It's been roughly ten years since Amazon launched its Kindle app for a variety of platforms, and today the company has announced its biggest update since that time. The newly revamped reading app brings with it a number of key changes that readers have been asking for. “We’ve built the new Kindle app from the ground up for book lovers, giving readers easy access to … [Read more...] about Amazon Updates Its Kindle App
Goodreads
Goodreads Turns Ten
Users and book lovers alike have heard the news about the decade anniversary of book discovery site Goodreads, and have pretty much all responded in the same way: "Goodreads is only ten?!" Yes, the site has been around for only ten years, although die-hard devotees would swear it's been much longer than that. Goodreads has been credited with making book discovery possible … [Read more...] about Goodreads Turns Ten
You can now share Kindle Notes on GoodReads
Amazon has just pushed out a new update for their flagship Android, iPhone and iPad app that will allow users to share your Kindle notes and highlights to your friends and followers on Goodreads. There is also a new e-reading enhancement for Kindle books called ragged right. You can now read using left-aligned (ragged right) text instead of justified (aligned on both left and … [Read more...] about You can now share Kindle Notes on GoodReads
Why Isn’t Amazon Doing More for Book Reviews?
years, Amazon has received heaps of criticism surrounding book reviews. First it was that their system was flawed, putting up with authors who purchased blocks of positive reviews in order to boost their sales. Unfathomably, there were also accusations of authors purchasing blocks of one-star reviews to smear a competitor's book, although that seems like a good way to waste a … [Read more...] about Why Isn’t Amazon Doing More for Book Reviews?
The Ongoing Curse of Author Bullying
Over the years, a number of authors--both high profile and never-heard-ofs--have suffered under the joint efforts of internet trolls who come together to leave one-star reviews, often on books they've never bought, never read, and never heard of. Entire blogs have been created about author bullying and the just as guilty behavior of some authors who've attempted to take matters … [Read more...] about The Ongoing Curse of Author Bullying
Goodreads Invites Readers to Step Out of their Book Boxes
Popular reader-centric community Goodreads shared news this week of a new challenge that asks book lovers--especially those in the younger age ranges--to step out of their "reading comfort zones" and try something new. Called Reading Without Walls, the one-month challenge suggests readers seek out great works that feature characters who aren't demographically like them, cover … [Read more...] about Goodreads Invites Readers to Step Out of their Book Boxes
GoodReads Unveils New Rereading Feature
Millions of GoodReads users orchestrate their own reading challenges, whereby they set a book goal for the calendar year. Sometimes you simply want to reread the Harry Potter saga or one of the Divergent books, but in the past they would not count towards your goal. This has all changed with a new BETA ReRead feature that will be rolled out globally in the coming months. … [Read more...] about GoodReads Unveils New Rereading Feature
Take the Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge
Are you looking to up your reading game in the coming year? Is this the year you've vowed (again) to re-read all of those Hemingway books you only skimmed to get through high school? Are you trying to avoid becoming part of the literacy statistic in the country? Then you're in luck. There's nothing like an internet challenge that carries no prizes whatsoever to motivate you … [Read more...] about Take the Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge
Authors Behaving Badly…This Time on Social Media
If social media has taught us anything, it's that you probably shouldn't be posting anything other than puppy pictures if you're in any kind of business or industry. From Cinnabon's well-intentioned flub at Carrie Fisher's expense to Sarah Michelle Gellar publicly mourning the wrong British music icon on Twitter, it seems like all of social media serves as nothing more than a … [Read more...] about Authors Behaving Badly…This Time on Social Media
Is Accurate Book Discovery Really Possible?
One of the major plagues for authors and publishers--from the lone self-published writer to the Big Five--is book discovery. Short of taking out expensive ads and sending literally thousands of copies to advanced readers, there's no surefire guarantee that a book will land in front of paying customers, and that's something even the big guys can't do for every title they … [Read more...] about Is Accurate Book Discovery Really Possible?