# How Not to Use Goodreads Like an Idiot.



## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

HOW TO NOT USE GOODREADS LIKE AN IDIOT (or: How to Grow a Fanbase from Pre-Selected Readers Using the Best Social Network of Dedicated Readers Ever Devised by the Hand of Man.)

Okay. A lot of people have asked me to share my thoughts on using Goodreads the right way (which will also lead to some discussion of using it the wrong way, naturally.) So here's everything I know. Hopefully it's useful.
First, keep in mind that if one thing is universal to all indie authors, it's that nothing is universal. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. There are too many factors that go into readers' choices for anybody ever to quantify into information that is useful to all writers. So there is, of course, no guarantee that this will work for you, any more than free days or blogging or whatever.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START:
--This is a relatively slow process. It's not going to give you an instant list of readers. But if it's a good method for you/your personality/your genre, it is going to give you a list of loyal and enthusiastic readers.
--Goodreads is not for the faint of heart. A large portion of success using this method comes from being both fearless in the face of potentially harsh reviews (and I do mean harsh&#8230;go read the one-star reviews of some of the most popular reviewers on GR if you want to know the meaning of pain) and also from being reasonably objective about the merits of your own writing. If you are not the kind of writer who has a fairly objective sense of your own strengths and weaknesses, and of how you stack up compared to other writers, this is not the method for you. You have to genuinely be able to not care - or better yet, to laugh with real amusement - if you get a review that rips you up one side and down the other, complete with insulting animated .gifs. Because that is what is at stake if you try this and it blows up in your face. But what you have to GAIN if you are careful and select your early readers wisely is the genuine enthusiasm and support of readers/reviewers who have a major influence over large numbers of readers - in some cases, as large as the influence (over readers, not over publishers) as many professional reviewers have who work for magazines and other media.

BE REAL ABOUT WHAT GOODREADS IS
GR is the most active social network dedicated solely to discussing books in the world (or at least in the English-speaking parts of the world.) It is nothing but book discussion, all the time. Consequently, the kinds of readers it attracts are those who are really into reading. It is rare to find casual or occasional readers on GR. Most users are passionate about books and dedicate the majority of their free time to reading and engaging in lively discussions about reading.

It is not a snark site, though the open expression of opinion is protected there. You will see snarky reviews. Really snarky reviews. But not everybody who reviews on GR is a snarkster. But even some of the snarksters you should take a close look at (more on that later.)

A lot of authors, particularly indies, are afraid of GR or otherwise intimidated by it. They see it as a place where people go to rip apart books. That is not a fair interpretation. There are way more glowing reviews of books on GR than there are rip-aparts. But if somebody feels you deserve a ripping apart, they will give it to you. It is a part of the culture of GR. YOU CANNOT CHANGE IT. You must be comfortable playing on a field where forceful sarcasm and thorough critique are a part of the landscape.

WHAT'S YOUR GOAL?
Your goal is to build an appreciative audience that will like you enough to be loyal to you - to buy everything you write, to follow you from genre to genre, and to remain excited about your work and tell their friends to buy it. GR has the potential to turn into one gigantic word-of-mouth machine for you, with a little nurturing and some intelligent utilization of the established communities. Because of the way GR works, when a user likes your book, reviews it, comments on reviews about it, or even thinks about reading it someday, it will be added to their feed for their friends to see (and to discover your book). So with that in mind, you need to be finding people who have large friends lists and piquing their interest in your books. That will maximize your exposure to the largest number of eager readers.

You must manage your expectations. It takes time to build up the kind of loyal following you are looking for. You are not going to sell a gazillion books overnight, or in a week, or in six months. (though you might; you never know.) In order to get the long-term word-of-mouth momentum that GR offers, you need to think long-term. You will start by building reader relationships literally one reader at a time. With time and persistence and the aid of your naturally sparkling personality, the reader list will grow exponentially. But early on, you are going to literally find and target individual readers. This is much less time-consuming and frustrating and scary than it sounds.

USE GOODREADS LIKE A READER

Goodreads is not for writers. Period. Nobody there has any kind of obligation to applaud you because you wrote a book. Nobody has any obligation to like you, to be kind to you or even to be polite to you. This is not a place for authors to come be special because they are authors. It is a place for readers to experience books from the perspective of readers. You are a guest in their territory. You had better remember it, and act like it, because if you don't you will be ruthlessly ostracized. Fair warning.

That being said, you are a reader yourself (hopefully) or you wouldn't be into writing. So put on your reader hat when you're on GR and blend into the crowd.

You need to do these things regularly to start out:
Review books. Get serious about it, and really review them. Write honest, thoughtful reviews. Don't think like an author and don't sympathize with your fellow authors and just give great reviews to everything, because you know how hard it is to write a book (even a bad one) and you know how much it sucks when somebody doesn't like your books. If you don't start out from a place of honest opinion on books, you will never be able to utilize what GR has to offer you as a writer, so use it in true honesty as a reader. Write reviews of books you have loved and also books that disappointed you. You do not need to be harsh with your critical reviews; you can be very tactful in saying that the book wasn't for you. (As an example, here is a review of a book I truly did not care for, but I didn't want to sour the contact I had built with the author who asked me to review it, so I wrote a tactful criticism. link http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/230335442) But you must get your opinions on books out there for others to read.
Join some groups and start participating in discussions. Join active groups with lots of members, that are likely to discuss topics related to what you write. For example, I write historical fiction, and there are lots of historical fiction groups on GR. If you write YA, there are groups for that kind of discussion, and think about other ways your books may tie into the more active groups.

HERE'S WHERE THE FUN COMES IN
Once you have reviewed a lot of books, take another look at the ones you felt most strongly about (loving and hating.) Read the other reviews on those books, paying particular attention to reviewers who shared your opinion. Make a list of readers who seem to have opinions fairly consistent with your own.

When you are familiar with quite a few regular GR users' opinions, have a look at their user pages. Note how active they are on GR. Note whether they seem popular with other users. Are they getting a lot of comments on their reviews? Are they adding friends frequently? Do they seem clever and interesting to you? Do they get lots of positive attention from other users? Narrow your list down to the most popular and/or active users.

Now narrow the list down further by really having a look at what each person reads and reviews favorably the most often. Select a few who seem likely to enjoy your book based on its genre, word count, style, and how it compares objectively to other books this reviewer likes. This is where the need to be objective and honest about your own work comes in. You have to know how your book is better than and worse than some of the biggest books in your genre, and you have to be realistic about this assessment. It will help you determine which readers are most likely to truly enjoy your book.

Once you have a small list of active, popular reviewers who seem likely to love your book, it's time to take the plunge.

