This will be short and sweet.
Published author or unpublished. Traditional or indie pubbed. Pubbed by Amazon or Hachette – or any other publisher…
This message is for you.
Stay out of it! What is happening between publishers is between them. Not you. Yes, it affects you as one of ‘their’ authors but the negotiations between them is exactly that – between them. You don’t know the full story. The media certainly doesn’t (although they have a unique spin on it for sure). Raising your voice in complaint does only one thing, and trust me – it’s not a good one.
It makes you look bad.
There are a lot of posts out there right now on this very topic and everyone has an opinion. Unfortunately, there are some authors who are being painted in a very poor light by others and it’s hurting them in the long run by losing readers. And that’s never a good thing. (and no, I will not link to those sites…I’m sure you’ve read them).
Here’s what you need to do. Focus on your readers and your stories. That’s it.
Yes, I get it – having your preorder button taken away sucks and there’s a whole slew of backlash to your career with your publisher because of it. I get it. But you’re not the only author dealing with stuff like this. What about those authors who can’t get a preorder button or those authors who can’t get their books in stores for readers to find? See…there are other issues authors are dealing with – one is no worse than the other.
Instead of lambasting a company in public, how about do it in private with other authors who understand what you are going through and in public, praise your readers? Thank them for buying your books? Offer them other means to buy those books if they can’t preorder with one company? Get them hungry for that book that is coming out so that when that preorder button comes back or when your release day finally arrives…they will be ordering up a storm!
Just a thought.
