Goodreads: Learn All About It?
Learn about Goodreads: How to use it as an Author and as a Reader.
Have you ever thought of a special place to discuss and debate books? To speak openly about new works, discuss subjects and also meet new readers? Well, Goodreads is precisely that place.
This Book platform, which was launched in 2006 by Otis Chandler, software engineer, and entrepreneur, and Elizabeth Chandler already has more than 25 million fans. This impressive number demonstrates that the passion for reading is far from over.
In December 2007 (one year after its launch), Goodreads had more than 650 thousand members to give you an idea. Since then, this number has increased exponentially, mainly after the purchase by the largest e-commerce globally, Amazon – We will talk about this better later.
What is Goodreads, and what is its functionality?
Goodreads can be defined as a platform on which users can add books to their personal bookshelves, evaluate and review books. They also have the possibility to see what their friends and authors are reading.
Also, new authors can participate in discussion forums and groups on various topics. They may get suggestions for future reading choices based on your books.
It is 100% free. To login, simply create a login and password. It was also possible to log in through the login of other social networks, such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Its history, as mentioned, started there in 2006. The Chandler couple’s idea was to create a “Facebook of books,” from which you would find new reading recommendations through your friends.
The first boom occurred in early 2007 when the blogosphere started to discover the site. Soon after, the British press highlighted it as something revolutionary for book lovers.
In a retrospective interview, Otis Chandler told The Atlantic a little about his initial conception and how things were being shaped:
“We launched the site thinking that it would be a good way to find books through your friends. We did not fully expect the strength of the communities that emerged. People became friends with people they knew in real life and with people they had met on the spot.
And they were writing reviews. Constructive Criticism is by far the most amazing thing about Goodreads. Some people are just writing incredible, moving, profound, and funny book reviews and sharing them with the broader community.”
How did the sale to Amazon occur?
Goodreads’ great fame came even when Amazon decided to buy the site on March 28, 2013. The purchase price was not disclosed, but our imagination can do the rest.
In 2012, it already contained more than 10 million members, 20 million monthly visits, and 30 employees. Recalling that its headquarters is located in San Francisco, where is the largest office of Amazon.
Right after the announcement, more than 10 million users joined in the first year alone. The integration of the Kindle Cloud Reader and Audible, both products offered and marketed by Amazon, was added to make the experience even more personalized.
Besides all of that, Goodreads started to offer questionnaires and trivia, quotes, book lists, and free gifts.
Still, during his interview, Otis reported:
“The idea of putting the world’s largest e-reading platform together with the world’s largest social platform just made sense on many levels, both for the Kindle people and for us. We are at the beginning of what I hope will be tens of years of effort.”
What are the most significant benefits of Goodreads as an author platform?
Below, list some exciting advantages of the site.
The possibility to personalize your reading journey through tags.
The almost infinite possibility of sharing and discovering new books.
Form a networking network between readers.
Receive exclusive news from the world of reading.
The broad potential of reviewing books.
Besides, Goodreads has a release section, but it is separated by literary genre. If you read in English and Portuguese, it is an advantage to keep an eye on both. Otherwise, maybe Skoob is more business in that regard.
Is it possible to publish a book on Goodreads?
Yeah! Goodreads allows new writers – or even established ones – to have the opportunity to display their work on the platform. There is an exclusive section for publishing manuscripts, making it easier when carrying out the entire procedure.
And there are examples of great success that were born on the platform. One of them is the book “50 shades of gray” by the writer, E. L. James. The saga, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, had its first chapters published on Goodreads.
Building your Author’s Platform
Other best-selling writers publicize their works on the platform, such as James Patterson (“In the Spider’s Web,” “Deadly Cross,” “The Kiss of Death”) and Margaret Atwood (“Handmaid Tales”).
Remembering that if you are passionate about reading and writing, this can be the exact place to venture out and meet people who share the same taste worldwide.
Now, if you have any manuscripts to be published, try publishing there. It can be a good kick for your promising career.
Goodreads receives new users every day, you can add to the platform without fear.
In addition to taking part in discussion forums and groups on various topics, you can get suggestions for future reading choices based on your books.
It is 100% free. To login, simply create a login and password. It was also possible to log in through the login of other social networks, such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
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Author Visibility and Social Media
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