Goodreads is Broken
And it might be too late to fix it.
Welcome to another edition of Publishing Confidential, where I give you an insider’s view of the book industry. Hopefully, you get a chance to read this between sips of eggnog.
Today, we are going to discuss Goodreads. If you aren’t familiar with the platform, here’s a refresher: Goodreads is the largest site for readers and book recommendations. Amazon owns it, boasting 125M members and 3B books. Users can create profiles, fill their virtual bookshelves, and review books. Authors and publishers can pay to give away books or advance reader copies.
When Goodreads launched in 2007, it was seen as a vehicle to expand word-of-mouth about books. For a while, it was. While it is hard to pinpoint when Goodreads became problematic, I don’t think it is a coincidence that it got worse after Amazon bought it and as social media became more prominent. I’ve always told authors not to put too much stock in it because it has never been discussed as a key sales driver for books. I also warned them about the toxicity that exists on the platform.
Recently, debut author Cait Corrain admitted to creating fake profiles on Goodreads to leave one-star reviews on other books by debut authors, many of whom are authors of color. You can read about the fallout here. A few months ago, Elizabeth Gilbert postponed her book, The Snow Forest, after a review bombing campaign. The crime? The book was set in Russia, and Ukrainian users were offended. The problem? The book hadn’t been published yet. Currently, some Jewish authors whose books haven’t yet been published are experiencing review bombing and antisemitism on the platform. BIPOC authors continuously deal with racist comments. It is safe to say that Goodreads is broken. The question is, can it be fixed?
I reached out to Goodreads yesterday and asked about review bombing. I also inquired about the platform’s algorithm. Suzanne Skyvara, VP of Marketing & Editorial, Goodreads, sent me a statement about review bombing that I had already seen:
“Goodreads takes the responsibility of maintaining the authenticity and integrity of ratings and protecting our community of readers and authors very seriously. We have clear reviews and community guidelines, and hate speech, bigotry, threats, and ad hominem attacks are not tolerated. We remove reviews and/or accounts that violate our guidelines.”
And Skyvara’s response regarding Goodreads’ algorithm:
“Content in our newsfeed algorithm comes from your friends and the authors and readers you have chosen to follow as well as article suggestions from our editorial team, and updates from the Goodreads team. We also offer sponsored posts for advertisers to show content related to your interests and these posts are clearly marked as sponsored.”
Later in the day, I sent Skyvara three screenshots with comments targeting an author and their book, which isn’t being published until late winter 2024. I asked if the remarks fell within the community guidelines of Goodreads or if they’d be removed. I didn’t receive a response.
If publishers want their authors on Goodreads, they must push the platform to do better with moderation. One simple fix would be to disallow reviews for books that have not yet been published. It isn’t as if Goodreads leads to meaningful preorders. If the review bombing continues, pre-publication reviews will have the opposite effect: no one will order the book. Further, agents, editors, and publicists must discuss the industry with authors. If a debut author is struggling mentally, they should be able to talk to people in the industry. When you publish a book for the first time, it can get heady. You might compare yourself to others, stress out about publicity and marketing, and lack the knowledge you need to effectively cope with the emotions of being a debut author. Allow me to advise you: Goodreads is not worth putting your career on the line. If you find yourself obsessed with it, talk to someone. It is only one small piece of the publishing puzzle as a platform. There are always going to be people who don’t like your book. Please don’t allow them to occupy space in your head rent-free. If you feel anxious, depressed, or nervous about your book coming out, have honest conversations with people. You’d be surprised how common it is to feel ALL those things. I liken publication dates to Christmas: you have all the build-up, the day arrives, and after it’s over, your mood crashes. I’ve experienced this while working on high-profile books: my life is insane, the books come out, the media is done, and I instantly feel down. My best advice is to 1) Avoid reading reviews on Goodreads (yours and others). 2) Make an appointment for self-care the day after the publication date. 3) Ask a lot of questions about the publishing process. 4) Give yourself grace.
If publishers aren’t fighting Goodreads to do better, it’s a problem. Authors can’t be left alone to deal with harassment, racism, and toxicity. Publishers must step in and not accept vague answers from Goodreads. The CEOs of the Big Five should insist on meeting with Goodreads, forming a council in the industry to liaise with them and protect authors. Further, Goodreads should employ a user verification system to discourage the creation of fake accounts. Currently, an army of volunteer “librarians” monitor content on the site, and you can see how well that’s working (it’s not). Pulling advertising and marketing money from Goodreads might be necessary if all else fails. Being complacent is not the answer.
END NOTES:
A gift for you: The folks at Bijoux + Spice Jewelry were nice enough to give me a discount code to share. It is BOOKSNBIJOUX. Enter it at checkout and get 15% off your purchase. Shop here.
Something for you to do: My friends, The Witches of Pitches, are hosting a webinar, “How to Summon a Literary Agent,” with Amaryah Orenstein, founder and president of GO Literary. You won’t want to miss this. Register here. Cost: $25.
Next week in Publishing Confidential: My book publishing predictions for 2024 and announcing a new feature for paid subscribers.
As always, contact info for questions/comments is publishingconfidential@gmail.com
Business or Interview inquiries should go to kathleen@kmspr.com
On Threads and Instagram, I am @kathmschmidt
I also really appreciate that you wrote supportive comments about mental health and supporting fellow authors. That is kindness and so important!
In some respects, Goodreads is a victim of its success: too many readers recommending and reviewing too many books (even among the well-intended); too many book groups; and way, way too little moderation of any sort. Nothing works quite as advertised. I've purchased several Goodreads Giveaways--but came to recognize that the thousands of readers who signed up for a freebie have no intention of every buying or reading my books, and of course an author cannot capture them for mailing list purposes. I think Goodreads' day has come and gone. Thanks for saying out loud what many of us have been thinking!