Yesterday I received an email from Goodreads, informing me that I am in their top 1% of reviewers. I must admit that for a brief minute I daydreamed of limousines and red carpets, of a Parkinson style Masterclass TV show interviewing JK Rowling or Stephen King.
Actually, I lie. I thought, Cool but what they hell does that mean? I should also note that with 20 million people on Goodreads that I share the 1% with 19999 other reviewers.
Am I in the top 100 or the bottom 19900’s?
Is it an indication of how many reviews I have posted? How many of them have been viewed?
It is ultimately meaningless. Which brings me to the question. Why? Why Goodreads are you attempting to curry favour with me (and 19999 others)? Is it just a simply scheme to spread your marketing further, to draw more people to the site, through my social networks that I have built up.
You make all the money from the site.
I often wonder if Goodreads and other sites are worth it for reviewers. We generate content and page hits (and ultimately money) for Amazon and I don’t know that being a presence on Goodreads actually grants me anything but another place to post my reviews. Sure it’s a free platform but so’s my blog. Do Publishers check reviewer rankings before deciding on posting out review copy?
Money should flow to the writer no? Should that go for the review writer as well?
And by money I don’t mean being paid for specific reviews, but being cut in on some of the money we are helping generate.
Once upon A time we had newspaper reviewers( you can still find this rapidly vanishing breed) and those reviewers were paid to review, remuneration was indirect, combating conflict of interest. Those times have gone but one thing still hasn’t changed - the corporate entity still makes the money, the real top 1% still make the money.
So I reaffirm my commitment to advertising Booktopia, an Australian company that has an affiliate scheme that has generated five fold what Amazon ever did and that actually sees reviewers as worthy of including in a cut of the pie.
Your thoughts?
Note: I am not really cranky, just casting a sideways glance at a company that’s getting me to do their marketing for them. 
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