Hey all, sorry for the posting delay. I was on the east coast where I did a fantastic book signing (post to follow). To get back into the swing of things, today’s post is a guest post from Rainy Kaye, blogger who writes the very useful and fun “Rainy of the Dark.” Her post today focuses on something I think many writers struggle with: interacting with potential readers in one of the many social media platforms out there. Read on for some very useful info!

5 Things  You Should Be Doing on Goodreads

By Rainy Kaye

GoodReads is a great place for authors and readers to share their love for books. You would think it was the perfect match but, as it turns out, there’s some hangs up. Authors, over zealous and overwhelmed, have started to irritate some of the readers. Okay, a lot of them. And as time goes on, the readers are becoming more strict about what they will accept from authors, some going as far as not even accepting friend invites from authors.

So what things should you, as an author, be doing on GoodReads to prove you are a good citizen and not just peddling books? Here are five places to start:

1) Contribute to groups. I know, I know, that feels like you’re betraying your own love. But remember, people don’t read just one book. They can love yours and other ones, as well. And, since you’re a writer, you must have liked some books enough to think, “Hey, I wanna do this too!” So rekindle that love for your writer heroes and talk less about you, and more about them.

2) Add and review books too. Not only should you be adding to the discussions, but take that same rediscovered passion and apply it to your profile. Find all your favorites and give them stars. Write a few lines about them, what you loved and what you hated.

3) Add friends. Okay, this one gets a bit sticky because, as mentioned above, some readers are past the point of accepting the innocent friend invite from an author. Truth is, some authors really do want to interact with book lovers. They’ve dedicated hours to creating new books, so obviously they love them. But there have been too many which only shamelessly self-promote. So give it a try, seek out friends but don’t be offended if they decline. Most of all, once you do get them, provide them the opportunity to know a real person and not just a sales machine.

4) Leave comments. Drop by your friends’ profiles and say hello. Wish them a nice weekend. Send holiday greetings. Comment on their own reviews (not about your book!). In short, be a real human being. No one expects you to hit every profile every day, but some effort is appreciated.

5) Participate in polls. GoodReads has tons of polls. Vote in them. Leave feedback. Share it. Check back and see what other people are saying and voting. It can be a lot of fun and, with the right topics, even informative.

Authors are often so stressed about this promotion-thing that they fail to stop and realize the damage they’re doing. An occasional poke to keep your own book alive is one thing, but massively spamming about it is only going to serve to irritate your potential audience. Instead, interact with them. It’s time well spent.

As a reader, what ways does an author’s interaction encourage you to check out their own book?

When Rainy Kaye isn’t plotting world domination, she enjoys coaching others about it on her blog http://www.rainyofthedark.com She also likes fluffy kittens.