THE Group for Authors! discussion

I'm the author of "The Great Promise" and I would like to know if goodreads's authors program has a method by which authors can request their book to be reviewed. Several members have books on their "to read" shelf but by the time they may get around to reading it, it could be months. I'm not promoting my book, just trying to establish its value to readers.

There are several groups on Goodreads where authors can join and review other authors' books in a non-reciprocal set-up (so you don't review the books of authors who are reviewing yours, to keep it clean and fair). Look for "Review Group" and "The Review Initiative". Fair warning: in the group I'm in, these WILL be honest reviews!

If some readers are bloggers, ask to be featured on their blog and ask them if they could do a blog on your book. I'm a blogger and an author and I get requests like this all the time.

You're gonna have to give away about 50 books to get your first 10 reviews. Just make sure to give them away to people who like books and have a lot of folks following their reviews!

After that the pump is primed.

LibraryThing is a very good program, but be prepared for very direct and honest reviews.

ARC...stands for Advance Readers Copy, if anyone does not know...

Just a suggestion...give copies to reader who are not also authors. To the average reader, it means a bit more than one author giving another author a review. Unless of course, you are GRR Martin reviewing Bernard Cornwell's latest work...

Thank you all for your input. It sounds like there are options - some good ones. I did have a book give away when my book first came out but of the six or so that were given only one review was returned. As far a giving books away for review, how does one find a reviewer that has a following? I paid to have Clarion Review take a look and received four stars. However I don't know how that stacks up with others.

I tend to disagree with you Nick. I am first and foremost a reviewer. I tend to get a job as one in the biz. I believe that readers don't mind who the reader is as long as they like that person's review...or don't. Bad reviews get as much attention as good ones.

*laughs to self*

Looks lke we will agree to disagree.

By all means, disagree. We all have opinions and I don't mind if someone disagrees...

There exceptions such as when an author has a well established blog, with a well established review history, then readers who follow that blog are going to give that review some serious credit...

Readers - which I include myself in this broad category, select a book using a three part process.
1. Does the book sound interesting. Title draws attention and the brief description informs you that it is a book you're interested in.
2. How many stars have other readers given the book
3. How many readers have reviewed the book.

As far as professional reviewers thoughts on the book - worth a look but unless one is an avid reader, chances are they haven't a clue as to the caliber of the reviewer. However, if the reviewer posts his or her reviews in media that is widely viewed, then it doesn't add credibility to their review - but it sure can stimulate sales! Take Opera's pick - get recommended there and take it to the bank.

You know I <3 you, Nick!

Very true, Frederick.

Hide behind the bookshelf holding the inspirational books. What ever you do, stay away from the shelves with the procrastinator books. When the librarian isn't looking grab each person who comes looking for a book. Place a copy of your book into their hands, as you gently whisper in their ear these words: "Take this book and look no more. The words in here you will adore. By day and by night, let the words be your inspiration. When you are done, you'll be inspired to good deeds. Go then, inspire others, write your thoughts on goodreads."

If that doesn't work, offer your book free to your blog followers in exchange for a review. Maybe offer a signed copy the best reviewer (good or bad).

I like it! Perhaps I could rent a WWI uniform and sit outside the library holding the sign, "Need food to eat donate and receive a book" Perhaps load up the trunk of my car and stop people walking and whisper, "I got a deal for you!" Pop open the trunk and say, "you can have a historical, best selling book for free - only you have to tell others (not the cops)and write a review."

Man you got my mind going! I could send out a tweet that the world can download my book for free for the next 60 minutes. Create a U-Tube video of 59 people chasing me to get a free book. God - this could have endless possibilities! I'm only limited by how much low self-esteem I can take.

Frederick wrote: "I'm the author of "The Great Promise" and I would like to know if goodreads's authors program has a method by which authors can request their book to be reviewed. Several members have books on thei..."

Frederick, run a Goodreads giveaway. After I did that,I had reviewers contacting me to ask if they could review my book.

Eliza wrote: "Frederick wrote: "I'm the author of "The Great Promise" and I would like to know if goodreads's authors program has a method by which authors can request their book to be reviewed. Several members ..."

I did that when I first released my book - I was unaware of the importance of giving away several books so I just offered four. I had over 800 applying for the four so now I know I should have given away at least one-hundred. I didn't have the book e-book ready or I could have gone that route. I'm not sure if an author can run a second giveaway or not. I'm trying to promote it through my blog sites by offering a free download for the first 1,000 readers for a review. We'll see how well that goes. Thanks for the help.