ASK FOR A REVIEW

Approach the reviewer privately and ask them for an honest review. By this time, you will have been active enough on GR that it will be obvious that you are serious about using it AS A READER and that you aren't just there to push your book. You will have posts in discussion groups, where you will be contributing to interesting conversation about topis other than your book. (More on that later, too.) You will have lots of reviews, which will all be thoughtful and well articulated, and that fact will make the reviewer see that you are committed to GR and understand what it is about - and what a book review truly is, what an honest assessment of a book's strengths and weaknesses looks like. And because you have selected reviewers who share your opinions on books, you will tell them tacitly, with your own reviews, that you know what they like, and that you have written a book they will probably like (because GR readers aren't dumb; they get that an author who likes X, Y, and Z writer is probably doing their best to write the way X, Y, and Z write.)

Be honest. Tell them that you're an indie and that you're really excited about using GR to find more great books to read, and you came across their reviews and really liked their opinions on A, B, and C books. (And that's true; you did find them via their reviews, and you did like their opinions, and you are excited about using GR to find more books to read, because you love to read.) Tell them that you've written this book, and because they have a pretty sharp eye for a good book, you'd be interested to know what they think of your book. Offer to send them a free review copy if it grabs their interest; and stress that you are looking for AN HONEST REVIEW AND THEIR REAL OPINION OF YOUR BOOK - THEY, AS AN INDIVIDUAL. YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR AN AUTO-FIVE-STAR OR A PAT ON THE BACK. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY THINK OF IT.

And then leave them alone.

If they are interested, they will let you know. Do not follow up with them. Do not pester them. Do not contact them again unless they respond to you first.

BE PROFESSIONAL

When somebody takes you up on the review (and some will; contrary to popular rumor, the vast majority of GR users are very welcoming of indie authors and happy to give their work a fair shake, AS LONG AS THOSE AUTHORS BEHAVE THEMSELVES), be prompt and professional in your response. Provide the free copy you promised and then DO NOT CONTACT THEM AGAIN unless they contact you first. Do not write them to find out if they've started reading it. Do not say anything. Keep on participating in forums and keep on reviewing more books.

When you get a review, be professional about it. If they didn't like it, thank them for the opportunity to put your work in front of them, and for their honesty in sharing their opinion. And mean it. If you aren't the kind of person who can be genuinely grateful for a bad review - or at the very least, genuinely appreciative of the time somebody took out of their day to pay attention to your book, even if it was to diss it, GR is not for you. Because even though if you follow my advice to the letter you SHOULD end up with at the very worst decent reviews, and much more likely good reviews on popular users' feeds, you still run the risk of getting torn apart. User beware. If you cannot rein in your butthurt over a bad review, don't even attempt this. It is not the method for you.

MAKE FRIENDS

Chances are good that approaching readers in such a personal, professional, friendly way will actually endear you to them. Believe me, it's rare for authors on GR to be so professional and honest and pleasant to deal with. Readers will welcome the lovely behavior and the way you seek out real opinions of your work - not just praise. Nurture those friendships, and the friendships you will make by discussing topics that genuinely interest you in the Groups forums.

These are real friendships: you will come to truly like these people, and you will want to interact with them daily, and they you. This is the larval stage of your gigantic word-of-mouth machine: nurture it. Have real, fun conversations with the friends you meet. Let them get to know you. Show interest in them, too. Be real with them. Allow them to be real with you. It pays off later, when they think of you as not just an author whose books they enjoy, but as a real person whom they know well, and whom they want to see succeed.

And you will be surprised how much their support will come to mean to you. One of my readers I met in this way, Lisa, is always, ALWAYS in my mind when I work on a piece of Egyptian fiction. She is extremely knowledgeable about Egyptology and is also a very enthusiastic supporter of my work. Her reviews give much insight into how I'm doing, and when I write, I think, "I want to write a chapter that will just knock Lisa's socks off." That is the kind of relationship you are looking for. Do not be shy about seeking it out and nurturing it. Lisa advocates for me to other readers; she recommends me all the time; she gets excited when I have something new come out. She is my superfan, and she has made other superfans for me with the strength of her own enthusiasm. Your Lisa is somewhere on GR. You need to find your way to her heart, and then stay there.

WHAT NOT TO DO

These behaviors will turn you into a pariah on GR. Any time you contemplate doing one of these things, ask yourself whether it is worth getting an instant bad reputation on the largest community of serious, dedicated readers on the Planet Earth:
--Participating in a forum thread just to mention your book. (There are some exceptions; many forums have special threads just for authors to mention their books. Before you mention your book anywhere, be sure it is in line with that individual group's rules and that you are doing it in the right place.)
--Spewing venom over a bad review (of your book or another person's book), either in the review's comments section, privately to the reviewer, or on your personal feed.
--Getting defensive/trying to justify the choices you made and for which you have just been criticized. (Exceptions would include if the reviewer asks you why you made an unorthodox choice...as I write historical fiction, this question actually comes up a lot, and a professional, polite, non-defensive conversation about authorial choice is often something readers are quite interested in. Let the situation guide you here, but in general, if somebody just says your character is too stupid to live, or something like that, don't defend yourself. Let it go.)
--Approaching people and begging for a review. The method I outlined above is NOT randomly emailing people and begging them to review your book.
--Bringing up your book when it is not apropos. This will vary depending on the rules of the forum you're in - in some rare forums, it is NEVER okay for an author to mention the name of her own books or to link to them, in any circumstances, even if it is totally in line with the topic being discussed and even if another user specifically asks you to do so. Such draconian rules are rare; usually it is just fine to mention your book if it is pertinent to a point in a conversation IN WHICH YOU ARE ALREADY TAKING PART. However, it is NEVER cool to enter a conversation in progress just to name-drop your own book, and then to disappear again. Boo. If you want a chance to mention your book in a related conversation, actually stick around to contribute something to the conversation OTHER than the mention of your own book.
--Spamming. Do not send out mass emails to your friends list about your books, or - I hate it when I see this one happen, and I see it all the d*mn time - do not recommend quotes from your own brilliant writing as something your friends list might find totally deep and meaningful and amazing. Nothing makes you look hackier. Ugh. If people on your friends list are interested in receiving email updates about your work, they will join your private mailing list. Keep that kind of thing off GR.
--Do not review or rate your own book. You wrote it; OF COURSE you think it's amazing. In a hardcore book review environment like GR, at best it looks silly and naïve to review or rate your own book; at worst it looks like you are trying to trick readers into thinking somebody else thought it was wonderful, but you think they're too stupid to notice that it was you all along. This maneuver will endear you to exactly zero readers. 
--Basically, do not use GR for overt promotion in any way, except in threads which are specifically dedicated to such.

