Authors and readers alike have been following the saga of #cockygate, the internet-blowup surrounding one author's attempt to bully other authors into changing the names of their books. Author Faleena Hopkins first wordmarked her romance series title as it appears in a logo, but then may or may not have trademarked the word "cocky." As such, she began reaching out to authors … [Read more...] about #CockyGate Continues With Cringeworthy Victim-Blaming
self publishing
Is Amazon Destroying Indie Authors Careers?
Ask any self-published author about their thoughts on Amazon, and you're likely to get one hundred opinions from one hundred writers. For some, the retail giant represents the gateway to opportunity, options for publishing that were never before available in history. For others, Amazon is symbolic of everything wrong with corporations: arbitrary rules, hoops to jump through, … [Read more...] about Is Amazon Destroying Indie Authors Careers?
Publishing Suicide: Indie Authors Turn into the Bullies
Over the years, this news site has covered far more news of author bullying than any site should ever have to. The articles on bullies who turn on authors--especially indie authors--never fail to draw the trolls and naysayers out of the woodwork, and this article will most assuredly be no different. This time, it's different, though. Rather than the poor creative who's faced … [Read more...] about Publishing Suicide: Indie Authors Turn into the Bullies
Traditionally Published Authors Want What Indies Have
When self-published authors like Amanda Hocking became book industry names, it was for reaching incredible sales figures on the fairly new Kindle e-reading platform. After reaching newsworthy levels of success, Hocking and others like her attracted the attention of literary agents and publishers looking to reach consumers. Experts would often question why an author who was … [Read more...] about Traditionally Published Authors Want What Indies Have
Is Audible Romance Ripping Off Authors?
When Amazon launched ACX, its KDP or CreateSpace-style self-publishing platform for audiobooks, it was seen as a great equalizer for both authors and readers. Audiobooks can be prohibitively expensive, so much so that only a fraction of books (even traditionally published books) makes its way into audio. With the ability to record your own audiobook file, hire a narrator … [Read more...] about Is Audible Romance Ripping Off Authors?
Amazon Review Fraud Hits New Categories
Authors have been accused of buying reviews of their books for years. At the very least, there have been accusations hurled of authors building up lists of people to pad their review counts, a practice that is not at all in violation of Amazon's terms so long as the reviews are genuine and mention is made of the free book the reviewer received. But one couple has come forward … [Read more...] about Amazon Review Fraud Hits New Categories
New Amazon Scam Hits Authors and Consumers
It's tax filing season for US consumers, so all across America, paperwork has filtered into households with the residents' income statement. These documents reflect their total amount of wage earnings, as well as the amounts that are withheld or are still taxable. Unfortunately, one security researcher has uncovered a scam that has increased the reported amount of income that … [Read more...] about New Amazon Scam Hits Authors and Consumers
Fifty Shades of Bad for You?
Whether you're a fan of the books and movie franchise or not, there's little doubt that 50 Shades and its complete line of products has made an impact. Some can argue that it brought not only indie authors but also fan fiction into the more respectable mainstream, although a growing number of critics are pointing to the unhealthy dynamics in the book as everything wrong with … [Read more...] about Fifty Shades of Bad for You?
Ingram Spark vs CreateSpace vs KDP Paperback
With the signs and portents in self-publishing pointing to the eventual closure of CreateSpace, there's a lot of concern and discussion about what alternatives authors have for their print-on-demand titles. The early warning signs, namely the beta launch of a paperback option in KDP as well as the closure of the CreateSpace e-store which sent all sales over to Amazon, have left … [Read more...] about Ingram Spark vs CreateSpace vs KDP Paperback
Author Earnings: “The Pool Is Open”
The number-fanatics behind the Author Earnings report have released another installment in their in-depth analysis of how book sales are taking shape across the publishing landscape. While there were very few earth-shaking surprises in the data this time around, it's more like enough proof that a few long-held beliefs about publishing can finally be put to bed. 1. There's no … [Read more...] about Author Earnings: “The Pool Is Open”
B&N Rebrands Its Self-publishing Platform – Nook Press
Self-published authors who've relied on multiple sales channels to put their books in front of readers will be excited by today's announcement from Barnes & Noble: NOOK Press is now re-launching as simply Barnes & Noble Press, which will incorporate both the ebook and print-on-demand sites. The rollout is expected to take place over the next three days, and there … [Read more...] about B&N Rebrands Its Self-publishing Platform – Nook Press
Amazon Accidentally Drops a 50% Royalty Bombshell
Indie authors who took a browse through their KDP dashboards this week might have noticed a tiny new "unclickable" feature: a 50% royalty. As reported by the Alliance of Independent Authors, there are a ton of reasons why Amazon might be prepping to make 50% an option instead of the two current choices, 70% and 35%, but those reasons are all speculation at this point. First, … [Read more...] about Amazon Accidentally Drops a 50% Royalty Bombshell
Wattpad Secures $51M in New Funding
Whether you're a reader or a writer, if you're not on Wattpad, you're missing out. While the company is certainly not new, their continued efforts at innovation while maintaining and growing a dedicated following mean it is a source of discovery for readers and interaction for authors. Wattpad may have just started as a message board of sorts for authors posting snippets of … [Read more...] about Wattpad Secures $51M in New Funding
Smashwords Was NOT Hacked…But Change Your Password
Self-publishing platform recently sent out an announcement to its authors containing the CEO's year-ahead predictions, but if you didn't pause to open that and read it, you might have missed the second item...and it's pretty important. First, if you're one of the authors who pulled their books out of other retailers' platforms to enroll in KDP Select, you might have … [Read more...] about Smashwords Was NOT Hacked…But Change Your Password