Anyway, sometime in the last two weeks, my book mysteriously popped up on Goodreads. I didn't put it there. My reaction?
I stared at the "book cover image not on hand" icon. Then I twitched and proceeded to dive for the safety of my comforter.
Holy freaking macaroni, my book is up on Goodreads.
So then, I did what any normal person would do. I visited my book on Goodreads, like, forty times that day to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. Then, another weird thing started to happen.
People started adding it to their to-read list.
What the--?
I know, I know. You're thinking, "Lydia, be reasonable. Some people actually might want to read it."
But "to-read" possessed way more of a "will-check-out-your-underwear-drawer-and-medicine-cabinets" kind of vibe.
Anyway, after I unstuck myself from the bedding, I put up a blurby short something about the book (90% of which is taken directly from my original query--so yeah, if you ever wanted to see my query, that's pretty much it, minus one paragraph with spoilers), started adding friends that I should have added a million hours ago, and began Goodreads obsessing.
THE FOUNTAIN is on the YA Novels of 2013 list, and it's hovering at #50. What qualifies for the buoyancy of 50, rather than 150, or 5? Apparently a mathematical equation that involves voting it up, and how many people want "to-read". However, I'm convinced that the Goodreads fairies came up with this far more accurate equation to determine ranking:
[(# marked "to-read") + (#votes up)] ÷ [(facial pore size / general anxiety level)]
- [(time spent driving over speed limit) ÷ (probability of showering by noon that day)] = RANK
Oh yes. You know it's right.
All I know is, Goodreads is going be the death of me.
So I am vowing to stop the madness. It's cutting into my writing time, adding unnecessary stress to my life, and making what little hair I have fall out. No more checking GR forty times a day and no more looking at ranks.
I am not a number.
I'm going to use Goodreads for the good things. I've been cataloging my TBR pile so I can access it when it's time to buy a new book. If you have written a book that I haven't added, please let me know.
And it's been fun finding my Goodreads friends (er, mostly you guys, my bloggy friends) and seeing what you guys are reading. That is muy awesome and I'm finding new books to read that way.
So. Do you do Goodreads? How much of your online life does it occupy?
p.s. I don't do reviews on GR. I'll explain this behavior in another post someday.
p.p.s. I vow to never respond to good or bad reviews, on GR or anywhere else.
66 comments:
I haven't a CLUE what goodreads are but then I confine my virtual social life to just blogger!
Awwww Lydia!! This is sounds sooooooooooooo exciting for you!!! It makes your soon to be published book even more tangible doesn't it?!?! Yay!! Enjoy it, enjoy being on goodreads, enjoy that people are adding you to their TBR lists!!
Take care
x
I'm overwhelmed by Goodreads. I use it when I need information about a book, but I don't have friends or a tbr pile or whatever. I plan to avoid it as long as I can!
I use it to keep a record of what I read, so i only check in every couple of weeks. I would probably spen more time on there if I had a book out. All my time in fact.
mood
I have a Goodreads account that I have done pretty much nothing with. Must get on that!
I do use Goodreads to keep track of books I want to read and to rate ones I read. Because I think that may help authors. Just added yours to my list and can't wait to read it from the description. I know my daughter will definitely snag it first.
And help me please because I spend way too much time reading blogs and it's cutting away from my writing time.
I don't have time for Goodreads. Too busy writing. My books are on there though. I think.
Eve Eden vs. the Zombie Horde and Death by Chocolate - the anthology.
I just joined Goodreads a few months ago and promptly abandoned it. Same with Google Circles. Same with Facebook. Twitter and Blogger seem to be just the right amount of social networking for me and any more than that tends to overwhelm my true introvert nature. It starts to feel really claustrophobic! And Lydia. Step away from the computer.
I signed up on Goodreads a long time ago, but this year I vowed to actually use it more. It seems like a good tool for keeping track of my reading material, and for networking with other writers/readers. =o)
And yeah, I'm with you. Google+ has become an odd country and I'm tempted to run far far away.
Like you I signed up ages ago but never went back - I think seeing my book on there would be seriously freaky!
I've been avoiding Goodreads, as I can see the pending obsession on the horizon. Me + Books generally = obsessiveness.
I'm on Goodreads, but I think it's been over a year since I've checked it. It does seem like a helpful tool. And of course people want to read The Fountain! We're excited. :)
Congrats! I can't wait to read The Fountain myself:)
Congrats! As for my cyber-life: OVERWHELMED TO THE MAX. Facebook, Blogger, and Twitter...sometimes Shelfari...is all I've got time for.
CONGRATS!! That's so awesome!!
