Josiah Bancroft originally self-published his book, Senlin Ascends, in 2013. It was by no means an instant success. Bancroft estimates it sold just 250 copies in its first three years. Last year, after the book caught the attention of some high-profile fans, it was sold to Orbit (an imprint of Hachette Book Group), which re-released it in January. As part of the re-release, Orbit covered the galley in Goodreads reviews. "Senlin Ascends is a word-of-mouth hit and the best way to show that was by sharing what readers were saying on Goodreads, explains Alex Lencicki, Marketing and Publicity Director at Orbit. "We also liked how all those quotes stacked up into a "babel" of voices. "Everyone is talking," like in the myth."

Josiah already shared some tidbits about his publishing experience in an interview with Goodreads last month, but we wanted to dig a little deeper to find out what advice he has for other self-published writers.

Can you tell us a little about your process of self-publishing Senlin Ascends?

When I first started writing Senlin Ascends, I was part of a small writing group called the Ides. We had been meeting for many years at that point, and I showed them the first fifty pages or so of the draft. After getting their feedback, which was perfectly fine and salient, I came to the realization that I wanted to continue writing the story on my own. I think there's a good case to be made for writing groups and beta readers, and I've benefited from both over the years. But I also think that, for some writers, there comes a point when they need to strike out on their own, make their own mistakes, and pursue their own weirdness.

The cover art was created by Ian Leino, who has been my best friend since childhood. Ian is a fulltime professional graphic designer and artist. Other than my wife, Sharon, there has been no one who's been more supportive of my writing efforts over the years. We discussed a few ideas for the cover, but the aesthetic and image he eventually produced were entirely his own. But he did more than create the face of the series. He also brought me along with him to comic conventions. He helped me come up with my sales patter, and he jumped in when I struggled to deliver it. He was there when I sold my first copy to someone. Without Ian, I truly don't think there would be any Books of Babel. When my publisher Orbit informed me that they would be using Ian's artwork for the republished covers, I was ecstatic.

Self-published author Intisar Khanani had always loved making up her own stories, and challenged herself to write a full-length novel during her senior year of university. She loosely based it on a Grimm’s fairytale she had loved as a teenager, The Goose Girl. Thorn tells the story of Alyrra, a princess who is forced to marry a prince she’s never met. When her identity is switched with another woman’s during a magical attack, she faces the opportunity to choose a different path. Before long, the book amassed over 5,000 ratings on Goodreads and the interest of an agent, who negotiated a two-book deal with HarperTeen. We asked Intisar to share some background of her publishing success story, and what marketing advice she has for other self-published authors.

Tell us a bit about your writing background. What made you start writing the story of Thorn?

Having written a number of short stories, I wrote Thorn my senior year of university as an exercise to see if I could write a novel. I figured if I wanted to be a writer, I needed to just go ahead and do that. So, between a full load of classes, a 20-hour-a-week job, and extra-curriculars, I set myself the task of writing a novel.

I chose a fairytale retelling of Grimm’s The Goose Girl as a way to have a tried-and-true plot to build off of, figuring it couldn’t be that hard to get it right. We’ll just call that the optimism of the ignorant! I read it as the story of a woman finding a way to choose her own path when so many of her decisions have already been made for her. Over the course of that school year, the same year as 9/11, I began to struggle with so much more as well: issues of justice and mercy, questions of compassion. Much of that also came into my novel, and continued to influence it over the course of a dozen drafts or so over the next ten years.

What kind of marketing activity did you do to get readers to read your book?

So much of this has to do with doing the right thing at the right moment. I enrolled Thorn in KDP Select when it first came out, and used my free days to garner thousands of downloads. Then I went wide and published a permafree short story set in the same world. Permafree shorts don’t get that much traction anymore—everyone wants free full-length novels now—but it worked wonderfully back then to boost sales of Thorn.

I ran a number of Goodreads giveaways to help create buzz, along with doing blog tours, general giveaways, and more. I also took the time to thank readers at the end of my book, and ask them to consider leaving an honest review. I provided links to Goodreads at the back of all my books, because that offered a two-fold benefit: readers could mark it as read (hopefully adding a rating while they're at it), and their friends would see the book pop up in their newsfeed. There's no telling what combination of factors resulted in so many ratings for Thorn, but it's clear that there's no one magic bullet.