IT WORKS.

I used the method I described above to launch my first novel, The Sekhmet Bed, on a raft of good reviews from influential readers. It worked great for me; thanks entirely to my activity on Goodreads (I did literally nothing else to promote that book) The Sekhmet Bed stayed in the Top 100 lists for almost three straight months, including in the very competitive Historical Fiction category, and earned me a crap-ton of money last summer. That was 100% from doing what I outlined in detail above. It took some time and some effort to get there, but GR is fun if you use it like a reader and not like an author - so the work I put in there felt like play, not like work.

After my experience with how well it can find your superfans for you, I have a hard time justifying any other effort. GR is just too effective if you use it wisely.

This doesn't take a lot of time, either. When I launched TSB I spent about an hour a day on GR, just hanging out and chatting about books. Now I spend about 20 minutes a day; I have no doubt that if I were to step back up to one hour I would see my sales increase. (But due to lots of overtime at my day job I'm not able to at the moment, and not willing to sacrifice more of my already sparse writing time.)

So there it is, folks. Go forth and use Goodreads! Just don't be a jerk author and you'll be fine.


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## ElisaBlaisdell (Jun 3, 2012)

Thank you so much! There's so much to mull over that it's almost scary.


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## Jerri Kay Lincoln (Jun 18, 2011)

Thank you so much for this!


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## Vera Nazarian (Jul 1, 2011)

That's an excellent advice post, thanks, El!


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## Stephen T. Harper (Dec 20, 2010)

Ah ha… as promised in an earlier thread.  Well done!  Thanks very much for this.


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

Thank you so much for taking the time to share that info.  

I've always been afraid of Goodreads.  I did get one of those harsh reviews and it was as mean as could be, accusing me of some awful things. Broke my heart.

If I ever gut up, I may try it again.  With your wonderful instructions, I'm sure it can be a good experience for many.


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## H. S. St. Ours (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks so much for this post. I love Goodreads and have found some great groups there and discovered some terrific reads. Even the moderators are friendly and helpful (JUST LIKE ON KBOARDS!! he says hastily). I've been invited to submit giveaways and gotten some great and, yes, tough reviews, too. But you are so right: it's a warm and welcoming community for the non-jerk.


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks with sugar on it! Goodreads has always baffled me. 

Amazingly generous of you to put together such a great post.


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## Duane Gundrum (Apr 5, 2011)

I've been on GR for a long time now, and mostly reviewing others' books. I've never actually thought of approaching anyone and asking for a review. I might rethink that, but that's just one thing I've never done there.


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## Jason Blacker (May 20, 2011)

Thanks for sharing. I love it.


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## Sarah M (Apr 6, 2013)

That is an excellent and comprehensive post. Thank you.


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## LectorsBooks (Apr 30, 2013)

ElHawk said:


> Just don't be a jerk author and you'll be fine.


I nearly spewed tea on the baby's head.


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## Guest (May 10, 2013)

Amazing post, El. Wonderful guide and strategy - I will definitely move towards using this


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## kurzon (Feb 26, 2011)

I really enjoy using Goodreads. I like keeping track of what I've read, and I've now scanned almost all of my physical books so I know what I have on my shelves. I can also review books there without rating them, which works best for me in the reviewing stakes.

Goodreads is not without issues (with any group of people there is kvetching) but if you use it as a reader, the benefits to you as a writer seem to accrue naturally. As people discover my books, they friend or follow me, and they sometimes 'like' and thus share my status update, so by doing very little indeed I end up with people broadcasting positive things about me to their expanded social networks.

I started amusing myself doing status update comments while drafting a new novel, and what started as a fun record for me turned into a unique way to build interest among my followers (and potentially their followers) (see http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/261147891 ).


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## Catana (Mar 27, 2012)

Great post. I've never asked for a review and probably never will, but that's just me. I'd like to add a couple of notes. First, if someone trashes you because you wrote something they didn't like, and they do a wholesale one-star of your books, you _can_ get their reviews and ratings removed. If they bring in a bunch of friends, or open sockpuppet accounts to add to it, those accounts will be closed and their reviews and ratings will be removed. Second, besides the self-promotion threads in some groups, you can maintain a blog on GR and do some promotion there. But it's still best to be discreet and don't overdo the promotional posts.

My experience is that writing interesting reviews is a good way to get noticed.


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## Nick Endi Webb (Mar 25, 2012)

Could you elaborate on this statement:



ElHawk said:


> I used the method I described above to launch my first novel, The Sekhmet Bed, on a raft of good reviews from influential readers.


Did you do all this in preparation for the book's launch, or immediately after? If before, did you just send out arcs?

Great post. I think this one goes in my bookmarks.


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

Fantastic summary on how to act and conduct yourself on GoodReads!
I'm way too shy to try the methods above, but I do know what you mean about people on GR who have a similar taste to you in books. I hope this doesn't sound egocentric (   ) but if a reviewer gives me a great, insightful review on my book, I'll often find I like her taste in books. I so often find myself nodding along and enjoying his/her other reviews on books I've liked in the past - and also find books I want to read!

I'll add what I did when I first started out - I found a group of YA readers and contacted the moderators and asked if they would like arcs (physical copies) of my book. They all did, and it went from there. They did a group read and some went on to recommend my book and cross-post their reviews.
It wasn't a strategy though - I was just in the process of stumbling around and working out Goodreads.  

But I do think a group read is a great thing for your book and I might see if i can organise a few in the future, if I can ever work up the courage to approach a mod with my book again.
Having set my first book permanently free has been both positive and negative - you get ripped apart in reviews when you go free, but on the other hand, your reach grows so much. I even have a GR reader group that is going to do a group read on my book soon (will be watching on while chewing my fingernails to the skin...)


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## penrefe (Nov 30, 2011)

Excellent advice, thanks for taking the time to write it!

I actually like Goodreads--most of my reviews are there. I'll be looking at this method going forward.

Thanks again!


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## MeiLinMiranda (Feb 17, 2011)

Thanks for this!


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## Guest (May 10, 2013)

Interesting post.  Thanks for sharing.  I'm wondering, though, what is the general reaction to authors friending people who gave them a good review, or responding to positive reviews?  On Amazon, that tends to creep people out, and I imagine it would on Goodreads as well.  Then again, I've received some really amazing glowing reviews there, and I would like to reach out and say thank you in some way ... not sure how to do it without opening the possibility of being seen as a creeper (sssssssSSSSSS...).