Omar - I tried your advice, but something went wrong. You should have made it clear that you weren't talking about the "Inspirational" shelf at Books-a-Million. That shelf is located next to "Fantasy" and behind "Computers". I followed your advice and grabbed the first person who came by, a strange-looking teen wearing a black wedding dress and very troubling eye shadow. I put a copy of my book into her hands and said, "Take this book...". Well, she screamed and dropped the book and ran to the front desk. I saw her gesturing and jabbering with a guy in a suit talking into his sleeve and then she pointed at me and her lips said "that's him!" Then all hell broke loose.

The security officer pulled a taser and ran toward the "Fantasy" section. By then, I was crouching out of sight in "Computers", watching the pursuit through a peep-hole over the top of a line of "Troubleshooting Unix" books. He rounded the end of the shelf and I took off towards "Travel". I briefly eluded capture in Moldavia, where I scooped up a small book, "O'Neal's Customs and History of Eastern Carpathia". Leaping the guard rail, I blended in with the rabble drinking $6 cups of coffee and pretended to read my book. My pursuer gave up, but took the copy of my book that the girl dropped and handed it to a couple of cops in a patrol car. "Damn," I muttered. What had I been thinking when I published under my real name? Now I couldn't go home. Even worse, according to O'Neal's, the girl in the black wedding dress was courting publicly for a spouse, and was a guy.

Frederick wrote: "I like it! Perhaps I could rent a WWI uniform and sit outside the library holding the sign, "Need food to eat donate and receive a book" Perhaps load up the trunk of my car and stop people walking ..."

I like the youtube video idea...

Sorry Frederick for getting a little silly. With the flood of writers, getting reviews is getting more and more difficult.

Have you tried librarything.com? You can offer copies of your ebook in exchange for a review. From what I've heard and seen, the success rate is about 10%.

Jon wrote: "Omar - I tried your advice, but something went wrong. You should have made it clear that you weren't talking about the "Inspirational" shelf at Books-a-Million. That shelf is located next to "Fan..."

Jon,

I don't know how that minor but very important detail slipped my mind. You should see all of the hate mail I've been getting. Hundreds of others who went to the wrong shelf. Some are threatening lawsuits. I hope you weren't trampled.
A few were captured and sitting in the back of the same patrol car with the cops who had your book. They heard one of the cops saying he knows the author, knows exactly which shelves you frequent. Lay low, maybe try another genre and pen name for a while.
All I can say is that I'm terribly, terribly sorry.

I knew it was time to go home for the street lights were on. But I could leave just yet. I still had a few more books to give away. Besides, I went through a lot of work to get my hands of this prime corner street real estate.

In order to take it over I had to rat out the previous panhandler. I told them he was using false advertising by telling total strangers that he was out of work. And he looked the part, old clothes and a beat-up briefcase. But I knew who he really was - my publisher. God, the guy was worth millions, at least 100,000 of it was mine!

Guilt of what I had done passed quickly as I cursed at the cold and damp February day in Chicago. Perhaps my Jimmy Buffet shirt and Bob Marley shorts were not enough to keep me warm. As hypothermia started to set in, I had a decision to make - use the books to start a fire or stuff them under my shirt in the location of the Caribbean blue water and a shore lined with palm trees. Tough decisions!

With only a couple of books left they wouldn't offer much warmth either way. Then two guys wearing ripped down coats approached me, "Hey are you the book guy? Wearing a short sleeve shirt and shorts while holding books in my frostbitten hands, I thought to myself, "Is this a trick question?" The question was answered when I stared into the crossed eyes of the toothless man in front of me. In a quivering voice that barely uttered a word before I was suckered punched.

The second guy punched me and as I hit the cold asphalt all I could see were feathers floating down like snow flakes. They flowed from a rip in the down coat.

As I laid on the freezing ground, my knees were turning blue. They grabbed my books and ran off, leaving me book-less. Then the thought came to me, "Hey, I just got rid of my remaining books!"

With the warmth of happiness I walked towards home wondering, "Could I count them as readers and would they give me a decent review?"

Frederick wrote: "I knew it was time to go home for the street lights were on. But I could leave just yet. I still had a few more books to give away. Besides, I went through a lot of work to get my hands of this pri..."