What was your path to publication like?

It took a while for Thorn to hit its stride—finding the right cover, gathering enough reviews to gain traction on Amazon, and so on, but eventually, it founds its legs. Then I received an e-mail from an agent at Stonesong Literary after a Bookbub Featured Deal. She'd picked up Thorn and loved it. We spent about a month chatting about everything from my planned projects to the current political context and the need for diverse voices in the mainstream as well as stories that build empathy. Fast forward to now, and I have a two-book deal with HarperTeen for Thorn and a companion novel!

What did you learn during the self-publishing process?

I learned a lot. Here are my top five lessons learned, possibly in reverse order:



What do you look forward to with the re-release of your books through HarperTeen?

I'm thrilled to be able to share this story with a wider audience. I've really enjoyed working with my editor to make Thorn shine (we're wrapping up final edits this month). But more than anything, I'm so thrilled at the prospect of reaching libraries. I grew up as a library kid, so the idea of getting one (or more!) of my books into libraries is the pinnacle of all things awesome for me.

What advice do you have for other self-published writers?

There is so much writing and publishing advice out there; I suppose the important thing is to keep your own reality in perspective. Do what works for you, write the stories you have in you, and keep trying new things. Don't sweat the stuff that you can't manage or have no control over, and, of course, don't give up!

What's next for you?

In addition to working on the companion story to Thorn, I'm also working on wrapping up my indie series, The Sunbolt Chronicles. I'll be researching the newest strategies for book launches, as well as the tried and true, and hanging out with readers and authors both. But mostly, I'll be writing.



Next: Three Things Readers Want to See from Authors on Goodreads in 2018

You might also like: Marketing Advice from Authors, for Authors

Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings. Not a Goodreads Author yet? Learn about the Goodreads Author Program here.

There’s something about the New Year that inspires people to set goals for themselves. Authors take note: other than aiming to finish your next book in 2018, commit to tracking your reading habits by participating in the Goodreads Reading Challenge.

The Goodreads Reading Challenge allows you to set a goal for how many books you want to read this year, and then helps you keep track of that goal. Last year, more than 3 million readers participated in the challenge and pledged to read 3.4 million books. At the end of the year, Goodreads creates a compelling infographic for each member with stats on the books and fun badges that the member unlocked along the way.

The Reading Challenge is especially valuable for authors looking for the best way to engage on Goodreads. Per our member surveys, the three most important things readers are curious to know about authors are:


Give the readers what they want this year: start by sharing a list of the books that inspired you to write. As you start getting a hang of engaging on Goodreads, expand the number of titles you have on your virtual bookshelves. There are a number of ways you can share what you’re reading with the Goodreads community:

Shelve books

The most straightforward way to be active on Goodreads is to hit the Want-to-Read button to indicate books you’re interested in. You can indicate what genres you care about so that Goodreads can recommend titles to you, or you can browse various sections—like genre pages, lists, or the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards—to discover more books.

“Because I live in a rural area, a few months might pass before I get into a bookstore where I can really browse, so I always have a long To-Read list to work from,” says Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight in the Bright Ideas Bookstore. “As a teacher I refer back to books a lot, or recommend them to students and friends, so the ratings help me sort through my favorites, as well.”

Take this activity up a notch by creating custom shelves. For example, “Historical Fiction Influences” or “Cover Inspiration” gives readers a glimpse into the titles you were looking at when you were working on your own book. You can shelve them in ways more personal to you as well: Almost Cried Manly Dude Tears is just one of the creative shelves that author Adam Silvera created for himself and his fans.

Another idea: If you’re an author of a series, create a shelf specifically guiding readers to books they should read while they wait for your next installment.

Quick Tip: To make books count towards your 2018 Reading Challenge, be sure to mark the ‘date read’ when you shelve the book. Read a book more than once? That counts, too!

Rate books

Consider adding 1–5 stars to the books you’ve shelved. Readers can compare books with you when they browse your shelf, and there’s no better way to forge a connection than over a shared love for certain books.

