Why You’re Struggling to Switch from Goodreads to The StoryGraph
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- If you’re anything like me then you’re still struggling with the idea of switching from Goodreads to The StoryGraph.
You’ve watched the comparison videos, you know just how rubbish Goodreads (and Amazon) is, but the switch isn’t coming easy.
In this video I’m going to reveal my thoughts so far and address exactly why, for some of us, it’s so dang hard to abandon Goodreads forever.
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Have you made the switch from Goodreads to The StoryGraph, or on the fence?
I have made the switch. It was difficult for me, I don't like change. But what I have found is that it was way easier to make a straight switch then using both. When I only used StoryGraph I got used to it very quickly. It was also actually a lot of fun to update all my books there. And I really like that there is no community element (I don't use it), so I won't have an app where I keep scrolling and commenting.
@@arobinreads yeah that's true. You can see updates from others but it's such a minor feature you can just ignore it. I like that aspect too and interesting that it was difficult for you too! It might just be something to get used to I guess. I'm not good with change either 😅
@@GinaLuciaReads I feel you ❤️ what helped me was seeing the benefits of SG so much. And getting the newsletter helped as well, seeing how much Nadia works on the website
@@arobinreads that's true! They absolutely care that's for sure!
I didn't, unfortunately :( but the biggest reason is that most of my friends and family are on Goodreads and don't want to switch... and I love sharing my experiences with them. I'm not really interested in other followers.
I think it's the same problem with leaving Facebook. The appeal of Goodreads is the social aspect, and there just aren't nearly as many people on the StoryGraph.
@@DanikaLeighEllis you're probably right. Although for me, the social aspect isn't as appealing mostly because I use Instagram for that a little more
I’m using both but again, StoryGraph wins hands down for its recommendations and how well everything works!
Really? I don’t get any good recommendations through storygraph. I find more books through friends on goodreads.
Yall are getting paid to say this bs or sum ?
@@AshCerto- A good friend of mine reads mostly chick lit, a genre I would never go for. The only issue perhaps with StoryGraph is that it can suggest books that are out of print or not available on Kindle.
I’m using both but spend WAY more time on StoryGraph! I love the stats and the format of the reading challenges (e.g. the 52 book challenge) as well as the review process (quarter stars and review prompts). You’re so right, I only update my GR because I’ve put so much into it and I find the reviews easier to read. Whether they’re reliable or not is another story…
@@nimzipow the reviews are absolutely easier to read. I wrote that down today. Goodreads makes reading reviews easier. The StoryGraph makes writing reviews easier
I switched! I love the partial star options and the option to DNF books. Also, it doesn’t crash/break anywhere (like at all) near as much.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’ve been using Goodreads for the first time these past few months & omg the amount of times this app has crashed had me so mad lol I had no idea an app could crash so many times.
Changing from GR to SG was much easier for me because I'm not hung up on the social aspect.
@@maypasifiki9360 no one cares, you can go
Like you I’m using Goodreads and StoryGraph simultaneously. As I read a lot of old and lesserknown novels and magazines I find that Goodreads has the most titles I read. But both have an irritating complicated and slow system for adding new titles. When I’m in a shop I find it easier to check on Goodreads how many titles there are in a series and in what order they have been published. It’s also easy to check the ratings. Although I don’t try to let that influence my buying the book or not.
@@ObscureBookAdventures yes I figured that out the day I posted this video! I always opt to check Goodreads when I'm in a bookshop, I never check The StoryGraph which is interesting. It's just easier to find reviews at a glance
I made a Storygraph account at the end of the year last year and continued to update Goodreads as well. within a few months I stopped using Goodreads completely. I really just prefer the format of Storygraph. especially the feature that shows if the book is plot or character driven. I will say it might have been easier for me to switch because I never liked, or interacted with the social aspects of Goodreads.
@@bfmvluvr93 yeah I see that a lot, the social aspect of Goodreads seems to keep people. I love some of those features on The StoryGraph too
As an Arabic speaker, storygraph doesn't have many Arabic books and publishers doesn't update their libraries there, I don't like goodreads but I feel like I have no choice when it comes to Arabic books, which is frustrating 😅
@@Shahinaz14 I've heard that often with multiple different languages now! I wonder what it would take for them to keep up with things?
its the same for my language as well, but apparently now you can immediately add new books to the site, they take time to verify it (which I read doesn't change much outside of removing the public "user addition" flair). I'm going to give it a shot again, because giving jeff my data for free is the last thing I want.
I’m using both and it’s so hard to leave GR…. I’ve got 10 years of reading challenges that I like to look back on…. I’ve also had problems not finding books on SG and having to add them which is annoying…..I’ve not managed to engage with anyone on SG whereas I have on GR and Instagram… I also like reading old reviews for books that aren’t current to see what people think of the older books :)
@@rachelwoodisse I feel you on all those points! I've had a few issues not finding books on The StoryGraph too which is frustrating when updating both at the same time
I’ve never cared about social aspect of reading as reading is my very private hobby, so yeah, left for StoryGraph, never looked back
I want to also mention that the people who make StoryGraph are genuinely the nicest developers I’ve ever seen. I’ve never had a more pleasant experience when reporting an issue with the app, and I’ve reported many issues in my life. It took them 4 hours to fix the bug and these kinds of things never ever really happen. I’ll never switch back
I totally agree, an awesome team that's for sure!
