This week's optional question is about NaNo. Since I've never participated in NaNo, I didn't go with the question this month.
My insecurity this month is about another punch in the purse that Amazon is slugging us with. Recently Amazon removed rankings from thousands of books, accusing those authors of gaming the system somehow. Most of the authors are innocent, including moi. Anne R. Allen wrote a great post about it here. Here's another by David Gaughran. The only thing my publisher did differently was put some of my books together in a boxed set. The set was selling really well and maintaining a good ranking. Suddenly rankings for all my books disappeared.
Amazon will not respond to any questions or protests except with an automated response. Not having a ranking makes it almost impossible for anyone to find your book unless they're looking for it specifically. Once again, Amazon has made a sweeping attempt to clean up the cheaters like it did when it purged reviews a while back, but like then, they throw innocent authors under the bus. It's very discouraging to be so helpless against this retail giant we love as a consumer and hate as writers.
It's tough to sit down and write each day with that black cloud hanging over my book sales. And since I'm not one to check my rankings everyday, I have no idea when those rankings disappeared.
Onto better things. Like wasn't Stranger Things, Season 2, good. It was really fun. Rest in peace, Barb, finally. Saying nothing more so I don't spoil if you haven't watched yet. A new show I'm finding okay so far this season is The Gifted which is in the X-Men universe. I don't set my clock by it, but I like it so far. The Good Doctor is a tearjerker every week. I don't know if it can keep that up but I'm still tuning in. Looking forward to the new Thor movie.
A new library story time is starting for my granddaughter today so I'll get to read your posts later today and tomorrow. The fun never ends.
Do you know any writers slapped by Amazon this time or the last time? Are you participating in NaNo? Did you watch Stranger Things 2?
24 comments:
Wonderful write Susan, I am not taking part in the NaNo blogfest for personal reasons. Why Amazon has to alter things is a complete mystery thus causing bewilderment to many authors I'm sure.
Happy Novemeber.
Yvonne.
Hi Susan - I hear and read what you all say about Amazon ... it does seem so unfair to be steamrolled by Amazon - hopefully sometime it will all get sorted out ... cheers and good luck with your writing - Hilary
Hi,
I'm really sorry to hear about what has happened to your books that were ranked. I don't have any book published yet but I imagine that is very annoying. I hope Amazon restores your ranking list completely.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
So sorry for what happened to you on Amazon. It's terrible how Amazon won't even respond. Hope with enough complaints that they will do something.
I haven't watched Stranger Things, but am thinking of checking it out.
Sorry to hear that Amazon are not playing nicely. Hope that gets sorted quickly!
I need to check the rankings of all of DLP's books then. Funny, I've always been wary of Amazon and how it operates. Sure it's a good game, but what happens when it's the only game in town? Then authors are really screwed because Amazon can do whatever it wants. And now they are.
Hadn't heard that about Amazon.
Stranger Things rocked! The Gifted is good - far better than Inhumans.
Sorry to hear that you've been affected. Amazon really needs to sort out this mess. Not sure how they intend doing so, since their only response is via automated messages.
Maybe the missing 'human element' is needed to sort this out? After all, it seems like the machines can't do it. But this would mean paying people to get the job done properly... which is another problem... and a separate topic... for another time.
Happy IWSG Day!
Amazon has pretty much the monopoly, which means they can do such things and get away with it. All comes back to $$$ for them. Stranger Things was great indeed.
I had no idea that Amazon had done anything with rankings at all. That's how informed I am. And I'm sorry that you've been getting nothing in response other than automated messages. Very disappointing.
I've been enjoying The Good Doctor, too. And I can't wait to see Thor this weekend.
Ugh, that's terrible about Amazon. Had no idea they were doing that to sales rankings till I read your post. So sorry you and so many others are being affect by this right now!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN 🎃! WE LOVED STRANGER THINGS AND WATCHED IT DURING OUR 4-DAY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND. IT SUCKS WET MONKEY BALLS ABOUT AMAZON AND WHAT THEY DID TO YOU AND OTHERS WHO WEREN'T CHEATING. SADLY, YOUTUBE IS A HOT MESS RIGHT NOW AS WELL WITH PROBLEMS TOO. IT SEEMS LIKE IN ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN HOUSE, BOTH PLATFORMS ARE SCREWING THE LITTLE GUY. WELCOME TO LIFE.
Yeh for Stranger Things 2! Loved it!
I have a note of The Good Doctor, but I'm usually cried out because of This Is Us so not sure I can add another tearjerker to the lineup. :)
Ugh. I hope that Amazon does the right thing, but have little faith. Now you make me wonder if I should maybe go look at my books...or not.
Let's see...not doing NaNo this year, and not watching Stranger Things or anything else.
But I like story time at the library. Once in a while, they let me do it :)
—Rebecca
My IWSG Post
It's sad when an attempt to crack down on the cheaters punishes the innocent most of all, but that's what happens when enough people start to game the system. My hope is that they find a better way soon.
How unfair! They're just punishing people for having a sales burst. Amazon doesn't seem to care about the best way to purge cheaters, just the fastest way.
Too much power! I don't think people realize just how much Amazon controls their lives. It scars me. A lot.
Amazon certainly doesn't seem to have any qualms about putting fledgling authors' careers in jeopardy. It's a scary thing.
I have been reading about authors diversifying and not putting all their hopes into Amazon. Some have good results with Kobo, Smashwords, Apple, and Barns & Noble. They say the google ebook retailers and put together a list. They are no longer using the KDP one that requires exclusivity. Just a thought. It is a shame as you love as consumer but becoming the monopoly of control that hurts the little author even if unintentionally. It is scary.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
When big companies try to fix things, they often mess up the stuff that's not broken. They should stop tinkering without doing better research first.
I'm trying NaNoWriMo again, this time hoping to make it to the end. So far, out of 4 tries, I've only reached the 50,000 word goal once. Still, I always end up with something, even if it's just a new resolve.
I've only watched one episode of Strange Things (the first season). It was interesting, but my wife was on the fence and we usually watch TV together. And I'm too busy writing to spend alone time watching TV.
Too bad about the Amazon screwup. Hopefully they'll get things figured out soon. Watching your ranking drop can't be good for your morale.
I'm sorry you got caught in this. I read about it a little and it sucks. Amazon never admits when they screw up and hurt real authors either. They just brush it off until the next time they do something.
Ugh. Sorry the Amazon thing hit you. They can be real buggers at times.
I hadn't heard of this until now. It must be really frustrating.
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