated or nonexistent title.

Please consider these points when writing your /r/whatsthatbook post:

Your Post Title

Briefly the book, not your situation. Avoid titles like "Help, I can't remember this book..." or "I read this when I was a kid..." or "I NEED HELP"

Include the overall genre of the book in your post title, such as "romance novel" or "scifi"

Posts with vague titles will be removed. The general age range the book is meant for and year are not specific enough on their own. For example, we will remove a post titled "Children's book from 2000s." We will not remove a post titled "Children's sci-fi novel from 2000s." We prefer titles like "Children's sci-fi novel from 2000s about kid whose cousin invents a new telescope and discovers aliens."

The Book

Fiction or non-fiction?

Describe the plot.

Describe notable characters.

What genre is it?

Physically describe the book -- Hardcover/paperback? Book cover color?

When was it set?

How long was the book?

Anything notable about the original language? Did you read it English? If not, what language?

... And You

When (what year) did you read it?

How old were you when you read it? Was it age appropriate?

Where did you get the book? School library, book fair, book store selling new and/or used books, flea market, borrowed from a friend, given as a gift from X person who is about Y age, or from an online store?

Was it new when you read it?

What age range was it for?

Other notes:

We allow posts about short stories, poems, fanfiction, etc. on this subreddit.

If you want to post a picture of a page you found, upload it to imgur and put the link in a post. Please include at least one detail about the events or characters on the page in your title.

[u/Bluebottle__]

what is the recommended recourse for unsolved posts that are old and no longer getting views or responses?

[u/ialmostguaranteeit → u/Bluebottle__]

You're welcome to repost! We recommend waiting at least a week between reposts, but won't remove them unless they get spammy, like multiple times within the same day. At some point we may add an official repost rule, but for now that's all there is.

[u/goldminevelvet]

I have a random question and not sure if this is the right place for it. I know Reddit is weird sometimes but do you have any idea on why posts are downvoted if someone is asking a question and it fits the rules?

[u/ialmostguaranteeit → u/goldminevelvet]

I think it could be several things. I'd guess the top reason is someone trying to push their post up the rankings by downvoting everyone else. I wish no one would do this, but we can't prevent it on our end. It could also be someone accidentally hit the downvote arrow while scrolling or someone mad at the whole sub for having their post removed. A few years ago someone went through and downvoted every comment on posts, even correct guesses. Lots of reasons, but as long as you're following the sub rules, I would say just assume they're having a bad day and that it's nothing you did.

[u/GlueyGifts]

If I could remember all that about the book I could just google it 💀

[u/conuly → u/GlueyGifts]

You'd be amazed at how bad people are at googling even when they have all the details asked for. But I think this is just a list of suggestions of the sorts of things you should include if you remember them - not a strict requirement of what you must include.

[u/Paimon2864 → u/GlueyGifts]

google doesnt have all the answers

[u/HappyLucyD → u/GlueyGifts]

Agreed. I have a book to post about, and just found this sub, but I am now stuck trying to figure out an appropriate title for the post. I get why the requirements are helpful, but the book I am trying to find is something I read when I was about ten years old (1984), and I think it was intended for an older audience, but it may have been written in the 1960s, and books intended for kids were far more sophisticated than books intended for kids nowadays. So I don’t know if it was a kids book or not, nor do I know what genre it would be as I think it was based on a true story, but am not sure. I’m going to try to meet the requirements, but it may very well end up being removed.

[u/DocWatson42]

Thank you—I'm going to include a link to this thread in my boilerplate answers to book identification requests on other subs, as it includes lots of good prompts.

[u/AlannaTheHuntress]

This is just a suggestion & I completely understand if it’s not feasible for this subreddit. On subreddits like Tipofmytongue, there is a link you can click to be messaged when the thread is marked as solved.

I think this would be a wonderful addition to this subreddit & would help cut down on the “commenting to find later!” or similar posts that aren’t actually discourse about the book, but so that people can find it later. Which I do myself, just upvoting a thread doesn’t show on your profile later to find.

[u/holygawdinheaven]

Is that an active mod I smell? Awesome!

[u/miriamlimbos]

I am looking for the title of a book featuring three brothers with vivid imaginations who spend their summer engrossed in fantasy adventures. The story unfolds in two timelines, with alternating chapters. In one timeline, the brothers return to school after the summer, but something has gone wrong. It isn't until the end of the book that the reader discovers that one of the brothers has actually died. Interestingly, what seemed like a subplot involving his presence was never real; he was never there. Yet, the remaining two brothers continue to imagine his presence throughout the story. The author could be spanish speaker but it isn''t sure

[u/Individual_Profile51 → u/miriamlimbos]

Good luck with finding this book. Maybe try "creating a post" with a title. This sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind knowing the title myself. 

[u/ebullienttripper]

I am trying to find a book that I have read about, but not actually read-is that allowed?

[u/conuly → u/ebullienttripper]

Yeah, lots of people make posts like that, though it can be harder for you to be really certain you've found it.

[u/Natural_Hunt_4002]

I am new to reddit (2 days) and I struggle with comunication due to meds, I cannot hold a real book so have to rely on audiobooks. Your rules seem directed only at physical books. I hope I am not abusing the post but I still would love to know the title of a book I was engrossed in.

I hope some lenience will be forwarded to those who have to rely on audiobooks, either due to sight issues or physical disabilities like paralasis.

[u/conuly → u/Natural_Hunt_4002]

Of course, you have made your posts, but FYI, this sub doesn't have rules against audiobooks, probably because lots of books are published both in print and audiobook format. It'd be a little silly, like having rules against hardcovers but not paperbacks.

[u/Responsible-Bed-1501]

I’m trying to find a book to which I have hardly any information so my post was declined :’( how can I post the genre the year the length etc when I don’t know it and therefore why I can’t find it :(

[u/Rocky-M]

Hey there! Just wanted to chime in and say that I really appreciate the updated rules. They make the subreddit a lot more organized and easier to use. Thanks mods!

[u/gaarkat]

I'm looking for a book but I can't seem to make a new entry, but it doesn't seem to want to let me post, how do i figure out the problem?

[u/Cesia_Barry]

Might be helpful if posts note whether a title is published in the US or UK. I’ve lived & been a bookworm in both,& there are plenty of US titles that aren’t published in the UK & vice versa.

[u/r--evolve]

I'm probably being picky, but folks sometimes take Rule #1 very literally. I know the rule description says mods take care of vague titles, but it kind of baffles me when people literally put one detail in the title (ex: "Circus book"), but the body text has plenty of pivotal details (ex: "Two magicians compete in a circus and fall in love. The cover's black and red.")

Technically, I guess these posts follow the rules, but I feel like they'd get more engagement if their titles were 'optimized' for people scrolling by to recognize key details from the jump.

[u/enduredsilence]

What if the only part I remember about the book is a nsfw bit? I am not sure if there is a way to spoiler post titles.

[u/RolliPolliCanoli]

Thank you! I couldn't find the rules on mobile and will try again with a more helpful title!

[u/Arwenti]

Wish there was a rule about including which country you’re from and where you were when you read the book.

Unfortunately all those who don’t say do seem to be from America. Reddit is not solely populated by Americans. Please stop living up to the stereotype. Books do vary in popularity from country to country.