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Where Have All The Readers Gone?
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Jen
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May 14, 2014 09:21PM
Can anyone point me in the direction of an active GR group (not genre specific) made up mostly of readers?
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Are you seeking beta readers? Or just looking for discussion groups?
I'm not a writer. Once upon a time, there were others like me...
Oh! I'm about to say that this sites is now full of authors and no readers..lol
That's tough...most of the ones I belong to are genre specific. "Bookworm Bitches" is a good one...
I think readers have gone on hiding for fear of being harrassed :)
S. wrote: "I think readers have gone on hiding for fear of being harrassed :)"Well, where the hell are they hiding?! LOL
back to FB I guessed..since FB has tighten its privacy..It harder to look for them there..lol
I hate FB...Anyone know of any other GR-like sites? Ones that still have readers?
GR groups "Our Novel Escape" and "Bookworm Bitches" are the two I know of that are very active. "Creative Reviews" used to be mostly readers, but now it's mostly authors.
Lena wrote: "GR groups "Our Novel Escape" and "Bookworm Bitches" are the two I know of that are very active. "Creative Reviews" used to be mostly readers, but now it's mostly authors."Would you say the first two are made up of mostly readers?
oooo..look like this is going to be an undercover mission..lol
Us readers are outnumbered everywhere on the internet now!
ok I've googled..look like readers are hanging out on FB like I suspected and Pinterest..
Elaine wrote: "Us readers are outnumbered everywhere on the internet now!"That depresses me...
Oh dear..if its any consolation authors are actually readers too..
S. wrote: "Oh dear..if its any consolation authors are actually readers too.."Most of the time, I'd agree with you.
Not that I'm arguing now...It's just that there are opinions/views/etc. that an author-reader is incapable of. Authors are always authors, even when reading. You know?
yeah you are right! gotta go soft on the criticisms for example for fears that they would end up on the other end of the stick..lol
ha blamed it on the self-publishing then..
Jen wrote: "Not that I'm arguing now...It's just that there are opinions/views/etc. that an author-reader is incapable of. Authors are always authors, even when reading. You know?"
that is an interesting statement you just made. And it is probably more true than you know. I used to LOVE danielle steel... however, i have one of her books, Happy Birthday, that just drove me nuts and I never finished. I literally took a pen to it, and corrected the run-on sentences... eliminated unnecessary lines-- just to read it. and STILL i could not read it lol.
as a reader, i have no idea why so many people care what other people they do not know, think of books. I have never looked at book reviews, and never care about movie reviews for that matter either. We are all so different, why would i rely on someone else's opinion to influence me? Not unless i actually talked to them to understand the things they like. You know?
agreed! i just skipped all the introduction or reviews or whatever and just go straight to the story..
I'm just a reader. I've not come across any groups yet for just readers. I've joined several groups on Goodreads that tend to specific genres. I have favorite genres, but lately, I like to add a little variety to my reading list. If you find something for just readers, please let me know. Cheers!!!!
Jen wrote: "I hate FB...Anyone know of any other GR-like sites? Ones that still have readers?"
Booklikes has many similarities to Goodreads, but is set up differently. A lot of Goodreaders opened accounts over there or switched entirely with all of the drama here during the fall.
Most of the groups I read on GR are primarily made up of readers. With the exception of a couple of more social ones, they tend to be about a certain topic, though not necessarily a genre. I think maybe a general reading group with nothing to narrow it down might be a little too unwieldy. I do read the Goodreads Italia group, which is a more general reading group that isn't genre-specific, but maybe that works because there are fewer Italian speakers on Goodreads than English speakers.
Jen wrote: "Not that I'm arguing now...It's just that there are opinions/views/etc. that an author-reader is incapable of. Authors are always authors, even when reading. You know?"
I'd say it depends on the author. After all, in this case, I could also argue that a teacher can never objectively review a book: we're trained to notice mistakes (much like authors are because of editing/proof-reading our own stuff), but also to "be lenient and award points for effort even if the paper in general isn't great"... (Which I personally find bullsh*t in some cases. I was told to award at least a 4/20 to people for simply showing up for an oral exam; not opening their mouths and actually trying to speak English, just showing up. No wonder I want out of that stupid system, haha.)
