I am fairly new as well. I am on month one with 52 notes, with another 40 on the way. But I have a tight restriction on what I invest in. Even though they are on the riskier spectrum (C-Es notes) I by all means do not do random. I look at credit, inquiries, income, loan amount, years at job. There are many factors that I look at the more picky I am the better. That way when someone does default hopefully I learn a thing or too. I know there will be defaults but hopefully less then just looking at credit score...