Off Radar: What made you create Bookworm Reads? How did your background as a software developer play a part?

Goodman: I created Bookworm because I wanted a way to track my books that wasn’t tied to Amazon. When considering what is so bad about Goodreads (besides that it’s owned by Amazon), several issues came to mind: it’s hard to find your friends, it’s hard to stay connected once you do, and the rating features are limited (no half stars!). I could go on. I knew I wanted something social to see what my friends are reading, something pretty, and something functional. Since I’m a coder by trade, I know how to build apps, so when first building Bookworm, I let my imagination run wild and came up with a very early version that was extremely colorful, very fun, and mostly functional. It’s grown a lot since then, mostly because of the efforts of our amazing team of volunteers (go Team Worm!), but I think that original vision is still very much present.

Off Radar: Can you talk about the other features Bookworm Reads offers besides book tracking?

Goodman: The core of Bookworm really is our community features, like the “Ask the community” prompt on the home feed where folks can ask for book recs, post bookish questions, and engage in conversation. We also have a book club feature, where you can organize your book club and host a discussion in the app. We have a really fun end-of-year bookworm wrapped feature. And  ProWorms (our paid tier) get access to personal reading stats year-round.

Off Radar: Can you talk about the importance of community? Particularly in digital spaces and in the literary world?

Goodman: Books are meant to be shared. Reading can feel like a solitary activity, but so much of the magic comes from talking about books, recommending them, screaming about plot twists, etc. That’s why community is at the heart of Bookworm—it’s not just about logging what you read, it’s about connecting with people who make reading even more fun.

In digital spaces, community is even more important. There are so few places online that feel good to be in, and Bookworm accomplishes that. We see friendships forming, people hyping each other up, deep book discussions, and just a general vibe of kindness and fun. And in the literary world—where big companies (booooo Amazon) have taken over so much of the industry—having a place that prioritizes readers and their experiences, rather than just sales and rankings, is really powerful.

Off Radar: How does Bookworm Reads cultivate safe spaces and inclusivity?

Goodman: From the start, we’ve been extremely intentional about making Bookworm a space where readers can feel safe, respected, and welcome. We don’t tolerate hate, bigotry, or harassment—period. And we’re proactive about keeping it that way. We have clear community guidelines, moderation tools, and a culture that prioritizes kindness.

Inclusivity also shows up in the way we design Bookworm. We celebrate diverse books, highlight underrepresented voices, and create features that make it easy for all kinds of readers to feel at home. 

Off Radar: The app doesn’t employ AI, unlike many other apps. Can you discuss your reasoning behind that?

Goodman: The biggest reason is that we believe our community is our greatest feature. The worms come through and give book recs (and so much more) that AI couldn’t replicate. By keeping AI out of our app, we’re forcing folks to interact with each other and build our community in a way that is so special to the Bookworm experience. 

Off Radar: Is there anything you would like to add about Bookworm?

Goodman: I’m so, so grateful for this community. Bookworm exists for the incredible readers who show up every day to share their love of books, support each other, and make this space what it is. Bookworm exists because of the incredible folks who volunteer their time to build this beautiful gift. Seeing Bookworm grow into something that means so much to so many people is honestly unreal. If you’re reading this and you’re a worm—hi, I love you, thank you for being here.