Goodreads Author Program: What it Is & How to Set Up Your Author Page

If you are an author or aspiring author, you hopefully know about the Goodreads Author Program. This free program allows you to easily promote your books and interact with readers on the Goodreads platform.

While using Amazon ads, hosting a book launch party, and learning how to get Amazon book reviews are each integral to your book’s success, don’t overlook the importance of becoming a Goodreads author. 

But what exactly is the Goodreads Author Program? Do you know how to become a Goodreads author? Let’s dive straight into how you can set up your author page. 

What is the Goodreads Author Program?

The Goodreads Author Program is a free program for authors that allows them to interact with their readership through the Goodreads platform.

Learning how to become a Goodreads author is simple, and once you sign up for the program you will have access to an author page where you can update information about yourself and your books. It’s easy to get started. You can join from anywhere in the world as long as you have internet connection and at least one published book. That’s it!

When you sign up for the Goodreads Author Program, you will need to wait for your identity to be verified. Once you are verified, you will have access to all the features of the Goodreads Author Program. That means you will be able to:

• Manage your profile – and update information about yourself
• Advertise your books – and even run giveaways through the Goodreads Author Program
• Interact with your readers – and answer their questions through the Ask The Author section

Now that you know a little more about the Goodreads Author Program, let’s talk about the main perks of Goodreads for authors.

Why is the Goodreads Author Program beneficial?

Creating an author page through the Goodreads Author Program establishes your presence in an online space that is a hub for both writers and readers. Plus, your account is completely free regardless of your geographic location. 

Joining the Goodreads Author Program helps you in a myriad of ways, a few being: 

• Advertise your book/s through the Goodreads Author Program 
• Gain access to marketing tools specific to Goodreads 
• Engage in Q&A via Goodreads’ Ask The Author
• Establish yourself as a credible author 
• Share your author bio via your page 
• Host giveaways from this platform 

Additionally, because you must have a book published (or be publishing soon), you will already know how to write a book description. This comes in handy as you can repurpose this content for:

• Advertising your book
• Marketing it
• Engaging with readers

With all these positives listed, you’re probably ready to join the Goodreads Author Program. So let’s talk about how to become a Goodreads author.

How to join the Goodreads Author Program

Now that you know why you should create your Goodreads Author Page, it’s time to apply for the Author Program. With just a few simple steps you can apply. Furthermore, you have the potential for approval in as little as two business days. 

Step 1: Determine if you are eligible 

If you are reading this post, it’s likely that you are the very audience Goodreads created their program for. The Goodreads Author Program was created with authors and aspiring authors in mind. If you fall into one of the categories below, you are eligible to use Goodreads for authors and can move on to step two:

• You are a published author
• You are in the process of publishing your book
• You are a co-author, illustrator, translator, narrator, editor who…
  • Has edited anthologies or reference books and not a single-author fiction.
  • Illustrated books complete with images 
  • Contributed to a version of the published work that contains illustrations

Please note that while cover artists are not eligible to use Goodreads for authors, if you are a fan fiction and Wattpad author, you are also eligible as long as your story is finished. 

Step 2: Create your account 

If you’re new to the Goodreads Author Page, create your account at Goodreads. If you already have an account, simply sign in. Step two is that simple! 

Step 3: Find your book

Just as authors use Amazon book categories for the benefit of their book, once you sign in or create your account, it’s time to find your book on Goodreads. You can do this via the search bar.

When you locate your title, click on your name or pen name, whichever appears on your book. Move to the bottom of the page and click: IS THIS YOU? LET US KNOW!

In two business days or less, look for an email from Goodreads. 

Tip: If you use your name for one genre and your pen name for a different genre, you will need to create an account for each name. For instance, if I created an account under my name, Sarah Rexford, for nonfiction, but write fiction as Jane Smith, I would need to create a second account.

Step 4: Get to work 

Congratulations! It’s time to get to work. This is where your dashboard comes into play. Your author dashboard houses the information associated with your marketing plans. This one dashboard collects the following for easy access, all in one online space:

• Ask the Author questions from readers 
• Any giveaways you have put up
• Various marketing needs
• Statistics on your progress 

Goodreads encourages authors to bookmark this dashboard so you can reference it with just one click. However, you can also find it when you go to Account Settings. 

Step 5: What if Goodreads doesn’t approve my application?

If you aren’t approved by Goodreads, you will want to double-check the following:

• Your author email address and the one you used for your Goodreads account are the same
• Your author email address appears on your author website or on a form used on your website 
• For Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) users, ensure you use the address associated with your KDP account
• For not-yet-published authors, make sure you include the official link to your book’s release date 

Remember, even if you aren’t accepted the first time you apply, you can simply update your information and apply again. 

The author program is free and easy to apply to. If you forgot to submit one detail or don’t quite meet the criteria, simply try again in the near future. 

If you follow steps one through three and meet the eligibility criteria, you will likely find an approval email in just two days. Now, you can use Goodreads’ free marketing resources to promote the book you worked so hard on! 

Take your next step to becoming an author

If becoming an author sounds like a dream come true, working with a writing coach or company like SelfPublishing will provide you professional guidance. One bonus to working with a coach is that they can speed up your publishing process. 

Writing coaches work with many authors spread across a variety of genres. Because of this, they are extremely familiar with the writing and publishing process. While this may be your first, second, or even third time publishing a book…for a writing coach, it may be their tenth, twentieth, or thirtieth.

Collaborating with someone who has been where you are, helped authors succeed, and is passionate about making your author dream a reality makes all the difference.

Our coaches here at SelfPublishing can help you: 

• Set up and correctly optimize your Goodreads account
• Plan a great book launch party
• Learn how to get Amazon reviews
• Effectively market your book

Could you benefit from help publishing and marketing your book? That’s what we’re here for! Simply book a call today and take the next step toward becoming a published author.