Love it! :)

Frederick - like peeling an onion, reading your post left me in tears. No, wait. I meant it kept revealing new layers of rhetorical mystery.

1. This piece is an object lesson on the wisdom of always traveling with a cross-eyed hobo sidekick if you're expecting to start a fight.
2. No, it's a parable about 1-star reviews.
3. If you're laying on the ground, how do you know what color your knees are?
4. (wife interjects) Dressed as you were in Buffett/Marley regalia, why didn't you simply retire to a convenient public house and give away your books to the clientelle? At the very least, you would have treated to a free margarita.

Jon!
*makes the sign of the cross and kisses him on the cheek*
I thought you were dead! The police had a copy of your book and I just assumed your wife.....
*smiles*
Well, at least you're okay.

HannaH! *she who put the PAL in Palindrome*

Yeah, she took a shot at me once, but I held up a copy of "Abigail Dare" (nothing can get through the first four chapters).

Jon
Author Behaving Badly

Frederick, you have to offer print books for the giveaway so you shouldn't offer 100. That's a lot of money with no guarantees of reviews. I offered 2 print books and had 1700 entries. Over half added the book and out of that, I had 4 people ask me if they could review the book. You can run multiple giveaways to drum up interest. Check the giveaway rules.

*hugs Jon*
I'm glad you wrote it then. It is multipurpose and I can relate to your wife. Sometimes, I feel like taking a shot at my significant other. OTHER being the operative word here.

Frederick, that is a lot of books! Sounds expensive!

Frederick wrote: "I knew it was time to go home for the street lights were on. But I could leave just yet. I still had a few more books to give away. Besides, I went through a lot of work to get my hands of this pri..."

Is this part of a book you are writing Frederick? Can I review it?
kidding aside, this is hilarious!!

On a somewhat related topic...I'd be interested in getting beta readers (of the erotic romance variety)Find out what works, what doesn't. do many of you use beta readers?

K.D. wrote: "Is this part of a book you are writing Frederick? Can I review it?
kidding aside, this is hilarious!!"

Thank you but no it is not part of my book. I was playing off of Omar's comments. At times I think it would be fun to write a comedy. Most of the time I'm too serious and should let my child out.

The book is about my grandfather and WWI - if you still want to take a look it would please me.

Jon wrote: "HannaH! *she who put the PAL in Palindrome*

Yeah, she took a shot at me once, but I held up a copy of "Abigail Dare" (nothing can get through the first four chapters).

Jon
Author Behaving Badly"

Hey, speaking of Abigail Dare, I own that book, but I've been holding off on reading it till the final final version is published. It looks interesting and I've been looking forward to it. Should I buy the book that's on Amazon now, or should I wait?

Steven - the current version is my final run at it. A lot of nitpicky technical issues were corrected and it's as smooth as I'm gonna make it. I have two other projects going. Hey, if you like action/adventure and you have a Kindle, let me gift you a copy of "Reaching Deep". No strings, as always.

Jon

Keep this topic going and I could write a short story, "Good Authors Acting Badly". All the characters are in place and the dialog is entertaining. I'll change the names to protect the guilty. I've already applied for the copy rights and found a good scumbag attorney that will protect me from slanderous accusations once he is released on bail.

Perhaps I should file for the rights of a new reality show - "Fish Bait" where authors a placed in a room and with quick whit and sharp tongues they cut each other up. The looser isn't kicked off the island, they're feed to the sharks.

However, everyone is playing nice so the show might be altered to "Author's Island". where five authors go on a three hour tour and become marooned on an island. They have to work together to create an ending of how they escape. The show could last several seasons! Any suggestions on who the authors should be?

HannaH as Ginger

Ah! Thanks, Jon! I volunteer you to be Giligan. And Nick should definitely be on our island, too. But we also need Frederick and Jaq. There is our five.

Hannah wrote: "Ah! Thanks, Jon! I volunteer you to be Giligan. And Nick should definitely be on our island, too. But we also need Frederick and Jaq. There is our five."

Don't forget the evil villains, who come and go, but try to make sure you never get off the island.

Omar wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Ah! Thanks, Jon! I volunteer you to be Giligan. And Nick should definitely be on our island, too. But we also need Frederick and Jaq. There is our five."

Don't forget the evil villa..."

I can picture some of the reviewers playing the part of the evil critic, who find flaws in each of the endings.

Thanks Islanders! I'll volunteer to be the professor.