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## penrefe (Nov 30, 2011)

Joe Vasicek said:


> not sure how to do it without opening the possibility of being seen as a creeper (sssssssSSSSSS...).


"That sure is a nice book you have there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it."

I'm also curious about this. I do want to make genuine connections over there (currently many of my "friends" are actually the authors who do all the things wrong, the spam invites in particular, which drive me batty), but I wouldn't want people weirded out!


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

Joe Vasicek said:


> ... not sure how to do it without opening the possibility of being seen as a creeper (sssssssSSSSSS...).


Love the MC reference


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## Aya Ling (Nov 21, 2012)

Thanks for sharing! I don't think I'd be able to reach out as much as you, but I had some great discussions with the groups I've joined, there are some readers so well-read that it's a joy to learn from them. I also enjoy seeing what others read and keep my to-read list ever-growing. I think when I have more books out, I'll definitely want to implement some of your advice. And btw, I read _The Sekhmet Bed_ and loved it


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

Thank you for this wonderful and informative post!


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## DuncanMH (Apr 24, 2013)

Great post! Thanks for sharing it El.


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## 54706 (Dec 19, 2011)

I'm only part way into the post and I'm already fascinated.  Bookmarking for sure.  Thanks for the very helpful post!!


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## 54706 (Dec 19, 2011)

Joe Vasicek said:


> Interesting post. Thanks for sharing. I'm wondering, though, what is the general reaction to authors friending people who gave them a good review, or responding to positive reviews? *On Amazon, that tends to creep people out,* and I imagine it would on Goodreads as well. Then again, I've received some really amazing glowing reviews there, and I would like to reach out and say thank you in some way ... not sure how to do it without opening the possibility of being seen as a creeper (sssssssSSSSSS...).


Myth debunked. See my book reviews on Amazon.


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## Kitty French (Dec 3, 2012)

Fab post, thank you El! 
I also use the goodreads blog function on there and have found it helpful. People have passed on info about release dates and such from my blog posts to the general forums at large, which has been a great way to get the word out.


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## Zelah Meyer (Jun 15, 2011)

Some very good advice there.  Especially about the attitude.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

Catana said:


> Great post. I've never asked for a review and probably never will, but that's just me. I'd like to add a couple of notes. First, if someone trashes you because you wrote something they didn't like, and they do a wholesale one-star of your books, you _can_ get their reviews and ratings removed.


But you _shouldn't_.

As I pointed out in my huge post, Goodreads is not for authors. It is for readers. You must respect their territory. That means you allow them to share their honest opinion of their work without getting defensive. If they don't like your book and give it one star, who cares? It's one reader. Neither Shakespeare nor Vladimir Nabokov nor J. K. Rowling nor Stephen King nor Harper Lee managed to write a book that was universally loved (or even tolerated) by everybody who read it. Are you a better writer than they? You can't pull that off, either. You will get one-star reviews. Some people who read your books will _effing hate them._ Let them. And let them feel safe to express that on Goodreads. By having negative reviews removed, you are only adding to the hostility Goodreads sometimes has toward authors. It is THEIR stomping ground, and if you try to make it yours, they will resent you and other authors, too. If you can't take a one-star review, stay away from GR.



> If they bring in a bunch of friends, or open sockpuppet accounts to add to it, those accounts will be closed and their reviews and ratings will be removed.


This virtually never happens on GR, and when it does, it usually happens to authors who spam their book all over the place, who complain about perfectly legitimate negative reviews, or who otherwise disrespect readers. But if it happens, yes, the GR admins will take care of it for you. However, I think it's better to leave such reviews in place. GR is pretty good at self-policing, and if people do that to you, other readers will quickly see that they're fake reviews made by a vindictive idiot, and they will not pay attention.

It's not having a high overall rating on GR that wins you readers. most people who use it are plenty smart enough to realize that many good books get bad reviews, and that the idea of a "good book" is largely subjective. What wins you readers on GR is being an active and sincere part of the community, and being a likeable and respectful/respectable person. In short, not being a jerk.



> Second, besides the self-promotion threads in some groups, you can maintain a blog on GR and do some promotion there. But it's still best to be discreet and don't overdo the promotional posts.


You can actually link your existing blog to your GR author feed so your regular blog updates will appear on GR. It is a nice way to stay in touch with readers.



> My experience is that writing interesting reviews is a good way to get noticed.


Yes. As the Earl of Chesterfield admonished his son: take the one of he company you are in. If you want to become a part of GR effectively, look at the way they review books there. Utilize entertaining images if you like them and write your reviews in an engaging style, but be honest and be thorough. Don't just do one of those lame drive-by "It was a good book I liked it a lot awesome characters lol" reviews.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

Endi Webb said:


> Could you elaborate on this statement:
> 
> Did you do all this in preparation for the book's launch, or immediately after? If before, did you just send out arcs?
> 
> Great post. I think this one goes in my bookmarks.


I did it immediately after, because I knew it might take some weeks for reviewers to get around to my book, and I didn't want to leave it unavailable in the meantime.



Joe Vasicek said:


> Interesting post. Thanks for sharing. I'm wondering, though, what is the general reaction to authors friending people who gave them a good review, or responding to positive reviews? On Amazon, that tends to creep people out, and I imagine it would on Goodreads as well. Then again, I've received some really amazing glowing reviews there, and I would like to reach out and say thank you in some way ... not sure how to do it without opening the possibility of being seen as a creeper (sssssssSSSSSS...).


I should have specified this in my bigger post, but yes, friend people who seem to really love your books. This way your activity on GR will appear in their feed (and vice-versa) and you will become a more real person to them. In my experience, nobody has been weirded out by friend requests following a good review. If you are doing what I recommended, you've already set the tone for yourself and proven that you are not going to be staggering around GR shrieking about your book, and that you are just as much a dedicated and engaged reader as they, so I have never encountered an issue. Responding to reviews: I still typically do that privately, and keep it brief and professional ("I just wanted to send you a quick note to say thanks for the thorough review -- I loved your insights and am glad you enjoyed reading my book", etc.) Unless there is a direct question to you raised in the review, and then you can answer professionally in the comments section, but only address that point and don't get defensive or whiny.



penrefe said:


> currently many of my "friends" are actually the authors who do all the things wrong, the spam invites in particular, which drive me batty), but I wouldn't want people weirded out!


Unfriend them immediately. By not encouraging inappropriate behavior on GR, you will be helping to set the stage for everybody's success, and you will also prove to the READERS there that you're in it for the same thing they are. Plus, those spammy authors just cheese me off. I can't stand that crap.



