[nicholasmcgirr]

Would it be a bad idea to for us authors to start adding each other to goodreads "to read" shelves. I've noticed a small incline in sales rank whenever I get someone add The Growing Dim Project to their shelf.

All those interested, let's post here. With amazon down, and no true ETA, let's help each other out!!

Adding as friends too doesn't hurt either!!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10940780-book-one

Nicholas.

 

[Mel Comley]

I added you as a friend, Nicholas. 

 

[Saffina Desforges]

ME too! And grabbed your book to be read!

 

[miss_fletcher]

Added to my shelf

 

[Alex Sinclair]

That is a good idea. I have so many books to be read, but haven't actually added them to my "to read" shelf, lol. I think I climbed to top 150 reviewer in U.K this month on goodreads, lol. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11262751-five-days-notice

 

[nicholasmcgirr]

Thanks everyone, as you can see from the lateness of my response that my dayjob took over my day yesterday. I will definitely be adding everyone from my phone at my lunchbreak. Let's keep this going, I think that this could be a great tool for all of us!!

Nicholas.

 

[kyrin]

Would it be a bad idea to for us authors to start adding each other to goodreads "to read" shelves. I've noticed a small incline in sales rank whenever I get someone add The Growing Dim Project to their shelf.

All those interested, let's post here. With amazon down, and no true ETA, let's help each other out!!

Adding as friends too doesn't hurt either!!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10940780-book-one

Nicholas.

I think this is a very bad idea.

I can understand adding other authors as friends. I can understand adding an author's book to your "to read" shelf that you plan on reading.

I'm against adding books to your "to read" shelf that you don't planning on reading for two reasons. The first being, it's not honest. If you're okay with a little dishonesty for the sake of a few sales then ignore this point. The second reason is that you're using the shelf system in a manner that wasn't intended. The "to read" shelf isn't meant to be used as our marketing tool even if it does help sales when someone adds one of your books to their shelves. I'm not sure how some of the Goodreads librarians and mods would react to the shelf system being used like this. My guess is poorly. Course, if you're not worried about that either then add to your heart's content.

 

[tim290280]

I think this is a very bad idea.

I can understand adding other authors as friends. I can understand adding an author's book to your "to read" shelf that you plan on reading.

I'm against adding books to your "to read" shelf that you don't planning on reading for two reasons. The first being, it's not honest. If you're okay with a little dishonesty for the sake of a few sales then ignore this point. The second reason is that you're using the shelf system in a manner that wasn't intended. The "to read" shelf isn't meant to be used as our marketing tool even if it does help sales when someone adds one of your books to their shelves. I'm not sure how some of the Goodreads librarians and mods would react to the shelf system being used like this. My guess is poorly. Course, if you're not worried about that either then add to your heart's content.

I agree in part. If I'm going to be reading a book then I'll put it on my list, friend or not. But I agree that putting a book on your shelf just to promote it is a bit unethical.

My friend's dad wrote a book and I got a signed copy of it. It was terrible. So rather than be negative or falsely positive about it I don't include it on my Goodreads shelf.

 

[kCopeseeley]

I think you'll find that you gained sales when someone added you to their shelf (non-author) because they probably also bought your book when they did.  When I add a book to my to-read, I usually have it in hand.  That is just my take as a reader.

 

[JM Gellene]

I think this is a very bad idea.

I can understand adding other authors as friends. I can understand adding an author's book to your "to read" shelf that you plan on reading.

I'm against adding books to your "to read" shelf that you don't planning on reading for two reasons. The first being, it's not honest. If you're okay with a little dishonesty for the sake of a few sales then ignore this point. The second reason is that you're using the shelf system in a manner that wasn't intended. The "to read" shelf isn't meant to be used as our marketing tool even if it does help sales when someone adds one of your books to their shelves. I'm not sure how some of the Goodreads librarians and mods would react to the shelf system being used like this. My guess is poorly. Course, if you're not worried about that either then add to your heart's content.

I agree. Goodreads seems to still have good reputation with readers and we don't need to tarnish it or promote the idea that Indie authors are gaming the system. If you really plan to read it, then buy it and add it. If not, then please don't.

Write a good book, promote it ethically, and write another good book. I may be a bit naive but this seems to be the only correct way to do things.

We've seen tag exchanges (guilty), review exchanges, and even people buying each other's books to create a boost in sales rankings.

Enough is enough.

 

[StaceyHH]

Write a good book, promote it ethically, and write another good book. I may be a bit naive but this seems to be the only correct way to do things.

We've seen tag exchanges (guilty), review exchanges, and even people buying each other's books to create a boost in sales rankings.

Enough is enough.

This. If you think the serious readers/users of Goodreads don't notice all the little tricks the Indies try to use over there, you're absolutely wrong. We do notice, and we discuss what we notice, and the people who actually ARE reading, reviewing and influencing sales won't touch your books with a 10-foot pole if we observe these antics.