Manage your reading list: BookWyrm
For the longest time I used Goodreads to keep track of what I was reading and what I wanted to read next. I really liked the site. Even though I’d been using it for a long time, there wasn’t much going on. Then I read that it was actually owned by Amazon. In my quest to cut down on big companies, I wasn’t happy. So I looked for an alternative and found one based in the Fediverse.
Fediverse?
Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, I’ve been using Mastodon instead. It’s pretty much like Twitter, but it’s based on the Fediverse. The Fediverse is basically a network of connected social media platforms. The name comes from “federated” + “universe”. Mastodon isn’t just one server, but a decentralised network of autonomous servers that are all connected. They’re basically a “federation”. Because it’s so independent, no one can buy it and shut it down. That’s pretty cool!
But the Fediverse is bigger than just Mastodon. There are many other platforms that make up the Fediverse. While Mastodon looks and functions similarly to Twitter or Tumblr, other platforms are often also alternatives to more familiar corporate social media like PixelFed (Instagram), Peertube (YouTube), or BookWyrm (Goodreads).
BookWyrm
BookWyrm is ad-free, anti-corporate and federated. This means it operates as a decentralised platform rather than being controlled by a single company. It lets you keep track of your reading progress, chat with other people who like the same books. You can write detailed reviews, and find new books based on recommendations from real people instead of algorithms pushing bestsellers. At the heart of BookWyrm is its community – it’s all about real interactions and interesting conversations. It is not about collecting data or making money.
On BookWyrm, you can keep track of all the books you’ve read, keep your profile list tidy, and even set yourself some personal reading goals to keep you on track. You can follow other readers, see what they’re enjoying, and have some great discussions without any of the pressure of corporate influence. Whether you’re on the lookout for your next great read, keen to share your thoughts, or just want to chat with other book lovers, BookWyrm is a friendly, user-driven space for all of that and more.
Find me
If you’re interested, I’d love for you to check out BookWyrm’s webpage and look me up! I’ve got a profile there, and we can connect, share book recommendations and discuss our latest reads. It’s free to create a profile, and since BookWyrm is a community-driven platform, every new user makes it even better. The more people that join, the better the discussions, the more diverse the book suggestions, and the stronger the platform becomes as an alternative to those reading networks owned by corporations.
I really believe we need to support and strengthen independent, decentralised social platforms like this. If we don’t, we risk being stuck with whatever Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, and the rest of the big tech giants decide to give us – or worse, take away from us. BookWyrm offers an alternative: a space where readers can engage without intrusive ads, data mining, or corporate influence shaping their experience.