I LOVE Goodreads. I'm constantly popping in to check my books and see what books people are adding. Plus whenever I see a book pon a blog I want to read, I immediately pop over to Goodreads to add it so I don't forget. It's handy that way. :)
Ohh how I hate Google+ as well. What's up with the circles?!?! The only circle I want to talk about is The Secret Circle from the CW. hehe
Happy Weekend!
I'm on GR, but like G+, my usage has fallen into the negative side. I just don't really have time for something I get nothing out of.
I have a Goodreads account, and I've added most of the books that I've read (without ratings), but I rarely do anything with it. My wife is big into Shelfari because she has a Kindle (and its run by Amazon), and its a lot like Goodreads. I'll definitely look your up now! :)
Congrats on the attention Dr. I joined Goodreads recently as well, and discovered that when posting a review and pressing "Save" to work on it later, "Save" actually means "Post."
Now I am the DA with a 1/2 finished book review that ends mid-sentence. It is on my list to fix.
I have a goodreads acct, but I never post on it. To be honest, something had to go a while ago, and it was goodreads. (There's that time thing and all.)
But yay for your book being up!!
It sounds awesome!
Shelley
I don't pay much attention to Goodreads other than to check what my friends are reading and to see what they think of the book.
I'm off to add you to my TBR list and vote for your book.
Like you, I'm overwhelmed with all the social networking. I did not, however, give in to FB or G+.
I did join GoodReads and use it, but my fervor for the bright and new shiny thing, waned after the first few weeks. Checking stats gets old you'll soon find.
I started off pretty slow with Goodreads, but now I enjoy it a lot. I love seeing what other people are reading and what they thought of it. I've discovered several new books that way, too.
Firstly, this was hilarious! Love your voice.
Yes, I do use Goodreads, but for the positive reasons. And I do post my reviews there, if an author asks me too. But that's pretty much all I use it for.
I think I signed up for Goodreads- usually I remember stuff but this, I forget. I didn't really like it, if I remember right so no I don't use it.
Your book is, however, on my 'to read' list already anyway and I am very glad to hear it's doing so well there already! Yay!!! Not a surprise to me at all.
Big things ahead, my dear. Big gigantic things ahead for you :) Can't wait to see.
hugs
bru
Congratulations! Isn't it cool when it just shows up like that? My next book did as well. Never knew there were charts like that though.
I use goodreads to keep up with my books and my TBR pile. I do occasionally write reviews, but I have to since I review for Tyndale. I like reading reviews before I dive into a book, but it doesn't affect whether I'll read it or not. I just find them interesting. :)
Congrats, Lydia. I have heard about Goodreads, maybe I have even checked it out once. Good things are waiting for you :)
Rest assured you are on my own personal TBR list. What my list lacks in importance, it makes up for by its exclusivity.
BTW, I promise to get on GR soon enough and add THE FOUNTAIN.
PS, what is your pore size and how do you go about getting it measured? Is there a standard method and sample size required for authenticity of measurement? On my way to exfoliate.
I adore Goodreads, due to the amazing books I've found because of it, but if I had a novel coming out it would probably terrify me.
*goes to find Lydia's novel on Goodreads*
I obsess so easily that I limit myself to once a week GoodReads checks. Except for this week when I found out my book is on the Top Time Travel Romances List. So, um, I checked a lot. But now I'm back to the once a week thing. I hope.
WHAAA! AMAZING! Congratulations!! That's so exciting!! More of these cause I'm so excited for you !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ I hope you'll take deep breaths and enjoy the ride!
I haven't checked out Goodreads yet...I'm afraid to get sucked into another site...it's like primetime tv...thank goodness my DVR only lets me record two shows at one time or I'd be still be catching up from shows at Christmas time.
:)
I go back and forth with Goodreads.
I love Goodreads because it's one of the few sites I can access anywhere from any computer (i.e., work). Plus the people there are pretty fantastic for the most part and it helps keep me motivated to read! I'm off to add your book to my to-read list. ;)
Hah! I was one of the people who dug through your medicine cabinet this week!
...Um, I mean, I was one of the people who added your book to my To-Read list this week. ;)
I'd been ignoring Goodreads for months (okay, maybe more than that), so I thought it was time to update a few lists. Anyway, congratulations! :)
I started using GR to keep track of my TBR and to keep track of how many books I've read during the year. The giveaways are a plus too. :) And I totes added your book when you first discovered it on GR!
I like the look of circles and sort of the idea of them in google+, but I haven't really figured out how that entire thing works. :P
I have been on GR for awhile but didn't really use it until recently. It is great to see what others are reading and to keep track of my TBR.