“I only list books and add stars to the books I've read and loved,” explains Colleen Hoover, author of Without Merit (a 2017 Goodreads Choice Award winner). “I think I listed a book as one-star once, but it was my own book and it's done as more of a joke than anything.”

“This might be obvious, but part of the rating process is also being a careful curator, making conscious choices about the books I buy or borrow, so books that might not fall within my tastes are usually weeded out long before any of this process begins,” says Sullivan. “Though I’m aware there is clearly a social media element, I tend to think of ratings as mainly for my personal use.”

Adding stars is entirely optional, but you might want to set up rules around how you rate books, for example, only rate books by deceased authors, or share your rating system in your bio like S. Jae-Jones, author of Wintersong. "I five-star or nothing nowadays, not because other books don’t warrant stars, but because I want to talk up the books I loved... and if I’ve loved something, I want to share with the entire world," explains Jae-Jones.

Review books

While you’re probably thinking “I’d rather be writing my own book than writing about others,” keep in mind that reviewing books on Goodreads is not the same as writing a book report back in high school. You don’t have to write more than a few sentences about how you felt about the book.

“I love sharing the stories that made me laugh out loud, sob my heart out, fall in love or leave me in a cerebral stupor (or all of the above!),” says Roshani Chokshi, author of The Star-Touched Queen. “I also think Goodreads is a great way to use my platform and bring attention to books by marginalized authors.”

Reviewing books gives you an opportunity to show off your writing style and your sense of humor. “I decided to leave a funny review on a friend's book that I had read last year, and people started sharing the review and asking me to do more,” says Hoover. “Since then, I've done several and they're all meant to be in good fun. I enjoy sarcasm and it's a fun way to help promote books I've liked. My followers know my sense of humor and comment in kind.”

Keep in mind that your reviews influence others to read more. “I've seen comments where readers stated they purchased the book based on my review, which is nice to see!” says Hoover. It also gives authors an opportunity for further engagement with readers. “[I have seen] more engagement from my readers, which is always so fun! [I] love when we can get into casual shipping wars over characters,” says Chokshi.

Goodreads regularly updates a list of suggested people to follow via Goodreads on Kindle. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get selected if you start writing reviews regularly, but your chances of being considered are 100% higher than if you don’t review books at all.

Quick tip: If you’re asked to write a blurb for another authors, offer to share a review on Goodreads as well. Repost the blurb and expand on it slightly, with the disclaimer that you’ve been asked to blurb it. Here’s an example by Adam Silvera of that being done right. (And remember, you can ask for the same thing on your own books).

Share Kindle Notes and Highlights

One of the newest ways for authors to engage on Goodreads is by sharing background information on their own books via Kindle Notes and Highlights. This allows you to highlight sections of any Kindle book and add notes specific to the highlighted section.

Authors have started using it as a tool to share additional content, behind-the-scenes, or Easter Eggs about their own books for their readers. “Certain scenes emblazon themselves in our heart,” says Chokshi about how she plans on using Kindle Notes and Highlights. “I can't wait to share that experience with others!” (Read Chokshi's Kindle Notes and Highlights here.)

Kindle Notes and Highlights is available to anyone (read more about them here), but contact us so we can add you to our Authors Beta (we’ll ask for feedback on how we can continue to improve).

Frequency of Activity

The rule of thumb for online marketing recommends spending 20% of your online time talking about yourself and 80% of it talking about other things. That rule applies to your activity on Goodreads as well, and there’s really just one major thing members want to talk about: more books!

The majority of your time on Goodreads should be spent talking about books that you’ve enjoyed reading, or books you look forward to reading. “I tend to dive in and out for short blasts, to jot down a title or check in on my page or rate something I’ve just finished—maybe an hour or two a week,” says Sullivan about the time he spends on Goodreads.

It might seem like an overwhelming task to review, shelve, and rate books all the time, especially when there are so many other marketing activities on your plate (oh yeah, and writing your next book!). “I add maybe one book per month, and those are only if I like them. I don't add the books I DNF'd, (did not finish)” says Hoover.

Download the Goodreads app to make it quick and easy to mark books as Want-to-Read when you hear about them. Get into the habit of writing a few lines about a book when you finish it and watch your virtual bookshelves fill up in no time.

