Social Sites for Readers and Writers
Many avid readers share and discover favorites on the social reading sites listed below. If you’re active on these platforms, you can find new readers and develop a following.
Being active does not mean self-promotion. It means engaging thoughtfully, sharing your likes, participating in group reads and making positive contributions to discussions.
Goodreads
Of all social reading platforms, Goodreads has the largest and most active audience. They also let indie authors control their own author profiles and book listings. You need to be an active member to make the most of the platform. The suggestions in this old article from 2012 are as valid today as when the article was first published.
Library Thing
LibraryThing also has a large, active, and dedicated community.
The Story Graph
The Story Graph is newer and simpler than Goodreads and LibraryThing. While those other sites focus on text-heavy reader reviews, The Story Graph uses simple attributes to drive book recommendations.
When you set up your account, the site will ask a series of simple questions about what kinds of books you like. Short or long, fast-paced or slow burn, dark or comic, etc.
Story Graph readers tag books with these attributes, and the site recommends books based on how well these reader attributes match your preferred attributes. Proponents say its recommendations are uncannily accurate.
BookBub
While BookBub is known primarily for promoting free and discounted titles, it also allows readers to review and recommend titles. Their catalog is not limited to the books they promote. It includes just about any book in print.
If you’re willing to post thoughtful reviews on BookBub, you might find you start to pick up a following.