SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR FRIENDSThis *INSANE* email from Barnes & Noble WTF—no more than 100 books and they start deleting??—removing titles that don't meet minimum sales?
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the injury of indie authors being shoved off platforms because AI is sucking up all the storage space after the insult of those very works being stolen by AI corps to feed their slop machine
(D2D and B&N both)
@susankayequinn That frustration is very real for many indie authors right now
It raises serious questions about platform priorities, fair access, and how creative work is being used in the AI era. -
R relay@relay.infosec.exchange shared this topic
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Well that's Asimov's catalog fecked right to the curb.
@johntimaeus oh no it only applies to self-published authors! you know, the people who simultaneously don't count and account for a huge chunk of their ebook sales. Especially indies with over 100 titles!
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SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR FRIENDS
This *INSANE* email from Barnes & Noble WTF
—no more than 100 books and they start deleting??
—removing titles that don't meet minimum sales?What the hell? I've been publishing since 2011... I have 145 titles.
AI deluge screwing us but still...it's war on indies.
@susankayequinn What the, and I can't stress this enough, actual fuck?!
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the injury of indie authors being shoved off platforms because AI is sucking up all the storage space after the insult of those very works being stolen by AI corps to feed their slop machine
(D2D and B&N both)
@susankayequinn this is going to suck since I earn nowhere close to the $100 and I suck at marketing myself
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@susankayequinn this is going to suck since I earn nowhere close to the $100 and I suck at marketing myself
@MisWiredKE I am outraged so much about this -- both B&N and D2D but D2D literally built their entire business on indies but they're really no better than the average scammer out there now
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@kaidenshi B&N has also *always* been very biased against indies, and of course very corporate-driven. I was hoping they'd be a bulwark against Amazon but NOPE
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the injury of indie authors being shoved off platforms because AI is sucking up all the storage space after the insult of those very works being stolen by AI corps to feed their slop machine
(D2D and B&N both)
I just sent email to D2D about this. I find it especially galling that they are making those earning the least pay for those who make more money on their system.
Why not make it a subscription system if they need money so badly? That would be more honest.
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I just sent email to D2D about this. I find it especially galling that they are making those earning the least pay for those who make more money on their system.
Why not make it a subscription system if they need money so badly? That would be more honest.
@Firlefanz IDK about subscription (I loathe those generally) but you're right, it's very much punishing small authors, first-time authors, authors in lower-selling genres, etc. And it's just NUTS in terms of the longevity of their business as well. Sure, go ahead, absolutely STOP COLD any new authors from trying out this self-publishing thing to see if they can make a go of it and MAKE ALL YOUR FUTURE REVENUE. It's 100% corporate short-term bullshit mindset. They should be ashamed.
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@Firlefanz IDK about subscription (I loathe those generally) but you're right, it's very much punishing small authors, first-time authors, authors in lower-selling genres, etc. And it's just NUTS in terms of the longevity of their business as well. Sure, go ahead, absolutely STOP COLD any new authors from trying out this self-publishing thing to see if they can make a go of it and MAKE ALL YOUR FUTURE REVENUE. It's 100% corporate short-term bullshit mindset. They should be ashamed.
I agree.
They should be ASHAMED.
I use them for everything except Amazon and Google Play Store. I was so happy they finally finagled that contract with Bookshop.org.
And now this. It's so depressing.
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I agree.
They should be ASHAMED.
I use them for everything except Amazon and Google Play Store. I was so happy they finally finagled that contract with Bookshop.org.
And now this. It's so depressing.
@Firlefanz I *only* use them for Bookshop but if I was in your position, I would stop distributing your books through them (except for Bookshop) and go direct everywhere. And tell them. You're not going to support them with your sales if they're going to turn their backs on indies like this.
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"sane people wouldn't publish more than 100 books."
@mwl @susankayequinn I enjoyed a marketing preso by a young author with over 100 titles on Amazon just this weekend. Authors need to produce that much to stay afloat.
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@Firlefanz I *only* use them for Bookshop but if I was in your position, I would stop distributing your books through them (except for Bookshop) and go direct everywhere. And tell them. You're not going to support them with your sales if they're going to turn their backs on indies like this.
I use them for *everything* except Google and Amazon.
I *can* set up directly with Kobo and Tolino, but that's about it.
B&N demands a US checking account.
Apple demands a freaking Apple computer.I *just* started using them for print through IngramSpark.