HannaH - I thought I was the Professor. You said so in an earlier post.

Jon
A.B.B.

Frederick - Don't you mean SEVEN authors?

Skipper:...TBD
Gilligan:...Jon (under protest)
Professor:...TBD
Thurston Howell III: TBD
Lovey Howell: TBD
Ginger: Hannah
and Mary Ann: TBD

Look Jon, its my fantasy so I decide! OK for the sake of peace and tranquility on this island paradise - you can be the professor. Gee, that leaves me with the captain - who got them in the mess in the first place, or the rich tycoon. Mmmm, should I go the aloof rich guy or the inept captain? I guess the captain - that is if the position is still open.

Jon - you're right and wrong - right because there was seven, but I didn't set the number of members. So now that you refreshed my memory I want to change my character to Thurston Howell III. I couldn't remember the captain's name was skipper, which reminds me of a big mean German Shepard from my childhood - can't deal with the character.

Tension already and the voyage hasn't even begun...

Casting is so stressful and that is why I didn't want to be the skipper. Captain commands respect, so does master or commander. Skipper falls short - here skipper, come boy! Or, "Did you see the number of times that guy "skipped" across the water, why we should call him skipper" Alright! We have Jon as the professor and Hanna playing the roll of Ginger, so there is four positions to fill - any takers. There are also side characters - "wrong way Flanagan", which is someone I can identify with but its a bit part and not fit for Thurston.

I'll be the skipper. It's a fitting part since I'm not in the same league as the other authors. Besides, the skipper takes charge on the water, the technical aspect, which suits me fine. You can all make fun of me and call me names on land, but watch yourselves when we hit water.

Like you would make us walk the plank? Keel hall us? Use the cat of 9 tails? Perhaps instead of Skipper we should call you Captain Bligh.

I'll be careful and make sure I follow orders.....Not!

Mutiny talk already???? And we're not even on the water yet.

I'd watch my pen if I was you. Remember, not all of those scumbag attorneys are in jail. Quite a few are deep in the water, waiting for a juicy author to fall in.

Check promotion threads in groups discussing similar books or books in your genre because they will often have a reviewer signup program in the group.

The goodreads giveaway program is intended to be the only official signup to review part of goodreads as others have mentioned. But it seriously does not require a winner to review or to review within a certain time frame. It does get your book noticed.

You can search the groups out under "groups" menu by searching for a specific genre.

But, you can also go to bottom of books in your genre or books that you feel if-you-like-this-you-will-like-my-book is accurate to see if there are any groups discussing.

Caution: every group has rules for how authors can participate or promote (probably a warning then moderators just kick you out but everything in groups fairly public so potential reviewers might see).

Shelve your own books on custom shelves as appropriate (think genres, popular shelves, amazon type of tags for shelf names) so that potential reviewers browsing popular shelves and genres might stumble on yours. (Nasty circular logic with that because it's still a case of all that exploring showing books with the most ratings first so that until your book gets some shelving/reviewing/rating activity it's not easily showing to potential reviewers— — but it's free to shelve as you wish, doesn't SPAM or annoy anyone, violate any site policies, and is how other books have that "Genres" or "Popular Shelves" list on the right side when viewing the book page.)

Not sure if mentioned specifically in previous posts here but "Making Connections" is a group garnering reviewers for you as is the Read It and Reap program in the Shut Up and Read group.

Frederick wrote: "K.D. wrote: "Is this part of a book you are writing Frederick? Can I review it?
kidding aside, this is hilarious!!"

Thank you but no it is not part of my book. I was playing off of Omar's comments..."

Sure, I've like to read it. Would be a nice change from the romance. Uh oh, should I say this on this of all days!!! Valentines! Cupid's going to shoot my eye out. No wait...that was the Red Rider BB Gun.

No problem! I'll write a short story and by the time they get around to me they'll be asleep. Plus I'm one of those authors that leave a bad taste in your mouth.

So you don't like my pen do you? Well, would you like the taste of my blade, its a Gensu that can slice and dice a tomato after three hours of sward fighting.

OK Skipper, I've said my piece and will obey orders - that is while we're at sea. By the way, where are my comrades? Those scallywags haven't said a word in my defense.

Gensu or Ginsu?

Thanks for the info Debbie. I've yet to take advantage of all that Goodreads has to offer.

As for the rest of you, you're freaking hilarious. :)