Good reads seem confusing as a beginner, loved storygraph and it would do better after some updates for sure!
Have been using the simultaneously too this year, but I have mostly abandoned Goodreads and only updated the reas books every two months or so.
I think I prefer the storygraph, specially their recommending function, although there is plenty of work to do regarding making it more intuitive and easy to find the functions.
I think the only thing that makes me keep with Goodreads is the social aspect, as I like to see what my frienda are reading or wanting to read, but not many of them have a Storygraph account.
@@eli_drottningu yes that's true. A lot of people aren't on the platform and yup, some stuff is kinda hard to find. I guess the good news is they're constantly updating and improving
@@GinaLuciaReads And they are very open to feedback.
I'm barely starting to look at Storygraph because I've just heard about it recently, and I wonder if the app/website is the good place to be when you are a writer and a non English-speaker/reader/writer, etc. I do speak English and read in English, but I write in French and so are my friends. I also read a lot in French, write most of my reviews in French. Are books in other languages than English easy to find? Can we add them ourselves? And is this plateform only for readers, or can writers find options for them too?
@@sometimesshewrites I'm not sure but I have heard (and it has been said quite a lot in the comments) it's not very good for non-English books. I'm not sure if they have automatic translation for reviews either!
@@GinaLuciaReads Thank you for your answer! :)
You can manually add any book you wish or any edition of any book to an already existing book (e.g. audiobook to a paper edition)
My first language is not English either, but I don’t see that as an issue with how easily you can add anything you like there
While this is true, my main issue with The Storygraph is that it often feels as isolated as tracking books on my spreadsheet. When I log into Goodreads, it feels much more focused on the social aspect of reading. The Storygraph is much more focused on book stats. I want a more social feed in Storygraph, something that feels front and center. I still update both, but I’m not ready to leave Goodreads completely
This is exactly my issue. I decided not to update Goodreads this year, but I still dip in to see what my friends are up to. I also like the Goodreads articles with book recommendations. I've added a few people in The Storygraph, but I don't seem to be able to do anything to interact with them beyond liking their updates.
I was updating them in tandem for a while but then made the switch to the StoryGraph (my Goodreads still exists, I’ve just stopped updating it) and the biggest downside I’ve run into is that most people use Goodreads. When I find out a real life friend is in to reading, if they use a book app, it is pretty much always Goodreads, so I’ve lost some of that social media part, like seeing my real life friends in my feed. I’ll usually give friends my Goodreads handle in these scenarios while warning them I’m not on it much- that’s the thing that makes me wonder if I should go back to goodreads to update it now and then, almost just for the benefit of my real life friends 😂.
@@jamOkam arg that's such a shame isn't it?! I have Instagram for that myself, most of my friends post there, but there are the few odd people I'd miss in terms of updates if I dropped Goodreads and I'm not sure what the solution would be to that
I read books in arabic, so my problem with the storygraph is that I don't find these books in there
I feel you, I end up having to manually add about every second or third book I read when using Storygraph, whereas its already on Goodreads, with reviews.
It gets annoying. But i’m still using both, just because I really like the stats feature on Storygraph
When I first started story graph, there wasn’t a way to add collages or fan cast pics. Hope that has change
Really interesting video. I’m keen to leave GR but have so many connections with people there it’s a real struggle
@@CriminOllyBlog I'm seeing that as a common thread. A shame you can't send messages to people on Goodreads to encourage others to join The StoryGraph too
I tried to use both for a while but I only care about storygraph for the analytics. I’ll log my books each year just for that but other than this I literally have no other use for it. I’m not someone who will even use the extra features, I don’t like their bland UI, it takes more time for me to keep my page fully updated, I trust book ratings and reviews way less than I do on Goodreads because so few people use storygraph and there’s not enough social interaction to keep me engaged. If Goodreads at least got their shit together and included yearly stats I’d literally have no reason to even consider switching. It’s not worth the effort to me.
I switched to pen and paper, I use a reading journal I bought. I used Goodreads and Storygraph but found I didn't log into them much and just decided to make the switch.
@@gidgetgrlreading9603 oh I love that! Do you make things fancy or just keep a list?
@@GinaLuciaReads sometimes fancy sometimes simple depends on my mood ( hahaha) I did make some cute seasonal reading prompt graphics on Canva for Fall and then one just for October. I think they turned out really cute and will put them in my reading journal. If your interested in seeing them I can show you.
@@gidgetgrlreading9603 oooo yes please!
@@GinaLuciaReads Sent you pictures through instagram messages
I haven't switched and won't. all the things I like about goodreads are not on storygraph 😅😅
I use goodreads almost exclusively to follow and check written reviews by people who's taste meshes with mine - I like that the reviews are on the book's main page, I like seeing the ratings distribution, that you can filter reviews by star ratings, that you can filter by a word in a written review if you want. I like that I can quickly recognize a user's review by their icon. the other big thing: I really like the layout of the my books chart page on desktop and all the column filter options, and that I can save my column preferences. I like that you can see the my books page for any public users profile, which means you can read all of a users reviews on one page.
storygraph hides written reviews on a separate page and I hate the focus on quick 'stats' like mood, pace, loveable characters, etc.
