blog post
Status Updates: what page are YOU on?
posted by Otis on October, 08
We just launched a very exciting new feature: now you can add your status for books you are currently reading. Adding your reading progress has been a top requested feature, and we think the implications of this one are huge.
Similar to Twitter or Facebook, which both pose the question "What are you doing right now?", we are asking "What page are you on right now?". Members can micro-blog their thoughts about books as they read. They can also add what page they are on and put virtual notes in the margins as they progress through a book.
The really exciting thing about status updates is that they put everyone literally on the same page. We think it will help reading become even more of a social activity. Members will be able to find other people who are not just reading the same book, but also people are reading the same chapter. They can discuss a book with their friends or members of a book club as they read. They can share the suspense of a great plot twist together. It will foster deeper discussion and more excitement about a book. We also think it will inspire our members to read even more since it will introduce that element of competition (how fast can *you* read?).
I'm personally excited about this feature because I think it will help me keep track of and share my thoughts more efficiently. Often when I'm reading a book I read a passage that stimulates a thought worth writing down. How many books are full of great margin notes that nobody else ever sees? I'm excited to now have a great way to share them with others.
One other exciting part of the launch is that we have included the ability to sync your Goodreads reading status to Facebook or Twitter. To set it up, visit your my account page.
We've been beta-testing update statuses for the last week, and have been very encouraged to see over 10,000 added already! Please give us any feedback you have in the Goodreads Feedback Group.
To add your own updates, make sure you have a book in your 'currently-reading' shelf, then visit the Goodreads Homepage, or the page for book you're reading.
Here's a screenshot of my last update:
posted by Otis on October, 08
We just launched a very exciting new feature: now you can add your status for books you are currently reading. Adding your reading progress has been a top requested feature, and we think the implications of this one are huge.
Similar to Twitter or Facebook, which both pose the question "What are you doing right now?", we are asking "What page are you on right now?". Members can micro-blog their thoughts about books as they read. They can also add what page they are on and put virtual notes in the margins as they progress through a book.
The really exciting thing about status updates is that they put everyone literally on the same page. We think it will help reading become even more of a social activity. Members will be able to find other people who are not just reading the same book, but also people are reading the same chapter. They can discuss a book with their friends or members of a book club as they read. They can share the suspense of a great plot twist together. It will foster deeper discussion and more excitement about a book. We also think it will inspire our members to read even more since it will introduce that element of competition (how fast can *you* read?).
I'm personally excited about this feature because I think it will help me keep track of and share my thoughts more efficiently. Often when I'm reading a book I read a passage that stimulates a thought worth writing down. How many books are full of great margin notes that nobody else ever sees? I'm excited to now have a great way to share them with others.
One other exciting part of the launch is that we have included the ability to sync your Goodreads reading status to Facebook or Twitter. To set it up, visit your my account page.
We've been beta-testing update statuses for the last week, and have been very encouraged to see over 10,000 added already! Please give us any feedback you have in the Goodreads Feedback Group.
To add your own updates, make sure you have a book in your 'currently-reading' shelf, then visit the Goodreads Homepage, or the page for book you're reading.
Here's a screenshot of my last update:
comments (showing 1-37 of 37) (37 new)
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I am using this feature and LOVING it. I used to write the pages down in my paper journal to keep track, and this makes it easier. Thanks!
I love this update...
It's one of those things that I missed all along without ever knowing what it was... When I finally got it, I had a "There you are!" moment...
Thanks, and keep up the great work!
You don't have OCD Otis!
I love the feature, its a really nice addition, but it was ruling my life. I was desperately trying to update each and every one of the 5 books I am reading before I forget how many pages I've read (my short-term memory is really, ummm forgot what I was going to say). Please can there be an option to turn it off?
What a fabulous idea! Whenever friends are reading the same book at the same time as I am or after I've already read a book, I am always asking them what chapter they're reading or which parts they have come to. Now I won't get on their nerves so much.
Great work! :)
Once we have finished the book and moved it to "read", what will happen to the notes? Will they be part of the review or what? Great feature - thanks.
I like the new "what page are you on" feature too! Now I can chart my progress though the book and leave notes to myself and others who are reading the same book.
My only worry is that my friends will be getting constant updates that they really might not be interested in - is there a way to not have the "new page listing" go out to my goodreads friends on a constant basis?
Often when I'm reading a book I read a passage that stimulates a thought worth writing down. How many books are full of great margin notes that nobody else ever sees?Great point. The book I'm currently reading isn't like that, but I've got a handful of books with little post-it notes stuck in to mark important passages. Thanks for the tip.
So far I like the Twitter feature, but it needs a small tweak. When I added a book to my "to-read" list, it posted to Twitter saying:"[username:] want to read: Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China", and it should say *wants* to read. Otherwise we sound like we are speaking Cookie Monster-ese.