Here are some books by the authors quoted in this story to get you started:


Do you have any special Reading Challenges set up for yourself this year? Share it in the comments below!

Next: Marketing Advice from Authors, for Authors

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Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings. Not a Goodreads Author yet? Learn about the Goodreads Author Program here.

We pulled together some of our the most useful blog posts for authors on Goodreads. Catch up on case studies, learn some marketing tips, get inspired by writing prompts, and take the Goodreads Author Program Quiz to test your knowledge about all things Goodreads marketing. Happy reading!












Next: 12 Motivational Quotes on Writing to Inspire for #NaNoWriMo

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Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings.

To date, more than 200,000 authors have signed up for the Goodreads Author Program, including Stephen King, Roxane Gay, Nora Roberts, and Colson Whitehead. As any modern author knows, joining the Goodreads Author Program is an essential part of taking control of your online presence. After all, Goodreads is the world’s largest community of readers, and if there’s one thing that authors and readers have in common, it’s their passion for books.

Most authors will see their book show up when they search for their title on Goodreads. How does that happen? Goodreads is set up to digest public metadata directly from publishers. Once that metadata goes onto the feed, Goodreads creates a general book page and an author page with the available metadata. Goodreads librarians, volunteers who help keep our database of books accurate, sometimes fill in the blanks on some books, but not all.

Don’t see your book when you search for it? You can add it here.

Some authors confuse the fact that they have an author page with being in the Goodreads Author Program. Do not be fooled! Only authors who claim their profile by submitting the online application form, and get verified by our staff, are considered to be in the Author Program. Once you’re in the Author Program, you will see the ‘Goodreads Author’ badge in the top right corner of your profile. It should look like this:

If you do not see that badge in your profile, you have not yet joined the Author Program.

Top Three Reasons to Join the Author Program

1. Control the information on the page about you. Readers are curious about the person behind the book, so provide them with the information they want. Once you join the Author Program you can upload a short bio, a flattering headshot, and select the most popular genres you write in on your author profile.

In some cases, books that were not written by you will show up on your Goodreads Author page. You can request to have these removed when you apply for your page, or you can contact us us to remove them afterwards. Note that we have some policies about what stays and what goes. Readers are most interested in learning what else an author has written, so we want to showcase all your work.

2. Allow readers to engage with you. Readers love a chance to ask their favorite author a question. Once you’re in the Author Program, you can enable Ask the Author, the Goodreads Q&A program. Ask the Author allows readers and authors to connect with each other online without restrictions on time or character count. You can enable the module from your Author Dashboard, and respond to readers in your own time.

Questions are visible only to you until you choose to answer them, so you can be selective about when and what you respond to. Any interaction with an author can be a special one that turns an avid reader into a superfan, so be generous with your answers. The person who asked the question receives an email with your answer, and it shows up in your newsfeed to your followers as well as the readers’ followers.

3. Build a following, grow your platform, sell more books. Once you join the Goodreads Author Program, you want to encourage readers to follow you rather than send you friend requests. The reason for this is simple: You won’t need to accept every request, and there’s no cap on the number of followers you can have (especially important as you become increasingly popular!).

Some authors feel uncomfortable rejecting friend requests from potential readers. You can set up a default message to direct new friends to follow you. You can also use your Goodreads bio to tell readers you prefer this. Of course, you don’t want to be entirely friendless—especially since what you see in your own newsfeed is based on what your friends are doing—so set a rule to only accept friend requests from people you know in real life or you have a certain amount of favorite books in common.

Building followers on Goodreads has many benefits, and those benefits keep on growing. For example, Goodreads will send out an automatic email to anyone who follows you with all your activity—including your blog posts—on a regular basis. Goodreads also sends out an automatic email on the publication date of your book to readers who follow you. There are many more perks in development, but the value of a follower on Goodreads is only going to increase over time.

How do you go about getting more followers? Like any social media site, people choose to follow people who post interesting content. Reviewing books is the most powerful activity you can do on Goodreads. Be strategic about which books to review, and don’t be afraid to show off some personality—it will be what catches a new follower’s attention.

