My Tags are a mess - what are best practices for organizing?

Blakestr · 08-07-2022, 01:27 PM

Made a catalog but it was a nightmare to peruse - I read on here that a recommended catalog tip (especially for kindle) is to make smaller catalogs that you can add to a collection, which acts as a psuedo table of contents. Great idea.

Except, according to calibre, I have over a thousand tags - sub tags seems like a good idea and I started to do that but then I realized it doesn't reflect an accurate count (so if I have Fantasy tag with 1000 items and I drag a SEPARATE tag "Dark Fantasy, with 50 items" ontop of that tag, it doesn't show a count of 1050 under Fantasy, which doesn't make sense (and yet does, might just be preference)

So rather than try to discover what I'm sure is a best practice, I would ask here for the general workflow. Clearly I'm going to be doing some bulk metadata editing and trimming single tags, but any tips I would appreciate!

Sirtel · 08-07-2022, 02:08 PM

I delete all tags that come with books and set my own. I only use the broadest genre tags (fantasy, mystery and so on), plus a couple of others. So I have no more than 20 tags overall. I don't bother with subgenres, that way lies madness.

JSWolf · 08-07-2022, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I delete all tags that come with books and set my own. I only use the broadest genre tags (fantasy, mystery and so on), plus a couple of others. So I have no more than 20 tags overall. I don't bother with subgenres, that way lies madness.

That is a good idea to start tagging my books by genre. But I too remove the mess the publishers leave in the OPF.

theducks · 08-07-2022, 02:52 PM

Don't forget to setup Preferences: Adding books: Adding Actions (a tab): Control how tags are processed (button)

This can be preset to filter and combine tags upon import
(Do you really need tags for 42 ways of tagging Science Fiction?)

Blakestr · 08-07-2022, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Don't forget to setup Preferences: Adding books: Adding Actions (a tab): Control how tags are processed (button)

This can be preset to filter and combine tags upon import
(Do you really need tags for 42 ways of tagging Science Fiction?)

THANK you for posting this tip - it was unknown to me and one of the reasons why I posted was to find out stuff like this

Blakestr · 08-07-2022, 09:14 PM

What's the best way to handle deleting these tags without having to open up the books? just select every category that says "science fiction", science fiction dark, science fiction military, etc, and then just delete it and add it to a science fiction tag while the books are all selected?

Karellen · 08-07-2022, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blakestr

What's the best way to handle deleting these tags without having to open up the books? just select every category that says "science fiction", science fiction dark, science fiction military, etc, and then just delete it and add it to a science fiction tag while the books are all selected?

Right click on the tag and select Manage Tags
From the pop up box, select the tags to delete and press the delete icon (green arrows) or use the context menu and select Delete

theducks · 08-07-2022, 10:56 PM

You can do a Master delete of all occurrences using the Tag Browser. Right click the tag name.

Just remember, it is DUMB. If a book only has that single tag, it is still GONE.
I recommend using this method to clear the BS/Garbage tags first.

You can also use the Tag Browser to adjust the CASE of a tag. Right-click:change case...

You can also fix spelling or tense. Series: Mystery vs Mysteries (I choose singular as it applies to the Book, as my standard. I also get rid of junk metadata as applied to a Title or Series: A Novel, Series when used in the title)

Blakestr · 08-08-2022, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I delete all tags that come with books and set my own. I only use the broadest genre tags (fantasy, mystery and so on), plus a couple of others. So I have no more than 20 tags overall. I don't bother with subgenres, that way lies madness.

Would you mind sharing your tag list? Trying to even figure out how to narrow mine down IS the way to madness...

Sirtel · 08-08-2022, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blakestr

Would you mind sharing your tag list? Trying to even figure out how to narrow mine down IS the way to madness...

Fantasy (i.e. fiction taking place in a fantasy world)
Science Fiction
Arthurian
Alternate World (alternate versions of our world)
Contemporary (fantasy taking place in modern world, urban fantasy etc.)
Mystery (contemporary mysteries)
Historical Mystery (mysteries taking place in the past)
Historical (fiction taking place in the past)
Historical Fantasy (fantasy fiction taking place in the past)
Historical Romance (I have a few of those, but no contemporary romances)
Thriller
Humor
Gay (an additional tag for fiction with gay protagonist(s))
Lesbian (see previous)
Nonfiction
Parallel World (fiction in which characters from our world cross over to a fantasy world, or vice versa)
Superhero
Time Travel
VR (fiction taking place in a virtual reality)

plus a few tags concerning reading status and the like.

theducks · 08-08-2022, 01:24 PM

Consider using Hierarchical tags

Mystery
Mystery.Historical
Mystery.Cozy

The dot level is a refinement.
Search on Mystery and you get them all or you could specify a subset.

I also find this really useful for series that have cycles or sub series
Pern.Dragonriders
Pern.Harper hall

Blakestr · 08-08-2022, 01:32 PM

I wouldn't mind this but, as it has been pointed out, subgenres can lead to madness - I'd love a logical framework or examples

Sirtel · 08-08-2022, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Consider using Hierarchical tags

Mystery
Mystery.Historical
Mystery.Cozy

The dot level is a refinement.
Search on Mystery and you get them all or you could specify a subset.

