Why are you using goodreads?

[D]

I use it to keep track of what I've read. I originally joined because I wanted personalised recommendations but the recommendations ended up being really shit. You either get whatever is sponsored that day or you end up in an echo chamber of popular YA books. So I'd redesign recommendations, I guess.
Also, the search bar is shit.

[Claudia]

I use goodreads as a log book I guess. I have recently discovered that I like writing reviews as it helps me remember elements of the book I had read many days/months/years ago.

I like goodreads because I find reading the reviews of books helpful in order to decide what to read next. However, I find it difficult to navigate through the website. I think the interface can do with an update. I would also like the most recents threads and messages in the discussion groups to appear at the top since, more often than not, threads from previous years pop up at the top.

[Mindy]

I’m using Goodreads because I love being able to control and organize my books and also because I love to share my opinions on books I’ve enjoyed to others around the world. I’d love to find people with similar book interests as me as well but since I’m new here I haven’t established that quite yet but I’m sure that’s to come. I just love being apart of a book community like Goodreads!! 😊💕

[berry]

I'm using goodreads because I want to discover new books and rate the ones I read before in the process

[Michelle]

I originally thought goodreads was a social networking site amongst book readers. What I have found is it's an outdated site that is meant to only log your books. The community section is soo lackluster it is deplorable. As I research the site more, my theory is the people who created the site has figured out how to make a steady stream of profits from it with minimal effort. This means that the average consumer can not social network over books! Sure they are rich, but can I be literary rich? Sorry, this is a soap box issue for me. This site could be soo much more if they put in some effort. Alas there is no competition so the 90 million subscribers are stuck here until a competitor lights a fire under the developers butts or we all mass leave!

[Shann]

I use goodreads mainly to log my books, when I first found it I thought it was going to be somewhere I could interact with other book lovers and make new friends however, the social aspect of the site is not what it could be. I like many other would love it to be better and have more of a social presence.

[Julia]

To keep track of what I've read and to add books I'd like to check out someday. The original purpose was to write reviews, but turns out I'm just not good at it.

[Valeria]

I use it to keep track of what I’ve read and what I would like to read in the future, I also like participating in discussions. I also find books that I like, based on what I’ve read. For example: I read the hunger games trilogy and goodreads recommended divergent, and now I’m reading the last book in the divergent series and I love it.

[Michelle]

Jenny wrote: "Hi!
I'm currently doing my MA in Information design and is a big fan of Goodreads. Sadly I find the webpages hard and not very user friendly, therefore I'm self-directing a project where I am to "r..."

Goodreads is only user friendly if the user knows how to use it!! I am still learning and Im not a fan of the fact that only certain things can be done from your kindle.

[Michelle]

Shannon wrote: "I use goodreads mainly to log my books, when I first found it I thought it was going to be somewhere I could interact with other book lovers and make new friends however, the social aspect of the s..."

what other sites do you use

[Frank]

I am a new author and have gotten zero traction on Amazon. TOO many eBooks.

GR is a reading platform of 'Zon (GR SW needs a lot of work).

I do read a lot. I figured out I can share the books I like to read and interface with other readers. This also likely lets me share my own work. I think a lot of people here are KU. All my books are KU - so the pick up is free - plus I sale my SF&F for 99c - I am not going to break your bank.

So GR may be the win-win I wanted. Time will tell. I do like to read and study what I've liked. Might as well share my views.

Twitter (WRT writers) is a bit of a choir to pitch to. I think readers are at GR a lot more than at Twitter, or FB, or ...

After several months I see that Twitter does not help to promote my work. Fun, interactive, etc ... but they are writers just like me. They are trying to promote their own work. Writers pitching to writers mostly.

Writers do not typically, pickup a pitch by another author. I may do a look-inside and wonder. But it is rare the tale interests me. It is not what I am looking for.

I write short powerful novelettes for a reason. (goes back to the days when I read rags for Sci-Fi short stories. Tons of people love good short works. A novelette is a novel. It is just faster. People have little time anymore except for the greats.

I hope to see you guys around.

BR
Frank

[Frank]

Michelle wrote: "I originally thought goodreads was a social networking site amongst book readers. What I have found is it's an outdated site that is meant to only log your books. The community section is soo lackl..."

It is a bit interactive. I am new and figuring out what I can do here. You can see I think what other people like - which is really good. Organized trolling in a way.

So it is good. There used to be Amazon's "Write-On" which was to attract new authors and readers. That was fun for me as a learning author. Then "Kindle-Scout" (my books were too short for that but it was fun to participate.)

But to be sure, GoodReads is a much better experience for the read I think. You can bang around and see what other people are reading (be friends and follow) and books they like and come across stuff you had no idea existed.

Still learning how to nav GR ... so far it is okay.

First glance is GR lacks coordination with KDP for what is currently on the market. GR has OLD OLD books I created that I have deleted. Strange. Trying to update that now.

BR
Frank

[Moriah S.]

I mostly use it to find new books to read but I also really like tracking my books. I really like the community part of it too though I don't use it as often as I'd like too. I've found that the lists are a really good way to find specific types of genres and storylines that I am looking for especially when I'm in the mood to read a specific plot.