Aya Ling said:


> And btw, I read _The Sekhmet Bed_ and loved it


Thanks! Very glad you liked it. I spent all night last night writing Mutnofret's ultimate fate for Sovereign of Stars (Book 3.) Sigh...she was always my favorite character.


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## Guest (May 10, 2013)

ElHawk said:


> I did it immediately before, because I knew it might take some weeks for reviewers to get around to my book, and I didn't want to leave it unavailable in the meantime.


Hi ElHawk, thanks for a great instructional post. I've been thinking a lot about Goodreads lately and this is very helpful. One question: did you find that many of those you sent review copies to were happy with ebooks, or did most want print?


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## Catana (Mar 27, 2012)

@ElHawk. In my comment about having sock puppets and one-star ratings removed, I wasn't speaking about ordinary reviewers. Maybe you're unaware that writers have been attacked in an organized way for their review of another writer. The reaction can be from the downrated writer or their supporters, but it _does_ happen, and GR _does_ forbid it. It's usually quite obvious that many of the attackers have signed on just for that purpose (they're brand-new on GR and have no books in their library, or other reviews. It's also obvious that the attackers haven't even read the book or books they're trashing. This kind of revenge rating has been the subject of discussion before, and is the reason that many writers won't do reviews at all, fearing this kind of trashing.

Finally, I'm both a writer and a reader. I have as much right as anyone to review books as long as I do it fairly.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

ColinFBarnes said:


> Hi ElHawk, thanks for a great instructional post. I've been thinking a lot about Goodreads lately and this is very helpful. One question: did you find that many of those you sent review copies to were happy with ebooks, or did most want print?


I fixed my reply to say immediately AFTER, not before. But I think either way it would be just fine, as long as you made your book available ASAP and didn't wait for reviews to come in.

Most of them wanted ebooks, but a few preferred print, so be prepared to ship paperback copies if they are requested.


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## ChristopherDavidPetersen (Mar 24, 2011)

ElHawk said:


> "A large portion of success using this method comes from being both fearless in the face of potentially harsh reviews (and I do mean harsh&#8230;go read the one-star reviews of some of the most popular reviewers on GR if you want to know the meaning of pain)"


I don't have that kind of tolerance for pain and abuse. It's one of the reasons I don't use Goodreads anymore (I haven't even uploaded my latest book because of it). The straw that broke the camel back for me was when I received a 1-star review (no reason why) from an individual that bragged that he gave everyone low ratings (I read this in his bio). When I reported this to Goodreads, they simply said it was his right to do so. That didn't set well with me at all. I can take 1-star reviews if they are deserved, but drive-by 1-starring is just an unacceptable practice.


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## Guest (May 10, 2013)

ElHawk said:


> I fixed my reply to say immediately AFTER, not before. But I think either way it would be just fine, as long as you made your book available ASAP and didn't wait for reviews to come in.
> 
> Most of them wanted ebooks, but a few preferred print, so be prepared to ship paperback copies if they are requested.


Thank you, that's very helpful.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

Catana said:


> @ElHawk. In my comment about having sock puppets and one-star ratings removed, I wasn't speaking about ordinary reviewers. Maybe you're unaware that writers have been attacked in an organized way for their review of another writer. The reaction can be from the downrated writer or their supporters, but it _does_ happen, and GR _does_ forbid it. It's usually quite obvious that many of the attackers have signed on just for that purpose (they're brand-new on GR and have no books in their library, or other reviews. It's also obvious that the attackers haven't even read the book or books they're trashing. This kind of revenge rating has been the subject of discussion before, and is the reason that many writers won't do reviews at all, fearing this kind of trashing.


Yes, by all means if they are doing something that is expressly against the rules, report it to the admins. For sure.

I am aware that GR users sometimes post fake negative reviews, either because they didn't like a certain book or for other perceived social sleights that are not against any rules, such as adding one's own book to an existing Listopia list. In fact, I have a few one-star reviews on my books from fake accounts which I am certain have never read my books and do not know whether they love them or hate them; they were just trying to punish me for some reason.

I left those ratings in place. I am not afraid of one-star reviews, and leaving them there and ignoring them only takes the wind out of those idiots' sails and makes them look more foolish and me cooler than a cucumber. But you gotta do whatever feels right in that kind of situation. Me, I like to err on the side of readers' comfort and make the clear statement that any opinion of my books is welcome.



> Finally, I'm both a writer and a reader. I have as much right as anyone to review books as long as I do it fairly.


That was the point of my entire post. You are both a writer and a reader. If you want to maximize Goodreads' usefulness to your business, you will approach it as 98% reader, 2% writer, and leave any writerly defensiveness or hurt feelings at the login page. Readers rule there. Become a part of that landscape and it will work for you.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

ChristopherDavidPetersen said:


> I don't have that kind of tolerance for pain and abuse. It's one of the reasons I don't use Goodreads anymore (I haven't even uploaded my latest book because of it). The straw that broke the camel back for me was when I received a 1-star review (no reason why) from an individual that bragged that he gave everyone low ratings (I read this in his bio). When I reported this to Goodreads, they simply said it was his right to do so. That didn't set well with me at all. I can take 1-star reviews if they are deserved, but drive-by 1-starring is just an unacceptable practice.


If you allow one idiot's idiocy to dictate whether you continue to upload books, then he wins. Do you want a person like that to win?

I have drive-by one-starring on my books. Here's my attitude about one-star reviews, whether the person read my book or not:










Being a writer is not for the faint of heart, because as has been said many times before, nobody owes you love just because you wrote a book.


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## ChristopherDavidPetersen (Mar 24, 2011)

ElHawk said:


> If you allow one idiot's idiocy to dictate whether you continue to upload books, then he wins. Do you want a person like that to win?


I don't necessarily think it's as much about the person as it is the company. If Goodreads policy is too knowingly allow this kind of behavior to exist, I think I'd prefer to do business elsewhere. I have a really good job, so I don't need the money from Goodreads that bad. Now if I were penniless and starving, I would probably lower my standards and accept their offensive policy.

BTW, I'm coming off negatively. I'd just like to say that I do like your post. If I didn't like the company (Goodreads), I'd probably be all over your ideas


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## Ben Mathew (Jan 27, 2013)

Thanks for the useful post.

I'm on Goodreads, but I won't ever be as active on it as you are. I list the books I'm currently reading, and I've rated some books. I use it as a reader, but I don't engage with it that much and don't see myself doing much more.

Do you think it's still advisable for me to contact people who seem to have similar tastes as mine (because they've left good reviews for books I like and/or bad reviews for books I dislike), and offer them a no-obligation review copy of my book?


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

Again, I only spend about 20 minutes a day on GR.  So it's really not a large time commitment, and I find that it's a very useful investment of my time to stay in touch with such active and enthusiastic readers.  (In finance terms, I am getting a massive return on my investment for spending less than half an hour there.  Much of my current sales come from the presence I've formed on GR, and all of my early sales came from my presence on GR.)

I am of the opinion that it's always smart to approach readers who might like your books directly and honestly, no matter what.  As indies we don't have displays in bookstores to reach readers.  We have to do it one on one, and the smarter and more focused you can be in your approach to readers (i.e. weeding out the ones who aren't likely to like your book, targeting the ones who are), the better return on your investment (of time -- and time is money) you will see.


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## Adam Pepper (May 28, 2011)

Great tips.  Thanks El!

I love Good Reads and have had a lot of success there.  Not everyone has loved my books, but just about everyone has been fair and honest.  I've made some fans and met a lot of passionate readers.


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## Robena (Jan 19, 2013)

ElHawk said:


> HOW TO NOT USE GOODREADS LIKE AN IDIOT (or: How to Grow a Fanbase from Pre-Selected Readers Using the Best Social Network of Dedicated Readers Ever Devised by the Hand of Man.)
> 
> Okay. A lot of people have asked me to share my thoughts on using Goodreads the right way (which will also lead to some discussion of using it the wrong way, naturally.) So here's everything I know.
> 
> Thank you so much for this thoughtful (and generous) post. GR's has confused me and I'm going slow in learning how it works, but this week I did try my first ad and a giveaway. I've been impressed with the results, maybe they'd be modest for some of you but I'm essentially unknown. : )


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## Adam Pepper (May 28, 2011)

I agree that you need a pretty thick skin.  They can be a blunt bunch.  I participated in a Book Club giveaway with an Urban Fantasy group and they hated me!  Almost universally.  Maybe the audience wasn't quite right for my book. But the one and two stars came flying relentlessly!  It stung a bit but I really dont think a single review was malicious or mean spirited.  So, you roll with the punches. It happens.


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## jdrew (Jul 27, 2012)

I wonder how I missed this.  Too much information to digest all at once so I'll be returning to this thread. I am on Goodreads and so far I haven't really done much even though several people have suggested spending time there.  
Thanks all for the discussion.


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## burke_KB (Jan 28, 2013)

This is an amazing thread, and I wanted to thank you for the information. I had a question about the account you use. 

Do you setup a personal account or use a proxy account for a business? For example, I have a personal facebook page for friends and family, and then a business page for my other stuff. What would be better on Goodreads and how do you link your books to your personal account?


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## ed_marrow (Jan 17, 2011)

And....Bookmarked. I'm in a load of groups, but most are small. I have to hit some bigger ones. Great advice, thanks.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

Adam Pepper said:


> I agree that you need a pretty thick skin. They can be a blunt bunch. I participated in a Book Club giveaway with an Urban Fantasy group and they hated me! Almost universally. Maybe the audience wasn't quite right for my book. But the one and two stars came flying relentlessly! It stung a bit but I really dont think a single review was malicious or mean spirited. So, you roll with the punches. It happens.


For the most part, they are not mean people. They're not there to hurt anybody. They are the most intense book nerds on the planet, though (and I use "nerd" affectionately) -- they are REALLY into books, and they take reviewing seriously.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

burke_KB said:


> This is an amazing thread, and I wanted to thank you for the information. I had a question about the account you use.
> 
> Do you setup a personal account or use a proxy account for a business? For example, I have a personal facebook page for friends and family, and then a business page for my other stuff. What would be better on Goodreads and how do you link your books to your personal account?


There's a FAQ somewhere on GR on how to link your books to your account, and if you need help you can always ask the admins. They're great.

I use an account under my author name. I do ALL of my GR activity under my more popular pen name (L. M. Ironside), although I do have an account for my other pen name, too. I just never use it (almost never.) Do all your reviews, all your participation, with your author name. But treat Goodreads like you are just a reader.


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## ToniD (May 3, 2011)

Thanks El--very wise.

As for friending reviewers: a few (who gave me good reviews) friended me and I happily reciprocated. Hadn't thought about making the first move.


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## David Thayer (Sep 7, 2012)

El, thanks for the Goodreads primer. A few weeks ago I gained author status over there although I'm not sure how or why that happened. Now I have a cool dashboard and a handful of reviews and 2 fans (!). I'm not sure where they materialized from either.

I do belong to some groups and have recommended crime fiction titles here and there. Have you ever tried advertising on GR?

David


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

I have not yet tried buying an ad on GR.  I find it plenty lucrative to just put in a small amount of time there daily, and I've heard from other authors that ads didn't get them a good return on the investment, so I'm not likely to do it.  (Bookbub is a different story.  That, I am considering buying an ad on.)  But if paid advertising works for you, then it works for you.  If you have the financial wiggle room to try it, you should.

As for how you got set up as an author, probably one of the people who is listed as your fan is a "Librarian" on GR.  (Anybody can be.)  Librarians can do things like edit book info and link books to authors' accounts.  They probably really liked your book and got you all set up on GR because they wanted to see you succeed there.  You're doing something right!


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## Glenn Wood (May 7, 2013)

Great Stuff - I did do a review of my own kids book on Goodreads but I admitted I wrote it and was biased, hopefully using a bit of humour - I should probably remove it though eh - the other reviews are all good so I don't really need it.  

However what I did want to ask was if I am allowed to mention or link to the book I have for sale on Kindle (my other books have been traditionally published).  I know I'm not allowed to sell it on Goodreads but can I link to it?

Thanks

Glenn Wood


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## MQ (Jan 5, 2011)

Wow, this is amazing stuff.  It is so comprehensive.  I had to read it a couple of times to digest it   

Thanks, ElHawk!


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## Nick Endi Webb (Mar 25, 2012)

Hey El, just read this a second time. One more question (and I'd love other's opinions as well)--

You mention that you friend people who have left good reviews on your books. What about friending people who have only added your book to their "to-read" shelf. Is that too creepy? And I'm not talking about a mass friending of every single person, but more targeted, like you described before (yet with no prior interaction with them). I see some people who have added my book to their to-read shelf that I'd like to interact with since we seem to share similar interests in books. It'd feel weird to me commenting on strangers' reviews and such, without having explicitly friended them first, but as I said, that could be creepy. Or not--my creepiness-meter needs calibration.

Thoughts?


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## jdrew (Jul 27, 2012)

El and all,
The friends thing has me wondering too.  I'm not sure just who should you "friend" who not to and how to tell the difference.  I guess my creepiness-meter needs some calibration as well and so I'd like to hear good and bad experiences with the whole friend thing.


