MobileRead Book Challenges discussion
General Chat
>
What words of wisdom would you give to authors on Goodreads?
date
newest »
newest »
- I would have a different profile for writing/reading.- If you don't want to have different profiles (and I can understand why) I would find a safe regular group in my genre...and participate there heavily as a reader only.
- I would not (or very rarely) respond to any reviews, especially negative ones.
- I would NOT write YA (have you seen the Wild Wild West there??? OMG, it stops the heart).
My advice to GR authors:
1) Goodreads is NOT ABOUT YOU. If you scroll down and click on the "About Us" link, the first thing you'll see is:
"Goodreads is the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world."
Most of my following advice is related to #1.
2) Goodreads is a privilege, not a right. If you don't believe me, ask those who have been banned. You can avoid that by...
3) Follow the rules. Not just the Goodreads site rules, but the rules for any group you join. I know some of you have joined way too many groups to count, probably because someone told you it was a good idea, and it may seem like a lot of work to stay on top of what is allowed (or not) in every single group, but ignorance will be no excuse if you break the rules. You don't want to be known as one of "those" authors, do you? Speaking of all those groups...
4) Join groups you actually want to participate in and have something to contribute to. You may think you're subtle, but authors who are just trying to get people to read their book stick out like a sore thumb. Trust me on this. It's okay to let people know you're an author (as long as you do so within the rules), but you don't need to remind them with every post. And if the only reason you're posting is to let people know you're an author, they will notice, and you'll be known as one of "those" authors.
5) Readers don't owe you anything as long as they obtained your book legally. Unless they specifically promised a review in exchange for a free copy, they are not obligated to review it. Believing otherwise, and vocalizing that belief, will not go over well. They certainly don't owe you a good review. If you're not happy with a mediocre or bad review...
6) Think before you act. I rarely write reviews anymore because of authors who crossed the line. I'm not saying you can't contact them at all, but choose your actions carefully. I had a very positive interaction with an author after reviewing his book. He sent me a message asking for constructive criticism and for my thoughts about the sequel he was planning. We had a great conversation and I am now a loyal fan. However, another author decided to argue over a 3-star review. Which brings me to...
7) 3 stars on Goodreads means "I liked it." Not everyone uses it that way, but a lot of people do. But either way, Goodreads is not going to a) change the rating system or b) force people to use it a certain way just because authors are not happy with it. Why? See #1.
8) When you post in one of the official Feedback groups expressing your wish that Goodreads change something to make it better for authors, expect a backlash from readers. I'd say that about 90% of these types of suggestions I've seen would in some way negatively affect readers. They include everything from "ratings enforcement", to requiring reviews with ratings, to wanting to have books completely removed from the database.
9) Just like what you do in real life can end up on the internet, what you do on the internet can end up on Goodreads. What you do out there matters. And for goodness sake, if you have your blog connected to your Goodreads profile, maybe you shouldn't complain about Goodreads users on your blog. Just sayin'.
I think that's more than enough from me. Just for good measure, go back and read #1. It's important, and simply understanding that will help you avoid a lot of problems.
1) Goodreads is NOT ABOUT YOU. If you scroll down and click on the "About Us" link, the first thing you'll see is:
"Goodreads is the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world."
Most of my following advice is related to #1.
2) Goodreads is a privilege, not a right. If you don't believe me, ask those who have been banned. You can avoid that by...
3) Follow the rules. Not just the Goodreads site rules, but the rules for any group you join. I know some of you have joined way too many groups to count, probably because someone told you it was a good idea, and it may seem like a lot of work to stay on top of what is allowed (or not) in every single group, but ignorance will be no excuse if you break the rules. You don't want to be known as one of "those" authors, do you? Speaking of all those groups...
4) Join groups you actually want to participate in and have something to contribute to. You may think you're subtle, but authors who are just trying to get people to read their book stick out like a sore thumb. Trust me on this. It's okay to let people know you're an author (as long as you do so within the rules), but you don't need to remind them with every post. And if the only reason you're posting is to let people know you're an author, they will notice, and you'll be known as one of "those" authors.
5) Readers don't owe you anything as long as they obtained your book legally. Unless they specifically promised a review in exchange for a free copy, they are not obligated to review it. Believing otherwise, and vocalizing that belief, will not go over well. They certainly don't owe you a good review. If you're not happy with a mediocre or bad review...
6) Think before you act. I rarely write reviews anymore because of authors who crossed the line. I'm not saying you can't contact them at all, but choose your actions carefully. I had a very positive interaction with an author after reviewing his book. He sent me a message asking for constructive criticism and for my thoughts about the sequel he was planning. We had a great conversation and I am now a loyal fan. However, another author decided to argue over a 3-star review. Which brings me to...
7) 3 stars on Goodreads means "I liked it." Not everyone uses it that way, but a lot of people do. But either way, Goodreads is not going to a) change the rating system or b) force people to use it a certain way just because authors are not happy with it. Why? See #1.
8) When you post in one of the official Feedback groups expressing your wish that Goodreads change something to make it better for authors, expect a backlash from readers. I'd say that about 90% of these types of suggestions I've seen would in some way negatively affect readers. They include everything from "ratings enforcement", to requiring reviews with ratings, to wanting to have books completely removed from the database.
9) Just like what you do in real life can end up on the internet, what you do on the internet can end up on Goodreads. What you do out there matters. And for goodness sake, if you have your blog connected to your Goodreads profile, maybe you shouldn't complain about Goodreads users on your blog. Just sayin'.
I think that's more than enough from me. Just for good measure, go back and read #1. It's important, and simply understanding that will help you avoid a lot of problems.
1) We're readers.
2) We use Goodreads.
Some of use are also writers. I have not published yet, but I am a writer. However, I use Goodreads only as a reader. In fact, I'm concerned that my "reader identity" will be messed up if I ever publish. I don't mean my GR profile, but rather my use of GR as a reader. Does that make sense?
Anyway, I lurk in the GR Author Feedback group. Sometimes I see posts that I really want to respond to, but I don't think I want to "cross over" from reader to writer that way yet. I still approach things more as a reader than a writer, and I think that will make me a very well-behaved author down the road (if I ever get around to publishing).
We've all seen or heard of authors behaving badly. Sometimes they just don't care, but often it's just because they don't get why it's wrong or they haven't figured out the "rules" yet.
So, that brings me to -
As a reader and a Goodreads user, what advice would you give to authors who are active on Goodreads and trying to navigate the "dos and don'ts" of interacting with their readership in this venue? I'd like to keep it specific to Goodreads, or things that spill over to Goodreads (blog posts linked to their author profile, for example).