Can you hide stories?

[AndromedaDreamer]

Is it possible to make some of your stories unavailable without deleting them from the site?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Is it possible to make some of your stories unavailable without deleting them from the site?

I believe this can be done from the admin side, when a story is reported for content violations - it gets hidden from public view but the author can still edit it and request reconsideration.

I'm not aware of a way for authors to do this on their own, but perhaps you could ask Laurel whether she'd do it for you? Might depend on the reasons though.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Why would one want to hide a story but not delete it? Just curious!

 

[AndromedaDreamer]

Why would one want to hide a story but not delete it? Just curious!

Well, I might want to put it somwhere else for a bit, then maybe put it back here later.

I could just delete them, but wouldn't want to lose all the comments and scores and stuff.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

I could see the virtue in having a story that is categorized 'followers only', so as to avoid the trolls and one-bombers who haunt so many of us. Like setting your Facebook to 'friends only' for your posts and info.

But that really only makes a difference if you have a brobdingnagian number of followers, I guess.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I believe this can be done from the admin side, when a story is reported for content violations - it gets hidden from public view but the author can still edit it and request reconsideration.

I'm not aware of a way for authors to do this on their own, but perhaps you could ask Laurel whether she'd do it for you? Might depend on the reasons though.

A writer could Report their own story, that would get it taken down. They could then resubmit it when/if they wanted to, with a note.

I can't see why a writer would want to do this, though, since they can take a story anywhere else, at any time. Someone will rush in and say you can't have content here on Lit if you want to sell it commercially, but that's not true. Lit content isn't delivered in an e-book format, so those other publisher rules don't appy.

 

[Bramblethorn]

A writer could Report their own story, that would get it taken down. They could then resubmit it when/if they wanted to, with a note.

I can't see why a writer would want to do this, though, since they can take a story anywhere else, at any time. Someone will rush in and say you can't have content here on Lit if you want to sell it commercially, but that's not true. Lit content isn't delivered in an e-book format, so those other publisher rules don't appy.

Some example ToS from Amazon:

When you include a Digital Book in KDP Select, you give us the exclusive right to sell and distribute your Digital Book in digital format while your book is in KDP Select. During this period of exclusivity, you cannot sell or distribute, or give anyone else the right to sell or distribute, your Digital Book (or a book that is substantially similar), in digital format in any territory where you have rights.

I expect posting on Literotica would count as "distributing" a book that is "substantially similar", "in digital format". I'm not aware of any law that requires a specific file format/etc. for something to count as a "book".

The ToS also gives them the rights to pocket your royalties if they believe you've violated the conditions, so you'd then need to convince an arbitrator otherwise.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Some example ToS from Amazon:



I expect posting on Literotica would count as "distributing" a book that is "substantially similar", "in digital format". I'm not aware of any law that requires a specific file format/etc. for something to count as a "book".

The ToS also gives them the rights to pocket your royalties if they believe you've violated the conditions, so you'd then need to convince an arbitrator otherwise.

If you have any story in KDP Select, the material can't appear in a digital format anywhere else. It can be printed and sold but not be listed as an online read or PDF download. I know a lot of writers cheat on it when it's at free sites. But if you get caught they pull it from KDP Select and could ban you from publishing.

 

[Bramblethorn]

If you have any story in KDP Select, the material can't appear in a digital format anywhere else. It can be printed and sold but not be listed as an online read or PDF download. I know a lot of writers cheat on it when it's at free sites. But if you get caught they pull it from KDP Select and could ban you from publishing.

Yep. I think EB is saying that Literotica doesn't count because it's not a "book", but I am not convinced that would fly.

 

[lovecraft68]

Smashwords and most platforms don't care if you have published elsewhere, even if its for free.
Amazon cares only in the sense of you cannot sell something cheaper than the price you have on amazon-their longtime way of dictating the market-and being here is free, if they catch it, your book will be pulled.

So its not about it being on lit, its the free part. Same goes for if you have your book for $3.99 on amazon, but they find you have it on smashwords for $2.99

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yep. I think EB is saying that Literotica doesn't count because it's not a "book", but I am not convinced that would fly.

What can I say? I've got content here, but it's not as a saleable book, and the same content on Amazon (and through other distributors), as books (both ebooks and print on demand), with a pretty picture on the cover and an ISBN.

They're happy enough taking their fucking huge slug. They'll only do something if someone else takes the money. Lit takes no money, and the product here isn't a "book", so it's not "publishing" in that sense.

