More Readers, Authors than Ever Are On Goodreads

Book discovery and recommendation site Goodreads announced on its blog this week that it has grown to 20 million users, up from 10 million less than one year ago. The site, which lets readers review books they’ve read, participate in book discussion and virtual events, and organize shelves of books both new and classic that they plan to read, was bought by Amazon earlier this year, although not much has changed for this site’s day to day operations. While it’s a fairly well-known site for readers to discover great books and connect with authors, what exactly does it have to offer for authors, especially those whose publishing careers are entirely in their own hands? Good e-Reader put out the call to authors to ask them what makes the site such a valuable part of their publishing toolbox. DeLaine Roberts, author of Running to You and the soon to be released sequel, Two Sides of a Heartbeat, told Good e-Reader, “I use GoodReads as a platform to connect with readers. I appreciate the feedback that I receive. While reviews can be difficult to shoulder at times, I find the critique helpful and use them to better my writing.” This honest feedback from literary-minded people is what keeps people continuing to seek out new titles through the site’s interactive platform, but also what keeps authors coming to Goodreads for valuable criticism. In broader terms, authors can discover what readers responded to in terms of books that they themselves felt strongly about. “I use it to see what other people thought of books that I loved,” said author Quanah Edwards, whose most recent erotic romance title, Don’t Judge Me, is available for discussion on the site. “Then, I realized I could promote my books as well.” One of the things that seems to have helped Goodreads grow in popularity is the likemindedness of its users, not so much in terms of literary tastes, but in their drive to further book discovery and foster genuine discussions about books. As one author commented, there seems to be less of the “troll” nature of some reviewers and commenters than can be found on other sites, odd considering Goodreads was at the center of attempting to distance itself from an organized band of trolls who sought out titles to “punishment.” At the time, Goodreads stated that it would not prevent those types of organized book-hate since its administrative involvement could actually have a negative impact on the honest reviews the site is known for. As Christina North, author of When the Heart Lies, stated, “Authors and readers are able to join in some fun conversations about the books they love the most, and it’s the one site where I’ve never encountered being hit on!” While author Alex Kimmell of The Key to Everything pointed out the necessity of Goodreads now that the brick and mortar stores are disappearing at an alarming rate and taking their shelves of discovery with them, James H. Bird succinctly–and rather existentially–stated, “Because it is what is, Goodreads.” More Readers, Authors than Ever Are On Goodreads is a post from: E-Reader News

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