If you follow authors on social media you’ve probably seen the news by now. Goodreads is changing their Giveaway service for authors; well they’re not really changing anything. They list 4 features for their standard package, which is $119, but most of those features already exist in some capacity. It’s a bold move to charge authors (a lot of them indie) to pay over a hundred dollars to give their book away for free. It might end up working out for Goodreads but I know it won’t be from me.
The email from Goodreads announcing these changes really bummed me out. Personally, I loved giving my books away to anyone willing to read them (reviews or not) because I like the idea that I’m entertaining another person. Sure they might think what I write is a piece of shit and laugh the whole way through (or just use the book as a frisbee) but it’s still entertainment.
I will not be participating in the Giveaway program anymore, but I am pretty liberal with my product so if you want to read my books (present and future) feel free to just drop me a line and I’ll most likely send you a copy. Ask politely with the right emoticons and I’ll probably send you a paperback.
“Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity.”
-Thor Heyerdahl
R.K. Gold 