Reviewing books well takes a little more time than writing a 140—or 280—character tweet, but once you get into a groove—for example, setting aside 20 minutes for Goodreads activity per week—you’ll soon find the rewards.

Ready to join the Goodreads Author Program? Find your author profile, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on ‘Is this you? Let us know!” Submit the application and we’ll review your application within 2 business days.

Questions about the Goodreads Author Program? Reach out to Customer Care or leave them in the comments below!

Next: 12 Motivational Quotes About Writing to Inspire You for #NaNoWriMo

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Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings.

For many authors, being part of a writing group with other authors provides many benefits. The networking and support aspect of it is valuable, as is getting feedback on early writing drafts or advice on how to navigate the publishing world. There are many online groups specifically for authors on Goodreads, including the Goodreads Author Feedback Group, where authors can find answers to many of their questions. Join today if you aren’t a member already, or browse the Groups section to find other groups that pique your interest.

For authors who are not in any groups or who are simply looking for more inspiration, browse our interviews with bestselling authors to learn about their unique approach to Goodreads, the lessons they’ve learned in publishing, and how they measure success.











Got some marketing tips you want to share with the Goodreads Author community? Share them in the comments below!



Next: Top Marketing Resources from 2017 for Savvy Goodreads Authors

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Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings. Not a Goodreads Author yet? Learn about the Goodreads Author Program here.

Many creative writers hunker down in November to participate in what is known as National Novel Writing Month, or #NaNoWriMo if you use Twitter. It’s an exercise in persistence – after all, a 50,000 word novel doesn’t just write itself! To help writers along, we’ve pulled together some inspirational quotes and practical advice about writing from some of the authors nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award this year.



"Stay faithful to the stories in your head."
—Paula Hawkins, author of Into the Water
Nominated for Mystery & Thriller


"Resist the urge to tell your friends and family about your story ideas. Make a rule for yourself that the only way anyone will see your stories is by you writing them."
—Andy Weir, author of Artemis
Nominated for Science Fiction


"Keep writing, even when you feel it sucks. And read absolutely everything you can get your hands on."
—Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network
Nominated for Historical Fiction


"Figure out what scenes make your story your story, and go from there. Use them as mile markers and find your way between them."
—Victoria Schwab, author of Our Dark Duet
Nominated for Young Adult Fantasy




"Write the story in your heart and not the one you think will pay the most money."
—Brenda Jackson, author of Forged in Desire
Nominated for Romance


"Seek out a community of writers who are at the same stage as you to get feedback and emotional support. It's important to get better at your craft, but those friendships will also sustain you through the ups and downs of publishing."
—Sandhya Menon, author of When Dimple Met Rishi
Nominated for Young Adult Fiction


"Worldbuilding can be a lot of work. I try to see where things are linked together—and also to keep mundane details in mind. Just those, put together, give you a kind of rudimentary skeleton to start hanging things on."
—Ann Leckie, author of Provenance
Nominated for Science Fiction




"I never start writing until I know my characters inside and out and how their story will end. Make sure you keep your eye always on the stakes of the story."
—Jeff Zentner, author of Goodbye Days
Nominated for Young Adult Fiction


"Read lots of books which serves many purposes but also shows you what you love to read, what author voice you connect to, and what POV works for you."
—Morgan Rhodes, author of Crystal Storm
Nominated for Young Adult Fantasy


"Be smart about how you're targeting the people you are querying and to do your research ahead of time. There are strict rules about a query letter. Read up on them, seek out agents who represent the work you write, and be confident about your work."
—Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Nominated for Historical Fiction


"I find a place to work that lets me focus, which for me is a quiet corner of an upstairs room by a small window, in a chair that lets me shift position every fifteen minutes. For you, it might be a coffee shop with headphones, or a spot outside, or your own bedroom."
—Francesca Zappia, author of Eliza and Her Monsters
Nominated for Young Adult Fiction




"I think Steve King said 'read, read, read and write, write, write.' I would also add 'keep your butt in that chair.'"
—Karen Marie Moning, author of Feversong
Nominated for Fantasy


Are you participating in #NaNoWriMo? Share your experience—and what keeps you motivated—in the comments below!

Next: Self-Published Thriller 'Silent Child' Created Noise and a Goodreads Choice Nomination

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Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings.