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Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

A place to debate issues or to rant about what's on your mind. In addition to discussions about historical fiction, books, the publishing industry, and history, discussions about current political, social, and religious issues and other topics are allowed, so those who are easily offended by certain topics may want to avoid such threads. Members are expected to keep the discussions friendly and polite and to avoid personal attacks on other members. The moderators reserve the right to shut down a thread without warning if they believe it necessary.
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Baylou
Scribbler
Posts: 19
Joined: December 2017
Currently reading: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor
Interest in HF: I’ve always loved fiction and history, so historical fiction is my happy reading zone. I think the books that cemented hist fic as my favourite were Random Passage and Waiting for Time by Bernice Morgan. I have a special interest in: WWII, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada (especially Newfoundland and Labrador), women’s history/herstory and folklore.
Favourite HF book: Can’t pick one. Recently enjoyed The Good People by Hannah Kent.
Preferred HF: I have a special interest in WWII period, especially relating to women’s history, codebreaking work, Bletchley Park. I tend to most enjoy literary fiction rather than comercial or popular fiction, but read a range.
Location: Canada

Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

Post by Baylou » Mon December 18th, 2017, 2:32 pm

I do find Goodreads a really useful site for finding books, tracking my reading, compiling my to read list, etc. And I like to enter the giveaways, even if I haven’t won very often.

But in 2018 they’ll be making the giveaways eligible to US residents only. This bugs me. If they want international people to use Goodreads, international people should also be able to participate in giveaways, period. Yes?

They do say something vague about how in future they might have international giveaways again, but that’s no guarantee.

I also understand that they will Start charging authors/publishers fees for listing giveaways on Goodreads.

Do you use Goodreads? Will this turn you off or at least peeve you?

-asking from Canada, where I won’t be eligible for the giveaways any more

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Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

Post by Misfit » Mon December 18th, 2017, 9:43 pm

US Goodreads user here. I hadn't heard about this, but then again I can't recall the last time I entered a giveaway. There are threads in the feedback group where it's been noticed that after a few wins when one first signs up, and then it dries up and who knows who are those folks winning. I also don't like to have the review required/expected responsibility and have stopped accepting ARCs, even with Amazon Vine. I have plenty of owned books, and for the new stuff my library gets everything.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Vanessa
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

Post by Vanessa » Tue December 19th, 2017, 9:47 am

I use Goodreads but rarely enter the giveaways. You’d think it would be related to whoever is doing the giveaway, which country it’s from. Or are all the giveaways from the US?
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

Baylou
Scribbler
Posts: 19
Joined: December 2017
Currently reading: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor
Interest in HF: I’ve always loved fiction and history, so historical fiction is my happy reading zone. I think the books that cemented hist fic as my favourite were Random Passage and Waiting for Time by Bernice Morgan. I have a special interest in: WWII, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada (especially Newfoundland and Labrador), women’s history/herstory and folklore.
Favourite HF book: Can’t pick one. Recently enjoyed The Good People by Hannah Kent.
Preferred HF: I have a special interest in WWII period, especially relating to women’s history, codebreaking work, Bletchley Park. I tend to most enjoy literary fiction rather than comercial or popular fiction, but read a range.
Location: Canada

Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

Post by Baylou » Tue December 19th, 2017, 7:18 pm

Vanessa wrote:I use Goodreads but rarely enter the giveaways. You’d think it would be related to whoever is doing the giveaway, which country it’s from. Or are all the giveaways from the US?
Vanessa, to date authors from anywhere could post books for giveaways and specifics what countries are eligible to enter. But not only readers in USA will be eligible to enter.

User avatar
Vanessa
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

Post by Vanessa » Wed December 20th, 2017, 4:33 pm

I wonder why they’ve changed the rules. It can’t be a cost thing if it’s direct from indidual publishers as that wouldn’t affect Goodreads. Is it something to do with licensing?
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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Rowan
Bibliophile
Posts: 1462
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I love history, but it's boring in school. Historical fiction brings it alive for me.
Preferred HF: Iron-Age Britain, Roman Britain, Medieval Britain
Location: New Orleans
Contact:

Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees

Post by Rowan » Tue July 17th, 2018, 2:09 pm

I enter giveaways often, but have only won twice and received a book once. I keep entering even though I know I won't win.

I think it's pretty ridiculous for them to charge fees to do a listing, unless it's just a few cents. If that happens, I can see a lot of authors moving away from using Goodreads to promote books and for anything really.

As for restricting giveaways to US readers only, perhaps what they should do instead is allow the person giving away the book to decide if they are willing to pay for international shipping. It's ridiculous to think that even shipping to Canada from the US (with whom we share a border hundreds of miles long) is tremendously expensive. But I don't think that Goodreads should be the ones doing the restricting. Or, if they do, offer something specifically for those outside the US. But I'm all for international exchange of books. Goodreads is looking more and more isolationist if they go forward with this.

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