But yeah, I'm playing Devil's advocate for the sake of argument now, so I'm not going to dwell on it. ;)
Jen wrote: "I hate FB...Anyone know of any other GR-like sites? Ones that still have readers?"
Yes, actually: http://www.booklikes.com
Jen wrote: "It's just that there are opinions/views/etc. that an author-reader is incapable of. "This makes it sound as though you have a rather low opinion of authors. I would wager that all authors are readers ... and were such long before we were authors.
I'm curious about what opinion you think an author is incapable of holding, to be honest.
Marc wrote: "what dramas in the fall?"I assume it was the thing about GR deleting shelves with titles judged as attacking authors (you know, books shelved under stuff like "will-never-read-even-at-gunpoint" etc.), and more generally, the whole "Authors are mean bullies to readers!" vs. "Readers are mean bullies to authors!" crapfest.
Jen wrote: "Can anyone point me in the direction of an active GR group (not genre specific) made up mostly of readers?"The James Mason Community Book Club is one such ...
Yzabel wrote: "Marc wrote: "what dramas in the fall?"I assume it was the thing about GR deleting shelves with titles judged as attacking authors (you know, books shelved under stuff like "will-never-read-even-a..."
ha I managed to miss all that's somehow! Thanks for filling me in
Sarah (Warning: Potentially Off-Topic) wrote: "Jen wrote: "I hate FB...Anyone know of any other GR-like sites? Ones that still have readers?"
Booklikes has many similarities to Goodreads, but is set up differently. A lot of Goodreaders opene..."
I'll take a look at Booklikes, thanks!
Sharon wrote: "Jen wrote: "It's just that there are opinions/views/etc. that an author-reader is incapable of. "This makes it sound as though you have a rather low opinion of authors. I would wager that all authors are readers ... and were such long before we were authors.
I'm curious about what opinion you think an author is incapable of holding, to be honest."
This sounds like you're getting defensive. I meant no offense. I love authors. I consider many to be friends. However, wouldn't you agree that, perhaps, if you have a specific question regarding...let's say the differences in ice cream flavors - that it would be better to ask an ice cream lover, rather than the chef who specializes in chocolate?
Sharon wrote: "Jen wrote: "Can anyone point me in the direction of an active GR group (not genre specific) made up mostly of readers?"The James Mason Community Book Club is one such ..."
Thank you!
I love all of this new info. I didn't realize there were book clubs within goodreads. Thank y'all so much!
Jen, try SOS: Serious Overload of Series. I've never been in or even seen a discussion there that was taken over by pot-stirring, irritating authors who all too often rear their ugly heads in other groups I'm in (I'm an author too, folks, so stop baring your teeth, let your hackles relax, and put down your weapons). In fact, I've never read one there that hinted of authorial interference. ;) Of course, I haven't read ALL their threads, but still...
C.M.J. wrote: "Jen, try SOS: Serious Overload of Series. I've never been in or even seen a discussion there that was taken over by pot-stirring, irritating authors who all too often rear their ugly heads in other..."Thank you!
(I'm truly not criticizing anyone here, though. Honest. I'm just looking for other readers...)
Jen wrote: "This sounds like you're getting defensive. I meant no offense. I love authors. I consider many to be friends. However, wouldn't you agree that, perhaps, if you have a specific question regarding...let's say the differences in ice cream flavors - that it would be better to ask an ice cream lover, rather than the chef who specializes in chocolate?"
No, I'm not defensive; I'm genuinely curious about what opinion you think a non-author can hold that an author cannot.
In response to your question re: ice cream, whom I would ask would depend on what the question was. If I want to know how a given flavor tastes, I'll taste it ... and if I want to know how a given flavor is made, I'll ask an ice cream maker. The chocolatier would only come into play if I wanted to know about chocolate ... which may or may not be the case, depending on the ice cream.
And that kind of brings me back to my earlier question: I am totally unclear on why you think an author is "incapable" (your word) of holding certain opinions. I will say that text is not an ideal medium for conveying things, and it is my opinion that you read defensiveness in where none was present.