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## kellymcclymer (Apr 22, 2010)

I friend anyone who has more than 0 books listed. Why not? I would unfriend someone who sent me creepy emails, but otherwise, Goodreads is all about the books, right? I'm a reader first, and I hope I'm always a reader first.


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## lukemallory (May 13, 2013)

Great post - was wondering about Goodreads  

Now all I have to do is work out how to increase the number of hours in the day from 24 to 30.   I'll let you know how I get on..!


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## Nathalie Hamidi (Jul 9, 2011)

Thanks for that insightful post! I linked to it on my curation topic on Scoop.it! 
http://www.scoop.it/t/indie-writing


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## AmsterdamAssassin (Oct 21, 2011)

Wonderful, informative post. Thank you.

Instead of looking for people to review my books, I offered Reprobate through Read It & Reap. The moderators of that group received a mobi and an epub copy of the book, and offered X copies to the members of the group, who have three weeks to read and review the book. The offering is in a 'forum thread' form, so group members can react that they want to read the book, and later post a message that they reviewed and where the review can be found. I thanked them in that thread and asked if reviewers would also post the reviews on retail sites like Amazon, B&N, Kobo and iTunes, to help me gain more exposure for my books, and the reviewers were happy to help me out by doing so. If you check the recent reviews on Amazon, you'll find reviews that mention the reviewers receiving a copy of Reprobate in return for their honest review.

I also gave an author interview prior to the offering, which one of the moderators linked to in the RI&R offering.

So, if you're wary of approaching reviewers yourself, you might want to try groups like RI&R to offer your book to their group members.


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## LanelleH (Jul 4, 2013)

Find this through another recent post, super helpful read.  Thanks! <3


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## B.A. Spangler (Jan 25, 2012)

Good Stuff - bookmarked this thread.


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## Dee Ernst (Jan 10, 2011)

Great info.  I've always found readers there to be very welcoming, although they are a very tough group of reviewers over there.  Both of my ratings there are lower than they are on Amazon, but they're very honest.


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## LeonardDHilleyII (May 23, 2011)

Excellent points.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Great, ElHawk!

Just want to point out (other than in the forum specifics), the same guidelines work here on KBoards when venturing outside the Writers' Café.  There is a whole world out there....


Betsy


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## Andrew Ashling (Nov 15, 2010)

Awesome. Your post gave me a lot to think about.

I must admit I limit myself for the moment to having a mere presence on GR. I've organized my author's page. I announce when I have new blog post (which are very rare) with a link to my own website. And of course when I have a new release.

I don't know whether your method would work for me. I guess it's a question of personality, but I'm frequently put off by the tone of some reviews and posts in threads.

I used to be a voracious reader. Not so much anymore since I started writing. These days I mostly read for research. I write Epic Fantasy (and I have plans for a bona fide Historical Novel), but I'm currently reading _The Beginnings of Rome: Italy from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars, Ca 1,000-264 BC _ by Tim J. Cornell. Since it's not fiction I will review it. I can't for the life of me figure out how that review is going to benefit me as a writer.

I'm most active in the _Richard III_ group. A lot of activity when they discovered his remains under a parking lot, and now with the BBC-series _The White Queen_ (which we all hate, though the books by Philippa Gregory are hugely successful). I can see no link with my books, and frankly, promoting my books is the last thing on my mind in that group. There I'm 100% reader - 0% writer.

I will read your OP a few times again and let it all sink in, but chances are that GR and me as a writer are not a good match.


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## Brian Olsen (Jan 13, 2013)

Fantastic post! I've used Goodreads for a few years just as a means of inventorying my own library, with the occasional review. I haven't explored the forums much, yet, but I'm looking forward to starting. I didn't even know they were so active.


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## johnlmonk (Jul 24, 2013)

This is great, thank you


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## Austin_Briggs (Aug 21, 2011)

Great post! I support everything you said. I used GR actively in 2011/12, and my book sales were strong. Then I dropped my participation there, to diminishing sales. It’s actually quite amazing. 

I also agree with you on the reviews. I made a ton of good friends via GR who supported me in tough situations. Also met some authors in my genre who don’t hang out here on KB. At times, when known tough reviewers were reading my book, I couldn’t sleep... but the results were worth it.


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## ElHawk (Aug 13, 2012)

I'm glad the post is still useful!

This past year I haven't been around there much, because I've been so focused on our upcoming wedding, have been trying to get two books out in the calendar year, and have juggled all that with a demanding day job.  So I've had to cut back somewhere for the sake of time management, and GR was one of those cutbacks.  I'm really looking forward to re-joining the community next year when I'm writing full-time.  You won't find such a concentration of dedicated readers anywhere else, and plus, it's pretty fun if you're in the right discussion groups!


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## Katherine Roberts (Apr 4, 2013)

Thank you, ElHawk - and thanks to whoever bumped this thread (I missed it the first time round).

I've recently discovered "Goodreads for Authors" by Michelle Campbell-Scott, which encouraged me to sign up and do some work on my author page - haven't really done much more than dip my toe into the water, though!

El has probably already said a lot of what the book covers, but here's the link in case anyone is interested:

http://www.amazon.com/Goodreads-Authors-Michelle-Campbell-Scott/dp/1482689960


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## thesmallprint (May 25, 2012)

ElHawk, you could probably have written a couple of chapters or more of your WIP instead of taking the time to write that. It's a really generous, selfless gesture, and very much appreciated. Thank you.

Joe


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## Justawriter (Jul 24, 2012)

Thank you for such a great post.


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Really great post! So glad I got the chance to read it!

M.W


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## Soothesayer (Oct 19, 2012)

Interesting that you mention "being professional", but most professional writers do not read nor care about reviews, as it should be. Obsessing over reviews is a surefire way to shoot one's career in the head before it even gets off the ground.


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## Cy V (Apr 10, 2013)

Excellent information! Thanks for posting this!


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## William Stacey (Jul 7, 2012)

That was very useful; thanks for putting it out. I hope the universe sends you good things as a result.

I've been looking into GR, but was almost scared off by all the posts of people trying to sell their books. I didn't want to add my voice to that clamor, but now I understand how it can work just a bit better.

Thanks again.


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## DCBourone (Sep 10, 2012)

Beautiful and generous post.

Have met some sterling readers on Goodreads.

Despite the digital distance, a few I truly consider friends.

Long ago....actually, less than a year, a heartfelt post 
from a Goodreads reader on an influential blog resulted
in seventy sales in about seven hours.

Digital karma.

The experiment continues....


