THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

so far goodreads is not impressing me at all.

I'm really very sorry to hear that. There is such a variety of groups to enjoy and lots of people with whom to enjoy reviews. Plus so many people to become of aware of your book and the others you will author.

I really like this site much better than similar ones I've been on, but to each their own. Is there someplace else you prefer?

i guess just frustrated. on Amazon i am getting five star reviews and its the 39th most popular horror book selling at the moment. but can't get a single 'added to read' on this site.

Actually, Amazon UK has you at 41 in horror and 58 in sci-fi, pretty impressive. Only 4 reviews, though. Don't people write reviews there?

Join some more groups and do a giveaway, which should get you some to-reads and about a third of the winners will write reviews. Horror Aficionados would be a good place for you to be.

No I am leaving goodreads, it is the same as Authonomy which is mostly made up of authors. I want to engage with authors not competitors.

How long have you been engaging READERS on Goodreads, Jonathan? This group and many like it are fantastic ways to find out what readers LIKE, engage your TARGET AUDIENCE, and to get some exposure. It does take time. And effort.

Maybe this isn't your cup of tea. Perhaps your expectations are more aggressive. For example, maybe you are seeking quick marketing fixes. Even a giveaway will only produce 1,000 to 5,000 responses depending on several factors (cover, genre, blurb, number of copies being given away, length of giveaway, etc.). And converting them from "on a shelf" to "read & review" can be painstakingly slow.

Goodreads is not for everyone. For readers it is a place to share, a place to brag about your reading appetite, a place to discuss books, authors, etc. Foremost, though, it is a place to discover new books, new authors, new experiences, and new people with which to share. For authors, it is a place to connect, to get noticed, to engage readers, and to find out what makes them "tick." Goodreads has some appeal from a marketing perspective, but no more than Library Thing or Shelfari. We authors must be careful of our presence on boards like this so that we do not push away potential readers. A good story, a long back list, and a strong, positive presence on Goodreads will help gain fans. It may be just a handful at a time, though. Good luck.

Robert wrote: "How long have you been engaging READERS on Goodreads, Jonathan? This group and many like it are fantastic ways to find out what readers LIKE, engage your TARGET AUDIENCE, and to get some exposure...."

Ah, well said, Robert!!

Jonathan wrote: "so far goodreads is not impressing me at all."

How much exploring have you done? How many groups have you gone to and participated/engaged?

It's a lengthy process of getting to know people, just like any other social medium.

Jonathan wrote: "No I am leaving goodreads, it is the same as Authonomy which is mostly made up of authors. I want to engage with authors not competitors."

I hate to sound snarky, but *everyone* is your competitor, including FedEx, Harley Davidson, and Disneyland. Why do I say that? Because if someone has $10 in their pocket, you and all of these other places would prefer that it go to *your* pocket (or their pocket, as the case may be).

So, the answer is not to think of other authors are "the competition." Other authors (and I include myself) are also readers: we buy books. We tell our fans about the ones we like. We cross-promote. We do guest blogs and host guest bloggers.

And there are *thousands* of people on GR who are not authors at all but who are readers. By walking away because you think you're only "engaging the competition," you're shooting yourself in the foot.

I mean, really. Walk away if you want to ... but snarking because you just got here and don't have any reviews yet is a teeny bit silly.

I may be an author, but I'm also a voracious reader. I buy books, and I download free books. If I discover an author I love, I'll buy their backlist until their books fail in quality or interest. If they're my competition, then long live competition! Because they're teaching me things about writing at the same time they're entertaining me. I can live quite happily with that.

Kimberly wrote: "I may be an author, but I'm also a voracious reader. I buy books, and I download free books. If I discover an author I love, I'll buy their backlist until their books fail in quality or interest...."
Bravo, Kimberly. I feel the same way.

I find the original post puzzling. Why bother coming to this forum and wasting time posting that you're not impressed?

Why not just leave without whining about it first?

William wrote: "I find the original post puzzling. Why bother coming to this forum and wasting time posting that you're not impressed?

Why not just leave without whining about it first?"

William,
Perhaps the original post is a double negative advert - by causing reaction the person who posts creates curiosity to his or her books / writing / blog / what ever.

William wrote: "I find the original post puzzling. Why bother coming to this forum and wasting time posting that you're not impressed?

Why not just leave without whining about it first?"

My thoughts exactly, William.

Except, such things backfire. I checked out his books, but only to get his full name. He's an author I'll avoid in the future.

Jonathan wrote: "No I am leaving goodreads, it is the same as Authonomy which is mostly made up of authors. I want to engage with authors not competitors."

Sometimes they even attack you in such a brutal way that makes you wonder.