Goodreads: The Platform That Can Make Your Career

1. Goodreads: The Platform That Can Make Your Career Michael J. Sullivan Riyria Revelations ●Riyria Chronicles ●Hollow World

2. Getting Presentation Slides • Will be posted to my blog on Monday: www.Riyria.com • Along with links to some of the resources I’ll speak about today. • Both this presentation, and my presentation on Author Branding given in yesterday’s PRO session

3. A Little Bit About Myself • Author Riyria Revelations, Riyria Chronicles, Hollow World • Half a million English Language Books Sold • 20 Foreign Language Contracts • Self, small-press, and big-five • At BEA (Book Expo America) Goodreads presentation used me as a case study for an author who “does Goodreads right.” • #48 Most followed last 12 months; #43 Most followed last week (out of 78,000 authors + millions of readers)

4. A Little Bit About You • How many of you were at my session yesterday on branding? • How many have published at least one book or article? • How many are still in the pre-publication phase? • How many are or want to be traditionally published? • How many are or want to be self-published? • Are there any hybrid authors in the audience: who both self and traditionally publish?

5. Three Things That Made My Career • Wrote books that people wanted to read • Connected with book bloggers to get reviews/interviews • Early adopter of Goodreads • Member since October 2008 • 19 Giveaways • 2 Publisher funded marketing campaigns • 3 Goodreads Choice Nominee • Featured in Goodreads Newsletter • Featured author in “Ask the Author” rollout

6. No Matter How You Publish – Use Goodreads • It’s where the readers are (twitter, pinterest…etc all kinds of “stuff” but goodreads is JUST books • 2013 BEA Presentation (May 30, 2013) • 18 million members • 570 million books shelved • 24 million books reviewed • 11 million books discovered (added “to-read” shelves) • 74,000 authors

7. What We Can Do Today • I’ve written volumes of information on this subject • Can only scratch the surface in 50 minutes • Going to hit the highlights • Lots of time for Q&A • Lots of resources for further study after you leave the conference

8. Many Authors Find Goodreads Difficult • An Author’s Guide to Goodreads (reddit) • Goodreads 101 - Part 1: Setting up your profile • Good Reads 101 - Part 2: Tell me about your book • Goodreads 201: Part 3: Introducing yourself • Goodreads 201: Part 4:Introduction emails • Measuring your Goodreads Results • Putting your best foot forward http://www.reddit.com/r/Write2Publish/comments/1aqlo5/an_authors_guide_to_goodreads/

9. Goodreads Help • Slide share – 22 Presentations • Goodreads 201 – Advanced Technique • Marketing your books on Goodreads • Building a Platform on Goodreads • Your Guide to Giveaways • Your Guide to Author Promotions http://www.slideshare.net/GoodreadsPresentations/presentations • On the site • Guidelines for Authors • Author Program How to

10. Getting Started With Goodreads • Optimize your Goodreads Profile Page • Claim your page • Make sure all your books are showing • Link to your blog • Post some sample chapters • Find appropriate groups • Post a book in “author’s section” • Create some email templates • Do a giveaway • Track your results

11. Author Profile

12. Author Profile Details • Identifies you as a Goodreads Author • Use your “long bio” like discussed in yesterday’s session • Use italics, bolding, and pictures to make it standout • Automatically adds blog posts to Goodreads • NEW: Ask the author – Q&A with readers

13. Groups: The Most Important Place on Goodreads • Few authors seem to know or use them • Check the rules!! • Find groups that match your genre • Usually have a section for author’s to post • Usually do monthly polls to choose “to read” books • BE A MEMBER FIRST

14. Groups: Author’s Section Promotion Post • Thank them for opportunity • Graphic or book cover • 15 word “headline” (from yesterday’s presentation) • One paragraph “back of book blurb” • Reviews (with links) • Any accolades • Most anticipated books • Best book of 2013

15. Private Groups • By invitation only • Exclusivity = desirability • Part of the “in-crowd” • Secret - what is said in the group stays in the group • No posts are sent out to the person’s feeds • Give them special things they can’t get anywhere else • Short story, afterword, playlist used when writing books

16. Email Signatures

17. Email Signatures • Shows pictures of your books • Links to Goodreads pages • Can create links to books not yet published • Do a “search” on the book title • Use the “Manually add book” on the far right • Eliminates need to “push” your book

18. Giveaways • Choose your categories well • Doesn’t have to be a ton of books 1-2 is fine • Make a compelling description • Start early (pre-order) • Run for about 30 days • Use the widget to advertise • Can run several for the same book

19. Giveaways: Do Them Often

20. Track Results: Author’s Dashboard • Summary of all your books • Overall rating – how much people like your books • How many people are shelving and have read the books

21. Track Results: Books Added to Shelf

22. Track Results: Unique Readers (add to shelf)

23. Track Results: Monthly

24. In Conclusion • You build an audience one reader at a time…goodreads is where you connect with them. • Be a “member” first • You get what you give • Even a “small-fry” can be a star • Keep at it…you’ll build over time

25. Connecting With Me • Email: michael.sullivan.dc@gmail.com • Twitter: @author_sullivan • Website: www.riyria.com • Publishing articles: Amazing Stories Magazine • Reddit: • /r/fantasy • /r/writing • /r/write2publish