I've not got anything on KDP, because when I tried to load it (a while ago now) I kept coming up against a "not available in Australia" thing - but that was something to do with regional licensing, I think, so I gave up trying to figure it out. KDP does have exclusivity bollocks, but if you read the small print, that's because they deem themselves the publisher - and in that context, using Smashwords or similar would be disallowed competition.

But nobody seriously thinks anyone at Amazon actually checks anything against Lit, surely? Their computers can easily check against "same title, same book" if it's being distributed elsewhere as a book but that's my point - Lit is not selling "books".

Key subtlety though - with my content I'm the publisher - I own the ISBNs - and the outlets are distributors only.

What makes me laugh, is when you go to Amazon and they say they've got dozens of second-hand copies for sale. Since I get regular reports from my primary outlet, I see exactly how many copies have been sold as print book or ebook, and the payments made to my account.

Saying "print on demand" ends up with lots of second hand books is just laughable. Nobody is going to run a print book machine unless the customer has already paid. That's why it's called print on demand.

 

[lovecraft68]

You can listen to the guy above me who has repeatedly cried about how he's barely sold anything to the point he discourages people from publishing or....you can listen to someone who's been selling for 11 years and sells enough to make it more than worth the effort.

If you have a story on here. "Hell Hath No Fury" and its a 6 page lit story (22k or so) and you take that story, slap a cover on it and sell it at amazon....that is considered a book. In the e-market it doesn't have to be the Lord of the Rings to be a book....a story that is converted to sale is now an e BOOK. If amazon finds "Hell Hath No Fury" on lit two things can and will happen

The first issue is they could think the book was stolen unless your lit name is your amazon pen name(not likely) the second is you're trying to sell it for $$$ on amazon, and here it is for free. Calling it a book is semantics, point is you can't sell anything for less than listed on amazon, free is less.

That's how it works, period.

 

[XerXesXu]

A writer could Report their own story, that would get it taken down.

Interesting. Why would it be taken down if it contains no violations? Wouldn't the author have to draw attention to violations, and Laurel to review the story and agree? I've seen others say that they've reported violations, repeatedly, and no action has been taken.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Smashwords and most platforms don't care if you have published elsewhere, even if its for free.
Amazon cares only in the sense of you cannot sell something cheaper than the price you have on amazon-their longtime way of dictating the market-and being here is free, if they catch it, your book will be pulled.

So its not about it being on lit, its the free part. Same goes for if you have your book for $3.99 on amazon, but they find you have it on smashwords for $2.99

That's right for KDP in general, but I think KDP Select does require exclusivity?

What can I say? I've got content here, but it's not as a saleable book, and the same content on Amazon (and through other distributors), as books (both ebooks and print on demand), with a pretty picture on the cover and an ISBN.

I don't think the KDP select conditions distinguish on "saleable", though. As you say, "the same content", which they could probably claim to be "substantially similar".

They're happy enough taking their fucking huge slug. They'll only do something if someone else takes the money. Lit takes no money, and the product here isn't a "book", so it's not "publishing" in that sense.

Are you sure on that? "Book" has a wide range of meanings, and some of them are broad enough to encompass what we post here. For instance, Merriam-Webster 1c: "a long written or printed literary composition". (1g is "an e-book" but their definition of e-book is just a book in electronic form, so that doesn't help us.)

Anything that disseminates to the public can be considered "publishing".

But nobody seriously thinks anyone at Amazon actually checks anything against Lit, surely?

Not unless they're prodded, no.

Their computers can easily check against "same title, same book" if it's being distributed elsewhere as a book but that's my point - Lit is not selling "books".

Are you sure Amazon would see it the same way?

 

[XerXesXu]

You can listen to the guy above me who has repeatedly cried about how he's barely sold anything to the point he discourages people from publishing or....you can listen to someone who's been selling for 11 years and sells enough to make it more than worth the effort.

If you have a story on here. "Hell Hath No Fury" and its a 6 page lit story (22k or so) and you take that story, slap a cover on it and sell it at amazon....that is considered a book. In the e-market it doesn't have to be the Lord of the Rings to be a book....a story that is converted to sale is now an e BOOK. If amazon finds "Hell Hath No Fury" on lit two things can and will happen

The first issue is they could think the book was stolen unless your lit name is your amazon pen name(not likely) the second is you're trying to sell it for $$$ on amazon, and here it is for free. Calling it a book is semantics, point is you can't sell anything for less than listed on amazon, free is less.