I also find this really useful for series that have cycles or sub series
Pern.Dragonriders
Pern.Harper hall

I don't use tags for subseries. If marking a subseries is important to me (it's not always), I just put it in the comments.

Karellen · 08-08-2022, 04:09 PM

I apply 3 tags per book

First set of tags - Library, Fixed, Stub
Library - Book added to the library, yet to be read.
Fixed - Book has been read and coding and formatting cleaned up also.
Stub - A library entry that either represents a pbook or an ebook I want to read
Once Fixed is applied, the other tags below are then applied

Second tags - pbook and ebook
Tells me if I own the paper version or the digital version. In many cases I own both.
I have a lot of stub files in my library that are entries for the pbooks I own.

Third set of tags are genres.
Once I read the book, I add the genre that I feel is most appropriate.
They are the usual type - Adventure, Humorous, Mystery, SciFi etc

enuddleyarbl · 08-08-2022, 04:10 PM

I probably need to prune my tags, too. Originally, along with the overall genre, I set up tags for the protagonist (if it was a recurring one). For long series, I set up tags for any subseries (for instance, in Pratchett's Discworld, I'd tag books in the Rincewind, Witches, Wizards, Watch, etc. subseries). One of my most used tags is one for Standalone books (those not in a series).

08-07-2022, 01:27 PM	#1
Blakestr Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2020 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017 32 gb Gold	My Tags are a mess - what are best practices for organizing? Made a catalog but it was a nightmare to peruse - I read on here that a recommended catalog tip (especially for kindle) is to make smaller catalogs that you can add to a collection, which acts as a psuedo table of contents. Great idea. Except, according to calibre, I have over a thousand tags - sub tags seems like a good idea and I started to do that but then I realized it doesn't reflect an accurate count (so if I have Fantasy tag with 1000 items and I drag a SEPARATE tag "Dark Fantasy, with 50 items" ontop of that tag, it doesn't show a count of 1050 under Fantasy, which doesn't make sense (and yet does, might just be preference) So rather than try to discover what I'm sure is a best practice, I would ask here for the general workflow. Clearly I'm going to be doing some bulk metadata editing and trimming single tags, but any tips I would appreciate!

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08-07-2022, 02:08 PM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,570 Karma: 225537496 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I delete all tags that come with books and set my own. I only use the broadest genre tags (fantasy, mystery and so on), plus a couple of others. So I have no more than 20 tags overall. I don't bother with subgenres, that way lies madness.

08-07-2022, 02:52 PM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,058 Karma: 57259778 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Don't forget to setup Preferences: Adding books: Adding Actions (a tab): Control how tags are processed (button) This can be preset to filter and combine tags upon import (Do you really need tags for 42 ways of tagging Science Fiction?)

08-07-2022, 09:14 PM	#6
Blakestr Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2020 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017 32 gb Gold	What's the best way to handle deleting these tags without having to open up the books? just select every category that says "science fiction", science fiction dark, science fiction military, etc, and then just delete it and add it to a science fiction tag while the books are all selected?

08-07-2022, 10:56 PM	#8
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,058 Karma: 57259778 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	You can do a Master delete of all occurrences using the Tag Browser. Right click the tag name. Just remember, it is DUMB. If a book only has that single tag, it is still GONE. I recommend using this method to clear the BS/Garbage tags first. You can also use the Tag Browser to adjust the CASE of a tag. Right-click:change case... You can also fix spelling or tense. Series: Mystery vs Mysteries (I choose singular as it applies to the Book, as my standard. I also get rid of junk metadata as applied to a Title or Series: A Novel, Series when used in the title)

08-08-2022, 01:24 PM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,058 Karma: 57259778 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Consider using Hierarchical tags Mystery Mystery.Historical Mystery.Cozy The dot level is a refinement. Search on Mystery and you get them all or you could specify a subset. I also find this really useful for series that have cycles or sub series Pern.Dragonriders Pern.Harper hall

08-08-2022, 01:32 PM	#12
Blakestr Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2020 Device: Kindle Oasis 2017 32 gb Gold	I wouldn't mind this but, as it has been pointed out, subgenres can lead to madness - I'd love a logical framework or examples

08-08-2022, 04:09 PM	#14
Karellen Wizard Posts: 1,197 Karma: 4949904 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2	I apply 3 tags per book First set of tags - Library, Fixed, Stub Library - Book added to the library, yet to be read. Fixed - Book has been read and coding and formatting cleaned up also. Stub - A library entry that either represents a pbook or an ebook I want to read Once Fixed is applied, the other tags below are then applied Second tags - pbook and ebook Tells me if I own the paper version or the digital version. In many cases I own both. I have a lot of stub files in my library that are entries for the pbooks I own. Third set of tags are genres. Once I read the book, I add the genre that I feel is most appropriate. They are the usual type - Adventure, Humorous, Mystery, SciFi etc

08-08-2022, 04:10 PM	#15
enuddleyarbl Guru Posts: 734 Karma: 1077122 Join Date: Sep 2013 Device: Kobo Forma	I probably need to prune my tags, too. Originally, along with the overall genre, I set up tags for the protagonist (if it was a recurring one). For long series, I set up tags for any subseries (for instance, in Pratchett's Discworld, I'd tag books in the Rincewind, Witches, Wizards, Watch, etc. subseries). One of my most used tags is one for Standalone books (those not in a series).

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