GoodReads.com Connects Readers and Authors

Authors, readers and publishers are taking notice that use of Goodreads.com, a social networking site for literature lovers, has exploded to 12 million registered users and are using it to their advantage.

                University at Buffalo junior, Kaitlyn Richter, joined Goodreads.com in September of 2011, when it’s application on the social media giant Facebook.com got her attention.

“You can keep track of all the books you’ve read. And it’s a good way to find new books and make recommendations or share your thoughts on books,” said Richter, a psychology major.

Goodreads.com, founded in January of 2007 by Otis Y. Chandler, has faced enormous expansion since its beginning. They now employ 30 employees and 6 books are added to its “bookshelves” per second. “Bookshelves,” are categories users can make to keep their reviews organized; they range from Amber Hayward’s “Capital-L-literature,” “crafts-housewifery,” to just basic “to-read.”

Users can also join online book clubs, give books a rating out of five stars, select their favorite quotes and get book suggestions from friends. The entire thing is connectable through Facebook accounts, making it easy and accessible to register.

Kellie Talebkhah, senior at the University at Buffalo joined, GoodReads.com in Sep. 2011 and loves it.

“It’s a wonderful way to create a lineage of your books, the good and the bad. The social networking aspect of it keeps you accountable to finish books you’ve said you started,” Talebkhah said.

One of her biggest problems with reading is that she will start a book and just suddenly stop, never finishing it. The social aspect of the website “peer pressures” her into finishing whatever she is reading.

Authors are now taking control of their profiles on the website and using them for things like blogging, posting videos, and promoting events such as book signings or running contests.  Young adult writer Ned Vizzini is one of the most active authors on the site.

Vizzini utilizes many aspects of the Goodreads.com author program. He regularly updates his blog, posts videos, keeps his fans updated on what he’s reading and does book giveaways, featuring signed copies of his books or early releases of his latest novel, “The Other Normal.”

Goodreads.com frequently hosts live chats with authors. Lois Lowry, author of “The Giver,” Barbara Kingsolver, author of the critically acclaimed “The Poisonwood Bible,” and Philippa Gregory, author of dozens of bestselling historical fictions are some of the big time authors featured in the live chats.

Publishers are excited about the website because it’s audience is 100% book lovers and consumers. They use the website to give away free copies of upcoming releases and increase awareness and reviews for recent publications.

                “We work with publishers all day long. That’s our business model: helping publishers launch their titles on Goodreads,” said Otis Y. Chandler, founder and CEO of the company, in an interview with digitalbookworld.com.