My current RC: Only books from non-smoking homes please. Also I want only books in good condtion since I am adding to my library.

I added this after I got a paperback that had a big crease in the lower corner of the front cover that was so worn  that it was floppy. I won't repost it because I consider it unpostable. I don't mind a few scuffs and dents and normal shelf wear. My question is should I elaborate on "good condition" since that is subjective?

You're in a bind.

If you elaborate too much then who'll read it? Long RC's don't seem to get read even by people who are willing to fill RC's.

Yet "good condition" does't mean anything to me, since I don't have any idea what you're looking for. If you leave it vague like that, you're wanting me to be the judge of what good condition is. I can guarentee if I fullfill your RC I will consider the book I send you to be in good condition. So marking it RWAP isn't going to get your credit back from me, and will only frustrate me because I thought I was complying with your RC. That's why a lot of people won't send out a book to any RC with a vague condition.

So you'll have to either find some way to say what you need to say quickly, short and sweet, clearly, so it isn't subjective, or adjust your standards in some way.

Just because you thought the book you got was unpostable doesn't mean it was. Nor will you always get books that will go another round. Someone will always be the last owner of any book. Sometimes, that's us.

Good luck finding a balance that works for you!

I agree with Kendra and Cindy. The 'good condition' part would definitely make me decline your request.

I would definitely be more specific without writing more than a few sentences and asking for every condition you can think of. Just post the two or 3 you think are most important and go from there. If you see that you are getting a lot of declines or that book still don't come in the condition you'd like them to, then you can modify your RC from there.

Also, many people will probably object on principle if you say that you want them for your library. Many people seem to object to "book collectors". I would just leave that part out.

Okay thanks for the advice. I am new here and still learning. I will work on my wording if I can get my brain functioning. Somedays I feel as sharp as a butter knife.

I would fulfill your RC, but only if I felt my book was in like new condition, which would make it better than good and hopefully please you. I've sent out books from people with like new RCs and not had any problems.

The good thing is subjective, though. So if I thought there was even a small thing like a slight crease in the spine (which I think still counts as good condition), I would have to decline.

I think listing what you consider to be good condition would be best. I would consider something like this to be a good description without using subjective words:

Only books from non-smoking homes please. Also I want only books with clean, tight pages, and no creases in cover or spine.

Only books from non-smoking homes please.

This is a subjective RC as well --- in the sense that while my home is a "non-smoking" home,  I am trading books that I have received from PBS and cannot guarantee whether or not they came from a non-smoking home.   I know that some people will turn down this RC based on trading books that are used. 

Maybe say "Only books that are currently in a non-smoking home please"

I have mine say Book currently in a smoking home will not be accepted. I found that if I elaborated and said smell strongly or whatever, my requests were declined. For children's book, I've asked for very good condition and specified that they should have no torn or missing pages, pop-ups, etc. I have found that wording usually gets processed and rarely have I had it declined. I've had to learn to reword my RC a few times to make it work for everyone.

I changed my rc after reading your comments. I received a book yesterday not wrapped in plastic and we have had quite a bit of rain lately.  If my books won't all fit in the mail box, the mail carrier leaves them on my deck.  As you can see in my new RC below, I left off the bit about good condition and wanting to add to my library.  I plan to keep it off unless I get more books like the book I go sometime back that had 4 creases on the front cover with the bottom edge and first 80 pages curled up.  If I were selling that book some place like Amazon I would describe it as acceptable but not good. But I realize someone else might consider it in good condition.

New RC:  Only books currently in non-smoking homes please. Please wrap books in plastic before packing, we have quite a bit of rain in the "Sunshine State".

I think your new RC is good. Clear and humorous.