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## Ian Marks (Jan 22, 2012)

What a great post! I'll be adding it to my "big binder of smart book-writin' stuff." Thanks so much.


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## jdrew (Jul 27, 2012)

Katherine Roberts said:


> Thank you, ElHawk - and thanks to whoever bumped this thread (I missed it the first time round).
> 
> I've recently discovered "Goodreads for Authors" by Michelle Campbell-Scott, which encouraged me to sign up and do some work on my author page - haven't really done much more than dip my toe into the water, though!
> 
> ...


Katherine - Thanks for the link to the Goodreads how to book. I read the ad and think it might be worth buying. Has anyone else read this book?
I have only recently done anything on Goodreads except join a few groups that I have an interest in, read some of the books that came up for discussion and got myself listed as a "Goodreads Author" which allowed me to try a giveaway. Since the giveaway doesn't wrap up for a couple of weeks yet, I'm not sure how it will work. I'm just experimenting and maybe this book would help me avoid bad trials.


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## Aducknamedjoe (Apr 25, 2013)

El this is awesome, thank you!

Any thoughts on adding your own books to lists (e.g. "Top Egyptian Historical novels" or something)?


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## Mark Dawson (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks El - great post.

Any thoughts on Goodreads ads?

Mark


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

Thanks for posting about this, ElHawk. It's the best piece of advice I've read about how to use Goodreads.


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## Pearson Moore (Mar 14, 2011)

Useful! Thank you for posting this.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Bumping this thread because ElHawk's advice in the OP is golden and it has been a long time since we had a Goodreads discussion on KBoards. Lots of new members haven't seen this and should.


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## KL_Phelps (Nov 7, 2013)

must admit I have no clue how to use GR as a writer, so I just use it as a reader ... and even that I find somewhat confusing, lol. I do enjoy keeping track of what I'm reading/have read and it's always nice to be able to discuss books with others who enjoy similar genres.


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## gmaz135 (Oct 20, 2016)

Great post! Plenty of wisdom there.


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## AltMe (May 18, 2015)

I've not read the thread so far.



ElHawk said:


> You need to do these things regularly to start out:
> Review books. Get serious about it, and really review them.


And I hit a wall right there.

I learned the hard way right from the word go, that reviewing other books is a sure way of getting your own trashed. So is discussing key genre issues. Those who dont like what you write, find your first in series, and trash it.

I stopped reviewing anything shortly after I started considering myself a full time writer.

I do put stars on what I read periodically, but I make a point of not adding stars to anything I didn't like.

So what do you do if you DON'T review? Since this is step one, basically you're stuffed.

I have about 30 followers on GR. My last blog post was read by 4 people. In comparison, I have over 300 likes on my FB page, and a third of them are active in my group. FB doesn't show my posts to all of them, but it still leaves GR as a non-event.

As far as I can determine, my active fans, dont use GR at all. And only a small percentage of my reviews on Amazon also show up on GR.

What we as authors/writers need, is a way into GR which doesn't put us at risk. Reviews and discussing in groups is too dangerous.


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## BellaJames (Sep 8, 2016)

> --Do not review or rate your own book. You wrote it; OF COURSE you think it's amazing. In a hardcore book review environment like GR, at best it looks silly and na�ve to review or rate your own book; at worst it looks like you are trying to trick readers into thinking somebody else thought it was wonderful, but you think they're too stupid to notice that it was you all along. This maneuver will endear you to exactly zero readers.


I still see authors doing this all the time. They are not adding more information about their book, they are giving themselves a 5 star rating and saying what they liked about their own book. I found this so weird when I first saw a debut author doing it. One author does this for each of their books.

Thank you Cherise for bumping this thread because I see authors talking about the harshness of Goodreads all the time.


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## AltMe (May 18, 2015)

The thing I want to know about Goodreads is: how do you get your books discussed, when you cant start it yourself, and none of your few followers are starting it, or even mentioning your books anywhere?

Its a typical closed loop. You cant get in, unless someone opens the door for you, but no-one will because your outside, and they dont know you exist because you are outside.

I also dont see the point of contributing to discussions where most of your on topic posts get deleted anyway, by people who dont like authors contributing. Apart from being dangerous, its also pointless. 

The only way an author can get any traction there, is by not being an author at all there. But once you claim your books, that's it, you're an author.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

TimothyEllis said:


> I learned the hard way right from the word go, that reviewing other books is a sure way of getting your own trashed.


This. I've seen it happen so many times. Some authors have legions of fans on GR and any negative comment brings all of them down on the poor reviewer's head (and books). It stopped me being honest in reviews, which in turn stopped me from reviewing at all. Now, I rarely write reviews and never on GR.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

I've been taking part in discussions in various groups for a while, and there are places especially for promoting your books.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/69484-book-promotions

In order to get a book reviewed someone has to buy the book. In order to buy the book someone has find it. 
How to get readers to find your books is the stumbling block.


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> I've been taking part in discussions in various groups for a while, and there are places especially for promoting your books.
> https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/69484-book-promotions
> 
> In order to get a book reviewed someone has to buy the book. In order to buy the book someone has find it.
> How to get readers to find your books is the stumbling block.


Thanks but look at the views. It's only authors adding books. No one is browsing.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Mark E. Cooper said:


> Thanks but look at the views. It's only authors adding books. No one is browsing.


It can't do any harm to add your books. Authors are also readers - so you never know


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

To me GR sounds a lot like Wattpad-- over and above simply keeping your books sorted and shelved (or whatever the terminology is), you have to spend a lot of time there, being involved, 'socializing' and being visible in groups. It seems a balance must be struck between worthwhile investment (of time) or simply a situation that sucks. (_Time,_ that is. As in, a time-suck.)


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## Mari Oliver (Feb 12, 2016)

Libbie, thank you so much for this outline of Goodreads. You're right...it's not for the faint of heart lol. However, I've been slowly using it over the past year and have grown to like it. I haven't really made any friends yet but the discussions on books are fun and inspiring. It's a great place to just be a reader, which is a nice break from being a writer! I've always been hesitant about asking for reviews but it's not going to break me in half, right?  I'm going to keep using Goodreads as a reader because I truly enjoy the reading lists and etc...but have never thought of leaving reviews of the books I have read. Time to do it. Thank you for giving me that nudge!


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

I did a Giveaway of one book and the person who won it lived a few miles from where I came from in the UK before moving to SA  . I stupidly posted the book from SA instead of having it sent directly from CreateSpace (lesson learned). It can take weeks to arrive, so I asked my cousin (also from the same area) to phone the winner to see if she had received it and they ended up having a long chat.  
She messaged me that she had enjoyed the book but, alas, she didn't review it  .


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