@@timeoccupied yeah I'd agree with the reviews display. I tend to gravitate towards Goodreads when I want to check if a book will be good or not based on reviews because the layout and useability is just so much better
For me the hardest thing about StoryGraph is that they are great on newer books, but vintage and older books are not really on the platform. I read a ton of middle grade books from the 1990s and I kept having to add every single book I was reading in StoryGraph and that became exhausting when they’re all in Goodreads already.
From what I’ve seen, if you’re reading super popular current books or classics, StoryGraph is great. If you’re reading middle grade horror from the 1990s, Goodreads is better. 🤷🏻♂️
I find LibraryThing better than Goodreads. Storygraph needs a UI rethink.
@@GraemeBell9864 ooooo I've never seen or hear of that! Why do you like it?
I have heard, from IT people, that they have very obvious issues with the programing and optimization. While they take pride on being and small business, I think they woul benefit from having at least a second or third person programming.
I really don't want to use goodreads but StoryGraph doesnt have any of the titles I read that aren't in English. I read about half of my books in english and other half in my native language so this is a huge deal and defeats the point of SG :/
apparently there's an option to just immediately add new books to SG now. I'm going to give it a shot again, since I really like the read alongs and buddy reads and community events!
@@szniok oooo how does that work??
@@GinaLuciaReadswhen you don’t find the book you.re looking for, you can try to add it via isbn (can take up to a day) and if that fail (or you don’t have the patience), you can add it manually (with possibility to specify/add a photo of the cover, name of the author, blurb, number of pages, genre, etc). What’s neat is that you can actually add books that don’t have a isbn that way. Which is impossible in GR because Amazon is not interested in that.
Have you tried fable?
@@kata7628 no! I've never even heard of it! Is it like both platforms?
storygraph loses automatically for me bc it doesn't have nearly as much turkish books as goodreads. i can even find pretty unpopular turkish books on goodreads but storygraph doesn't even have translations of some well known authors. thats something they need to fix soon bc if that's the case in turkish i'm guessing that's the case for lots of other languages
I don't know if you've tried this but it's really easy to manually add books to storygraph via ISBN
Yes that's a little annoying at first but the more people add books, especially non english books, the more accessible the platform becomes in the long run
@@su8338 I've had a few people say this! Both with Italian and Spanish books so you're absolutely not alone
Same with Ukrainian books. Unfortunately, there is a very large Ukrainian community on Goodreads, not on Storygraph. And I was tired of constantly adding Ukrainian books on Storygraph. I do really like the charts tho
@@pretentioussunshineI don’t know why but the ISBN feature works very rarely with Ukrainian books 😔
What's the difference between Readalongs and Buddy Reads?
@@jdsutter readalongs are public and a larger number of people can join. Buddy reads are more private and you specifically invite people to join them
@@GinaLuciaReads Thank you!!
I don't see the point of switching because none of my friends or family use either Goodreads or the Storygraph, and even if they did, I suspect Bezos will just buy the Storygraph at some point (he's buying everything). Also, unlike Goodreads, Storygraph is difficult to navigate, it's missing a lot of editions, it doesn't seem to indicate whether an edition is the first edition, many first editions are missing (and as a collector, it's important for me to be able to select the first edition), its stats are often wrong because it doesn't have English versions of some books - e.g. Lempriere's Dictionary, it only allows us to filter by hardback or softback, not by language or first edition, and it takes ages to scroll through my list of books that I've read.
I've tried switching, but I gave up on Storygraph immediately when I tried writing a book review and there were 1000 options to classify the book. I just looked at that and said, "Nope." Too maximalist for me lol
I would find it more interesting if you now only used StoryGraph for the rest of the year, no Goodreads. You have used GR so long, your brain will therefore still be attached. So I think only using SG now would be great and will give you more insight and a better result
@@arobinreads I might do that at the start of next year if I still can't decide. That's a great idea! Especially if I'm still struggling by that point
I'm not struggling I like Goodreads and I don't do things just because other people tell me to
No sorry a good app makes the transition easy, storygraph is mediocre at best
I've abandoned my StoryGraph but want to update it throughout the rest of the year to have it set for next year. I made it a couple years ago but it imported my goodreads data oddly 🙃 and I have to fix dates and editions read manually 🫠 hence the original abandonment. It's incredibly tedious. I also didn't love StoryGraph because I didn't want it to include everything I've read. I didn't import certain children's, middlegrade, and teen books/series. But with still including some YA series, certain authors, and such, recommendations I get are all things I already know about. I wanted the recs to more so reflect the literary fiction and classics I read, but they're almost exclusively YA fantasy from the 2010s. I love the stats for StoryGraph, though, so I'd love to use it along with Goodreads.
@@BaileeWalsh have you tried filling out the preferences survey? The recs you get can be much more tailored when you do
@@GinaLuciaReads yeah, I filled that out when I first made my account.