lovecraft68
Bad Doggie
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Posts
- 45,685
A couple of days ago Amazon removed all erotica from their sales rankings. When people send them questions they're getting a formula response that they'll look into it.
Knowing what I know from past dealings I imagine most of their staff has no idea this was going to happen, why it is and are told not to say anything.
What I'm hearing is that because when people use kindle unlimited and put their book for free many are getting a lot of downloads and enough to put their embarrassing smutty e-book high in the rankings leading to more visibility and more attention.
Including attention from the usual moral majority prudes who complain of such things.
Amazon has in the past taken away many things from erotica that other genres enjoy as visibility enhancers. They have also continued to screw with algorithms and rotate visibility. I, like many authors, see this pattern. A glut of sales followed by days that are tumbleweeds, then a burst of sales.
Now the question is, does this stop at the rankings? Its another way to try and pretend that kindle erotica is that step child they hate having in their house, but don't want to ban completely and still want to make some money on and just want to make it even harder to find?
Or is this step one in a final phase out?
No one knows, nor will they ever. Amazon does things with no explanations and of course except for writers and readers of erotica who will complain and of those most don't want to publicly admit they write read and go on a crusade about it.
Another cause of this-from one person and keep in mind everyone is guessing or getting bits and pieces-is the usual suspects. Idiot authors who continue to use graphic profane titles and images that amazon should kick out, but they let everything through then when there is a complaint they act like its the authors fault and pretend it should have never been there(in other words what Lit does with their make believe rules)
What can be done? Nothing...except.
FFS stop using kindle unlimited and being exclusive with Amazon. Put your stuff on Smashwords which is 100% indy owned, operated, focused on and driven by. There are sites like Kitts Excitia(I think that's it) and Carnal PLeasures and There are countless Euro sites and sites around the world to sell erotica in e-form and a lot of them have less content rules than amazon.
Find these sites(I can provide links and info if anyone wants to PM me) and get your work on there and? Advertise it. Whatever marketing you use, stop making amazon the only link you post, push these sites.
Push them not only to turn erotica fans on to your work in other venues, but so that if amazon finally goes full Mike Pence(and don't think for a second the current bible thumping VP is not gearing up for a full out crusade on porn in all its forms) people who want to buy erotica will know where to find it and you.
Amazon saw a big boost in erotica sales when Barnes and Nobles new family values CEO had the stroke of genius to ban many forms of erotica last September which considering the fact they're on death's door as it is what a moronic move. That boost in sales and subsequent rank increases may also be a factor.
Posted this so people know what's going on and offering some suggestions as a courtesy to other authors. If you choose to continue to put all your eggs in the amazon basket you're setting yourself up for a big fall as well as continuing to help a venue that hates you and only has you on there because they may fear wide spread negative publicity if they did an all out ban so the plan, as it has been for years, is to squeeze indy erotica out. I'm sure indy material in general will follow. Bezos is well aware King and Rice and Martin all need that money those pesky indys take from them
Knowing what I know from past dealings I imagine most of their staff has no idea this was going to happen, why it is and are told not to say anything.
What I'm hearing is that because when people use kindle unlimited and put their book for free many are getting a lot of downloads and enough to put their embarrassing smutty e-book high in the rankings leading to more visibility and more attention.
Including attention from the usual moral majority prudes who complain of such things.
Amazon has in the past taken away many things from erotica that other genres enjoy as visibility enhancers. They have also continued to screw with algorithms and rotate visibility. I, like many authors, see this pattern. A glut of sales followed by days that are tumbleweeds, then a burst of sales.
Now the question is, does this stop at the rankings? Its another way to try and pretend that kindle erotica is that step child they hate having in their house, but don't want to ban completely and still want to make some money on and just want to make it even harder to find?
Or is this step one in a final phase out?
No one knows, nor will they ever. Amazon does things with no explanations and of course except for writers and readers of erotica who will complain and of those most don't want to publicly admit they write read and go on a crusade about it.
Another cause of this-from one person and keep in mind everyone is guessing or getting bits and pieces-is the usual suspects. Idiot authors who continue to use graphic profane titles and images that amazon should kick out, but they let everything through then when there is a complaint they act like its the authors fault and pretend it should have never been there(in other words what Lit does with their make believe rules)
What can be done? Nothing...except.
FFS stop using kindle unlimited and being exclusive with Amazon. Put your stuff on Smashwords which is 100% indy owned, operated, focused on and driven by. There are sites like Kitts Excitia(I think that's it) and Carnal PLeasures and There are countless Euro sites and sites around the world to sell erotica in e-form and a lot of them have less content rules than amazon.
Find these sites(I can provide links and info if anyone wants to PM me) and get your work on there and? Advertise it. Whatever marketing you use, stop making amazon the only link you post, push these sites.
Push them not only to turn erotica fans on to your work in other venues, but so that if amazon finally goes full Mike Pence(and don't think for a second the current bible thumping VP is not gearing up for a full out crusade on porn in all its forms) people who want to buy erotica will know where to find it and you.
Amazon saw a big boost in erotica sales when Barnes and Nobles new family values CEO had the stroke of genius to ban many forms of erotica last September which considering the fact they're on death's door as it is what a moronic move. That boost in sales and subsequent rank increases may also be a factor.
Posted this so people know what's going on and offering some suggestions as a courtesy to other authors. If you choose to continue to put all your eggs in the amazon basket you're setting yourself up for a big fall as well as continuing to help a venue that hates you and only has you on there because they may fear wide spread negative publicity if they did an all out ban so the plan, as it has been for years, is to squeeze indy erotica out. I'm sure indy material in general will follow. Bezos is well aware King and Rice and Martin all need that money those pesky indys take from them
