Are you on GoodReads? It seems a pretty obvious place for authors to hang out, yet I’m not sure authors are using it to quite the maximal benefit. If you are on GoodReads, how often do you visit/use the site? How often do you update your reading list? What other kinds of things do you post? Are you finding yourself using it the way social media was intended: to create a community? If you are NOT on GoodReads, have you made a deliberate choice to skip it? What other mechanisms do you utilize for meeting other readers/writers/authors? How else could you begin to create your very own community? If you are on Goodreads, remember to give us your profile link.
I think every author worth their salt is on GoodReads. Every reader is, too! You can find my profile here: Jo Michaels.
As far as visits to GoodReads goes, I pop over every day to say hello and check up on things. I'm a member of a number of groups there and visit them pretty often to poke around and see what's new. I do giveaways on GoodReads every time I release a new book (about once every other month). My blog auto-posts over there from here and I get a couple of reads on it every day. I post every review I write there, too.
When I did my 12 Days of Christmas Party, I utilized GoodReads to host my event and invite people to join me. I had an amazing response and around thirty indie authors pitched their books to me before the end of my challenge. There's no way I could've reached that number without the help of GoodReads and their event application.
I've met a number of cool indie authors via GoodReads and am the moderator of my own group there with a handful of members. We aren't too active though. It's a small group and I like it that way.
As far as my reading list goes, I don't update it very often. But, when I do, oh man! I slash and burn that list. If I'm not gonna read something, I don't like it hanging out in my proverbial coffee shop window.
I like the way the site links up with my Facebook and how easy it is to add friends to my list. Navigation could be improved and I think they need larger servers to accommodate the huge number of people on the site; but, other than that, I love it.
If you're a reader or a writer, you'd do well to join up over on GoodReads and poke around to see what they have. Your eyes will pop wide open. Enter to win a book or two (or three) in the giveaways. The more reviews you write there, the more likely you are to win! It actually says that in their terms.
I'm looking forward to connecting with the other folks in this challenge over there!
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
Jo, I've just sent you a GoodReads friend request :) Love your tips for using the site, I've added it to my list to get on there more.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Melissa! I accepted :) I like to help when and where I can :)
DeleteI had not heard of Good Reads but I signed up today. Once my book launches I have to find out how to add it to the site. I did become your fan:)
ReplyDeleteGood to see you there, Toni! You'll love it. Thanks for the fandom, I can always use more of those :)
DeleteMy GoodReads blog post will post tomorrow. I'm there but...well, GoodReads would need to create some new, strange, status options to explain my reading life.
ReplyDeleteAlana, you're cracking me up with the strange new status options comment :) Thanks for the comment!!
DeleteI am looking forward to using Goodreads in a more effective way - see you there!
ReplyDeleteHA! Effective... What is that, anyway? I don't know... What's the ultimate goal? If it's to sell a book, I'm not really sure how to make that work... Thanks for the comment, Ashley :)
DeleteGoodreads is definitely a must for writers! I'm on it a lot and I wish I had more time to interact with the groups.
ReplyDeleteI do, too, Heather. I like the groups there and I think they're a great idea. I just have such little time and there are SO many groups and threads! I get bogged WAYYYY down. Thanks for popping by! :)
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