That's how it works, period.

I'll keep this vague.

Some time ago, things may have changed, I took advantage of Amazon's offer to match the price of sale of some of my books on any other platform by telling them I was 'selling' some for free elsewhere. They kindly told me that they'd match any price, down to their minimum price of 99 c or p, or whatever. These ebooks are still sold by them at their minimum price, I still get small amounts of money, and they still take their cut.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Are you sure Amazon would see it the same way?

Shrug. They haven't bothered yet, and I've had books listed on Amazon for several years now. I've even got my own bookseller's page with them, that lists all of my content in the same place.

But as I keep saying, they're not the publisher in my case, just one of several distributors. They don't own anything, have rights to nothing, and can only take money on a sale through their own system.

They can't do a thing about any other distributor's dollar, nor the price that the other distributors list - which is in fact, set by me. They can sell books lower than my set price if they want to, but if they do, they still remit sales money to me based on my set minimum price. So why would they bother doing that? Oh, guess what, they don't. They just list all sorts of bullshit prices that bear little resemblance to anything I've set, and they list second hand books, which is a complete crock of shit, complete rubbish.

Read the small print, apply common sense - they're not going to pursue anything if there's no money involved. Why would they worry about content on Lit when it's not being sold? You can't chase a dollar if something is free.

I think this is an area where people lead themselves down their own garden path, believing what they think they know, and repeating it, willy nilly.

Believe what you like, it doesn't bother me. All I'm doing here is reporting the actuality of my own book selling arrangements, and gee, Amazon haven't done any of the things people say they do. Except send me money from time to time.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Interesting. Why would it be taken down if it contains no violations? Wouldn't the author have to draw attention to violations, and Laurel to review the story and agree? I've seen others say that they've reported violations, repeatedly, and no action has been taken.

I think it's an automatic process that bumps the story in front of Laurel, who would then see the author's request.

What she would do with it would be between her and the writer - but the technical system is in place to manage the scenario.

 

[lovecraft68]

That's right for KDP in general, but I think KDP Select does require exclusivity?

Select and unlimited require 90 days exclusive. From there regular rules apply

 

[lovecraft68]

I'll keep this vague.

Some time ago, things may have changed, I took advantage of Amazon's offer to match the price of sale of some of my books on any other platform by telling them I was 'selling' some for free elsewhere. They kindly told me that they'd match any price, down to their minimum price of 99 c or p, or whatever. These ebooks are still sold by them at their minimum price, I still get small amounts of money, and they still take their cut.

I feel like you got the right person to ask on the right day, because I think you're getting away with a little something.
Issue is, amazon has the lit model of enforcing rules at whim down to content they claim they don't want currently all over the site and people make a lot of money on it

Then what happens is something/someone triggers them back to enforcing everything and there are huge witch hunts and purging's, and nothing you say-even showing them an e-mail saying don't worry about it, is going to help.

.99 is still a price, and I wonder if they didn't understand you right because $0.00 is not a price.

But if you're able to do it, why not? Just hope it doesn't bite you at some point

 

[Zeb_Carter]

If the OP is going to publish the story on Kindle Select... first don't... second, just change the title to something similar but not what is posted here. Now I don't have mine posted at Kindle Select but I do have them posted on Amazon, titles are just a little different so there automated process doesn't find them. And some are exactly the same and it seems if it's in the regular Kindle they don't care anymore.

 

[MillieDynamite]

If the OP is going to publish the story on Kindle Select... first don't... second, just change the title to something similar but not what is posted here. Now I don't have mine posted at Kindle Select but I do have them posted on Amazon, titles are just a little different so there automated process doesn't find them. And some are exactly the same and it seems if it's in the regular Kindle they don't care anymore.

Unless it is in Select, they Don't care. The problem with Select short stories is you cannot come near the income on the page reads that selling the story earns. Even at 99 cents, you won't make the $0.35 you earn per sale. You only earn about half a penny a page on average for page reads. Only longer works will earn you more though page reads than on out-and-out sales.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

If the OP is going to publish the story on Kindle Select... first don't... second, just change the title to something similar but not what is posted here. Now I don't have mine posted at Kindle Select but I do have them posted on Amazon, titles are just a little different so there automated process doesn't find them. And some are exactly the same and it seems if it's in the regular Kindle they don't care anymore.

That is what I have done with any stories posted for sale on Amazon. Different pen name as well. I don't use KDP Select either.