Lol! I would be the same as you if my book was out there...I am sure stressful but still awesome! Congrats! I think it would be an amazing experience that I look forward to someday. :-)
I'm on Goodreads, but I mainly use it to add what I'm reading or want to read and put reviews up on there. I haven't done too much else with it beyond that and adding friends. And don't freak out, but I added your book in my to-read pile. :)
I can just see you with your mouth hanging open seeing your book there! I had to laugh - too funny. Hey, I`m glad it`s there, but yeah, forty times a day is a bit much. Congrats anyway!
Yay! That's exciting :D. And don't freak out... this is what you've been working for.
:)
This is so freaking exciting!!!!!! :)
I don't blame you for floating about in freak out mode. That is so awesome!!
So of course, now I have to go to Goodreads because I use Goodreads to keep up with the books I eventually hope to have time to read. I really do want to finish my TBR list but...not sure about that.
I only post books to Goodreads because it makes me feel like I've accomplished something to see the number climb.
And I know what you mean--I feel like all my time could be sucked into the black hole that is social networking.
That's so exciting! Congrats!
I don't have a Goodreads account, or I'd add it to a TBR list. And yes, I'd say you've got the mystery behind the ranking system pretty well hammered out. (:
I used to use Goodreads a lot, but I've been backing off from everything recently. There's just too much going on in my life to keep up with everything online.
But how cool that your book showed up there! Did your publisher load it?
THAT'S why I got a friend request from you last week! lol I'm glad you're back on and it's so exciting to see a debut author go through the Goodreads initiation :)
Loved the snark in your article AND the formula for the super-secret ranking.
When I have a book on to DISCOVER on Goodreads, I'll visit Origins for creams to control pore size. Thanks for the heads up, Lydia.
Goodreads? Yup. I'm signed up. That's it. When my glob grows up to be a blog, when I master HootSuite, when I know how to better manage my FB page, I MAY have time to add another social media outlet.
How cool is that?!
I'm a member of Goodreads and every month or so, give a half-hearted attempt to participate there, but honestly, time is at such a premium, Goodreads isn't a priority. But I'm not at the same stage as you! If I'm lucky enough someday, I think I'd sing a different tune. ;-)
Congrats!
You really shouldn't stress. I visit a lot of blogs and if I see a pitch for a book that sounds interesting, I add it to my GR list. That way if it takes 2 years for the book to come out in print, I won't have forgotten the title and author by then.
:) I had actually never heard of GoodReads until now, will have to add it to my "internet things to become addicted to" list:)
I'm on Goodreads, but I don't frequent it, like I probably should. I have my book up there, too, but haven't told anyone. It will be our little secret. lol
I learned something new to day I will find out more about it :)
Thanks Lydia
I KNOW, RIGHT?
WRECKED keeps appearing on these lists, and people I've never met keep adding it, and I'm all... who ARE you?
I mean, I get that this is exactly what we want to happen on a large scale in 2013, but... eep!
Omg, that's so awesome, Lydia!! I'm not on goodreads but I can see how it's addicting...maybe that's why I haven't done it yet. I just don't have the time right now!
I love Goodreads as a way to organize my TBR list, but I haven't really started connecting with many people there (though I am glad you found me). Congrats on being added!
Lydia, that is so exciting! I'd be checking Goodreads like mad too.
I use Goodreads once a week, if that. BUT now I'm adding your book too. Don't go back under the blankets lol. It's more like congrats :)
So excited for you!! Confession: never even went on Goodreads. Probably someday.
Hiya hun. Have just added you to my goodreads friends. I like goodreads as a place to dump my read books so I can sort of remember. I'll mark yours as 'to read' and I will read it when I can. I'm reading 100+ as always this year. So when will I write? Dah...
Yeah, too many social networks. I'm in linked in and don't really know what it is! Google +, well what's the difference with facebook? I dunno...beats me...
Denise
And maybe you should put up your book and link on your sidebar.
D
Congrats Lydia :) What a pleasant surprise.
.......dhole
*snort*snort*snort* I can SO see me doing the exact same thing. But hey! That's freakin awesome! #50 and it isn't even out yet! You rule. I'm sure that little equation is the reason... ;p
*off to add it to my GR TBR pile*
That's exciting that your book is up there! *adds to TBR bookshelf*
I joined goodreads last year, before I started blogging. Right now it's just a place I go to log the books I've read. Although now that I've started making friends with authors, it has also started to become an uncomfortable place too. I still have not quite figured out my system for rating--I am starting to feel like I don't want to at all!
I'm on goodreads. I basically linked my web page to it and put up reviews. Otherwise, I don't do much with it. I should fix that.
Wow! People added your book and it's not even OUT yet? Whoa-zuh! Cool, though. I'm on Goodreads and I put up reviews for the books I've been reading lately. I certainly haven't started to treat it like I'm an author though (yet, hehe), just a writer. :)
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