I am so freaking disappointed in Draft2Digital. I used to recommend them everywhere. I will no longer do that. (Yes, I told them that, too.)
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I use them for *everything* except Google and Amazon.
I *can* set up directly with Kobo and Tolino, but that's about it.
B&N demands a US checking account.
Apple demands a freaking Apple computer.I *just* started using them for print through IngramSpark.
I am so freaking disappointed in Draft2Digital. I used to recommend them everywhere. I will no longer do that. (Yes, I told them that, too.)
@Firlefanz You should be able to go direct to IngramSpark (although I honestly don't know if it works for authors outside the US). B&N I understand -- they're a pain. Apple has long been that way, although I think there's a workaround now that doesn't require a Mac (I still use a Mac but I think the need for that went away a while ago): https://www.indiepublishinggroup.com/complete-guide-to-self-publishing-on-apple-books-for-authors/
(Kobo direct also allows you to apply for their promo and distribute to libraries)
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@Firlefanz You should be able to go direct to IngramSpark (although I honestly don't know if it works for authors outside the US). B&N I understand -- they're a pain. Apple has long been that way, although I think there's a workaround now that doesn't require a Mac (I still use a Mac but I think the need for that went away a while ago): https://www.indiepublishinggroup.com/complete-guide-to-self-publishing-on-apple-books-for-authors/
(Kobo direct also allows you to apply for their promo and distribute to libraries)
Yeah. I actually do sell the odd book on B&N. *sigh*
Biggest sales channel on D2D for me is Apple.
It's very good to know that Kobo distributes to libraries, though, that might actually convince me to go direct with them.
Funny enough, Google Play Store is now doing best for me.
So for now, I'll probably grit my teeth and stay on D2D, but it's high time we Indies team up and build our own sales platform.
And then D2D can forget their business.
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@Firlefanz I *only* use them for Bookshop but if I was in your position, I would stop distributing your books through them (except for Bookshop) and go direct everywhere. And tell them. You're not going to support them with your sales if they're going to turn their backs on indies like this.
I started with them to list with Apple. I'd been direct with them until they changed their policy and insisted I had to post a webpage with my address and phone number. Wasn't going to post my real address so I had to pay for a UPS address twice a year to remain direct. Going through D2D bypasses that requirement. I do make sales on Apple. $12 a year is cheaper than what I was paying UPS. And you can't go direct with bookshop--I tried.
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the injury of indie authors being shoved off platforms because AI is sucking up all the storage space after the insult of those very works being stolen by AI corps to feed their slop machine
(D2D and B&N both)
@susankayequinn heard from three different folks: the B&N 100-book limit doesn't apply to long-time prolific authors. Contact support.
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@susankayequinn heard from three different folks: the B&N 100-book limit doesn't apply to long-time prolific authors. Contact support.
@mwl I have already done so! But that's good to hear... but also not? What about the upcoming prolific authors? Maybe it won't have the impact on new authors (hello that could be their future revenue!) that the D2D stuff does, but what about minimum sales? How is an author supposed to get STARTED? Is it like some kind of Book Hunger Games now that if you don't make X sales (which of course they don't specify!) out of the gate, they'll pull your books!
It's just nuts.
(but thanks for the info!)
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@mwl I have already done so! But that's good to hear... but also not? What about the upcoming prolific authors? Maybe it won't have the impact on new authors (hello that could be their future revenue!) that the D2D stuff does, but what about minimum sales? How is an author supposed to get STARTED? Is it like some kind of Book Hunger Games now that if you don't make X sales (which of course they don't specify!) out of the gate, they'll pull your books!
It's just nuts.
(but thanks for the info!)
@susankayequinn I suspect retailers and aggregators will need to judge between AI and humans.
Which will end... poorly.
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@susankayequinn I suspect retailers and aggregators will need to judge between AI and humans.
Which will end... poorly.
As a short-run strategy, the only thing I can think of as mitigation is what @mwl and some others are already doing: Diversify, build fans, sell directly whenever possible, encourage doing something other than exclusives with giant corps that don't have your interests in mind.
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As a short-run strategy, the only thing I can think of as mitigation is what @mwl and some others are already doing: Diversify, build fans, sell directly whenever possible, encourage doing something other than exclusives with giant corps that don't have your interests in mind.
A creator's only safety lies in business disintermediation. Highly recommended.