I love the new feature! I didn't know people were asking for it because I'm still fairly new here but I happened to see it on another persons page and messaged her to ask how I could get it! Then I went back to my page only to find it there already! (I jump the gun a lot! LOL) I really like it- I have a ton of friends that read some of the same books and it's a great way of talking about a book without ruining it for someone not as far as you are! Great job- I haven't been back to MySpace since I found goodreads!
I absolutely love this new "what page am I on" update. I was very excited to see it. Thanks so much for making the update.
I'm not sure I need to know EXACTLY what page my GR Friends are on in any particular book by I do like the mini-blog feature :-)
One quibble, in the next version would it be possible to have more characters to work with (like around 500)?
I think it's a great idea, and I am one of those that will fall into the "competition" element of it all, even if it's only with myself (What! I only ready 50 pages since yesterday? Gotta do better!).
This is excellent. Also useful when I didn't have the time to finish a book and have to return it, I can come here and find out exactly where I was up to instead of writing it on slips of paper and losing it.
Thanks, but no thanks! This would be far too much like being back at school and analysing (analising perhaps?) the hell out of a book that started out being excellent and ended up as a chore.
I already find I read a book with a feeling of "How am I going to try to sound intelligent on Goodreads about this one?" Blogging the content would really take the joy out of reading...
I like this feature BUT! Could you maybe add the option "add to my update feed" like it's done on the review page etc.? I'm mostly using the progress bar to keep track of where I am for myself and I always have to go and delete the update from the feed, then.
Ooh, I quite like this new feature! Now I can keep track of major plot points, without spoiling them in a review.
"Microblog" my thoughts while I'm in the middle of reading a book? I'm not even sure why anyone would want to read that. It's certainly not a habit I plan to cultivate. I'm certainly willing to wait for someone to finish reading a book before I hear their thoughts on it.
It's a fun tool for the times it feels fun. I'm glad you're having fun developing this site. I *really* love GR.I noticed that since you implemented the "what page are you on," if I have a book shelved as "currently-reading," my review doesn't show up on the book's page, only the status bar does. I'd rather see my review (yes, I review books while still reading them, or write about why I'm reading them, so I don't forget) than the progress bar.
Not as if you don't have a list of "requests" about this feature already! Did I say I love GR? ;)
Well by reading the comment's...it sounds like a good idea. But if you don't mind. I like to finish the book and then write what I think about it. I think that is the only way for me to judge the book's I read.
Is there a way to add progress on an audiobook? I've been writing the chapter or the disk # that I'm on in the comments section, but even when I choose the audiobook version it still asks me to update page #.
BUT--I love this!! Even if no one else looks at mine, I'll still use it with an online bookclub to see where people are.
I love this new tool. Fabulous thinking. My only concern is that the book you say I am ready has more pages than the actual book. Funny.
i really like the feature. it keeps me motivated to read more often. i'm a very goal-driven person.i do agree with the earlier comment – that i'd like to turn off the rss updates of my status updates. also, i often read older versions or printings, and though i don't mind using the modern, mass-paperback equivalent for the book's profile, i wish i could fix the total number of pages if it's wrong.
it's still a great feature though! thanks!
I love this feature but it would be nice if it didn't have to be page numbers. I'm listening to a book and have no idea what page I'm on but I do know what CD I'm on. I'd like to be able to add that.
I really love this feature because it's so neat and good and fun to see the progress. Not to mention useful if you accidently lose your bookmark when you are to read again ;)
I was thinking though and I was wondering if it is possible to extend this feature to other shelves, such as 'read' and 'to-read'. For example, sometimes when I read a book, I can end up putting it on hold for a time because it may not have been the best time to read it or I haven't gotten in the right mood, so after having read it a bit, I put it back on the shelv to leave it there for a long time until the right moment comes when I can pick it up again and continue/try. Or for example, books that are simply left unfinished because they have been terrible or boring and such? Who knows, if it is possible to do that, maybe someone who has finished the book recognizes the section one is and go "ah, yes, that part. Don't worry, once you get past chapter ..., it'll be much much better". Know what I mean? :)
Anyway, I still love this feature and think it is great :D Thank you so much for developing it.
great new feature to let people know where in the book I am currently. keep up the good work. love it!
I have a problem with it. When I put in my page number and it comes up with a total page number, it's often completely wrong--up to 100 pages in some instances.
I've been able to use more characters every time since this feature started so I'd suggest trying that to those that haven't. I do have one problem though- when I do the update and use the mini-blog as well as the page number update and then GO BACK to re-update the page number, unless I totally rewrite the mini-blog- it's gone! Is this happening to anyone else and is there a way to keep the mini-blog until we actually erase it ourselves?
