Goodreads

A lot of people ask me about my Goodreads feed and why it takes up so much real estate on my website. Great question! If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of Goodreads. If you’re not already a Goodreads user, I’ll lay out the case for why you should be. Pretty much everyone I run across reads at least a little. Some of my friends are book junkies and spend every spare second reading something– everything is all synced up and they can seamlessly go from device to device without every having to re-find their place. They read on the metro, in the car, waiting in line– and their annual book count is awe-inspiring. Even the busiest of people find some time to read and, from what I can tell, truly enjoy even the few moments they can spare for books.

I read pretty much all day at work (work stuff) and I am oftentimes too exhausted to read anything for pleasure or self-improvement. Because of this, I am a die-hard audiobook addict. This is a fantastic problem to have when you spend up to three hours a day in the car commuting. I describe myself as “the best-read idiot in town” all the time. I consume several audiobooks a month and am always looking for clues as to what will interest me most. I mostly “read” (ok, listen to) non-fiction. I feel like I have so much to learn and am always wanting to expand my knowledge on specific subjects. I use my commutes to do a lot of the research for my books. I have to strike a balance between educational, but not too boring (I don’t want to fall asleep at the wheel). I take a fiction break every few books, but even then have to be careful not to get the tear-jerkers, as it’s always awkward to walk into work with tear tracks on your face. But, I digress.

The first reason I love Goodreads is that it helps me to narrow down my “wishlist” of books for my Audible account. I love to read new books but I really don’t like searching for the books that are most likely going to interest me. Goodreads is my one-stop shop for multiple reviews on each book, it’s a place where I can see what my friends are reading, and it helps me to make good choices that keep me engaged, keep me on the road, and keep me from showing up at work with smudged mascara. A win-win-win.

The second reason I love Goodreads is because what goes around comes around. All authors need reviews, but for Indie authors especially, reviews can make or break you. I love reviews. I want reviews. So… I leave reviews as much as possible. Even if you’re not an author, I challenge you to review as well. It helps to build community within genres– to highlight who might and might not like a certain book. Even if you aren’t a fan of a book, leave a review! It will help to better define the group of people who will like the book. And ultimately, it helps the author to identify the strengths of their work and helps them to better understand their audiences and write for their audiences. Think of reviewing as your good deed for the day– it’s a service that helps countless readers and writers.

For these reasons, Goodreads enjoys prime real estate on Scribble and Spark. It’s also a way for my readers to get a glimpse into my own personal reading interests. And, since much of my read-list is research, you can guarantee that the books that appear on my Goodreads list are helping to shape my current projects. A belated spoiler alert.

Happy reviewing!