(I'm truly not criticizing anyone here, though. Honest. I'm just looking for other readers...)I know you're not, Jen, and I doubt that anyone read it that way; you're very diplomatic! I was obliquely addressing the topic of the thread but approaching it from a "why" instead of "where" standpoint, and I said it because I know you're concerned about it. If an author views (certain) fellow authors that way, imagine how readers fed up with authors’ bad behavior must feel. I’ve actually mostly stopped participating in threads in some GR groups for the past month or so because of the sabotaging of discussions that ruins them and turns them into brawls or because of the shameless plugs proffered by authors as advice or examples. I've been sticking to commenting in groups that don't do that. I think that there are plenty of readers-only who've done the same, and I know of one person who has quit the Goodreads Authors/Readers group for the reasons I stated. For all intents and purposes, that's what's happened to this reader in this group. Time will tell.
C.M.J. wrote: "(I'm truly not criticizing anyone here, though. Honest. I'm just looking for other readers...)I know you're not, Jen, and I doubt that anyone read it that way; you're very diplomatic! I was obliq..."
Thank you, CMJ! I appreciate the understanding! You are now my favorite person for the day. LOL!
I know a lot of readers AND authors have gotten fed up with the discussions around here. It's hard to blame them.
If you have any other suggestions on groups or sites that are reader-heavy, I'd be happy to know.
Sharon wrote: "No, I'm not defensive; I'm genuinely curious about what opinion you think a non-author can hold that an author cannot.In response to your question re: ice cream, whom I would ask would depend on what the question was. If I want to know how a given flavor tastes, I'll taste it ... and if I want to know how a given flavor is made, I'll ask an ice cream maker. The chocolatier would only come into play if I wanted to know about chocolate ... which may or may not be the case, depending on the ice cream.
And that kind of brings me back to my earlier question: I am totally unclear on why you think an author is "incapable" (your word) of holding certain opinions. I will say that text is not an ideal medium for conveying things, and it is my opinion that you read defensiveness in where none was present."
The "defensive" comment wasn't an accusation, believe it or not. My comments aren't coming off the way I want them to.
All authors are capable of any opinion, but a lot of times, those opinions are colored by the fact that they ARE authors. I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong. The "chocolate" scenario was meant only to reflect that perhaps someone who makes and sells one variety of ice cream might not be the best person to seek out for an unbiased opinion on others.
If I'm still offending you, please just ignore me. I'm not looking for an argument and have no interest in participating in one.
It depends on the individual writer I guess, but yes I would be an author who definitely fell into your category of not being able to read something without my authorial analytical head on.
Marc wrote: "Yzabel wrote: "Marc wrote: "what dramas in the fall?"I assume it was the thing about GR deleting shelves with titles judged as attacking authors (you know, books shelved under stuff like "will-never-read-even-a..."
ha I managed to miss all that's somehow! Thanks for filling me in
If you ever have several hours to kill and want to read a feedback thread longer than a lot of books that explains what happened, here it is:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jen, I third (fourth?) the recommendation for Booklikes . As others have stated, it is very different from GR but I find that the community of readers are friendly, funny and full of recommendations. The authors on my feed are there wearing their reader hats which is something many authors here seem unable to do when joining in on reader discussions.
Also, I noticed you read horror. This group is genre specific but it's a really good one with lots of reader discussion Horror Afficionados
Jen wrote: Thank you, CMJ! I appreciate the understanding! You are now my favorite person for the day. LOL!Oh, hooray! :)
I was going to recommend another group I'm in, but then I remembered that they're starting to cater to the dark side, i.e., authors. Sigh. I'll keep my eyes peeled and let you know if I stumble across any likely candidates.
Actually, I thought that exchange was somewhat entertaining in the sense of literary jousting, but there was no point to it. The original question, if I recall correctly was where all the readers have gone? As an author and reader do I have a unique perspective? I don't think so. I'm a reader who demands near perfection in both story and delivery. I force myself to meet that same criteria. So what's the problem? And for God's sake, that was a rhetorical question.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (other topics)The Golem and the Jinni (other topics)
The Golem and the Jinni (other topics)
