Goodreads

[Chessie2]

Any Scribes active on Goodreads? I recently dusted off my account with the intention of actually using it. Why have it otherwise, right? Anyway, if any of you would like to connect on there hit me up.

 

[Svrtnsse]

I have an author account there, but I'm not active on it. I set it up a while back after someone actually added a ranking to my book. My thinking is that I could use it to see who among my friends are into reading and then pawn off free review copies on them once my next story is up for release.

 

[Chessie2]

I'll PM you my link. It's actually worth investing in. After reading an extensive blog post and a book about Goodreads, I'm convinced keeping up to date with your reading and profile is a great way of connecting with readers. I'm a member of a few groups and post a little, but I need to be more active. Anyway, link up with me there!

 

[Svrtnsse]

Will do.

I think that one of the best ways to market yourself is to be out there, be accessible, and interact with people on a personal level - or at least show them that you're a person too. I'm guessing that for writers, goodreads is a real good place to be accessible at.

 

[Insolent Lad]

I keep my author page up to date and post a fair number of reviews, but don't interact much beyond that. I also look after the author pages for a couple of other writers who 'don't have the time.'

 

[Russ]

I am not on Goodreads...but I will get around to it.

The feedback I have seen though suggests that advertising dollars and giveaways done there are a good investment. There are some tricks to maximizing it, but it is a good place to interact with readers and other writers.

 

[skip.knox]

I'm on Goodreads. Here's my author page Ellis L. Knox (Author of Goblins at the Gates)
I'm happy to exchange Follows or Friends there. I've not seen any direct benefit of being there, but it's a community that suits me well enough. Beats the heck out of LinkedIn.

 

[Chessie2]

It's going to take some investment and patience but I'd like to start mingling with readers. Seems like a good place to get book recs, too.

 

[LWFlouisa]

Eh, the books there are decent. I can't stand the culture there. Booklikes is even worse. Although I do have an author account there, I seldomly use it.

 

[skip.knox]

There are lots of different kinds of people on Goodreads. I'd be hard pressed to describe its culture. Can you give some details?

 

[Chessie2]

There are lots of different kinds of people on Goodreads. I'd be hard pressed to describe its culture. Can you give some details?

I'm still learning Goodreads myself but it seems most helpful if you find like-minded others to mingle with. Connecting over books and discussions is fun. I've joined in on a couple discussions and have discovered new books that way. It's basically a social site where everybody is in love with books. It seems serious authors keep up their profiles on there, too. If it's worth their while...j/s.

 

[skip.knox]

It's where I found out about Josiah Bancroft, which pretty much made the year worthwhile.

 

[LWFlouisa]

Mainly speaking of goodreads reviewers. Truly a dime a dozen.

 

[skip.knox]

I'm trying to understand. You can't stand the culture there. The explanation is that reviewers are a dime a dozen. Sorry, but I can't make that metaphor go anywhere. I'm not trying to argue or persuade you to some other point of view, I'm just trying to understand first how there can be a culture in such a fragmented place as Goodreads, and second what someone would find offensive there. This might help guide me in deciding to recommend the place to one person but not to another.

 

[LWFlouisa]

I'm trying to understand. You can't stand the culture there. The explanation is that reviewers are a dime a dozen. Sorry, but I can't make that metaphor go anywhere. I'm not trying to argue or persuade you to some other point of view, I'm just trying to understand first how there can be a culture in such a fragmented place as Goodreads, and second what someone would find offensive there. This might help guide me in deciding to recommend the place to one person but not to another.

Basically the groups are great, but like sometimes one minor ... lets say social difference ... can make one a target of some ... reviewers with a vendetta against you.

Although to be fair, Wattpad is even worse. But I already lay low with mental health issues waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.:/

 

[skip.knox]

Ah. OK, I get that. Trolls live everywhere, alas. One weakness of Goodreads is that anyone can form a group. This means most groups fail and fade, with only a handful of members and where years can go by between posts.

Worse, though, are the groups that succeed but are poorly moderated. And if that happens to involve culturally, or even personally, sensitive topics, the atmosphere can get poisonous and stay that way. I tend to sniff out those places pretty quickly and simply don't go there, but I can see a person getting blind-sided.

So, you've reminded me: if I recommend Goodreads, I should advise the noob to read through the group postings for a while and only join those that seem well run. Nobody likes to get bushwhacked.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[LWFlouisa]

Ah. OK, I get that. Trolls live everywhere, alas. One weakness of Goodreads is that anyone can form a group. This means most groups fail and fade, with only a handful of members and where years can go by between posts.

Worse, though, are the groups that succeed but are poorly moderated. And if that happens to involve culturally, or even personally, sensitive topics, the atmosphere can get poisonous and stay that way. I tend to sniff out those places pretty quickly and simply don't go there, but I can see a person getting blind-sided.

So, you've reminded me: if I recommend Goodreads, I should advise the noob to read through the group postings for a while and only join those that seem well run. Nobody likes to get bushwhacked.

Thanks for the reply.

Yea hope that helps. sorry for lack of clarity.

 

[Chessie2]

Reviews come with the territory. They sting, yeah. But connecting with readers is worth the risk.

 

[Insolent Lad]

Even bad reviews are better than having your books ignored!

 

[Butterfly]

Just logged in for first time in years. The Mythic Scribes group is still there. Mythic Scribes