Posts
http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-era-of-personal-blogging-has-come.html
has said good-bye to personal blogging moving to a Writer-Aid Oriented blog.
Of course she says she will keep in touch with her prolifically active notes on Facebook and Twitter.
Have you ever had a friend moving away promise to keep in touch with letters and email?
And how in-depth can Twitter and FB notes be anyway?
Is this a trend with the veteran blogs we know?
Anne R. Allen
http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2015/01/why-self-published-ebook-is-no-longer.html
If you weren't depressed enough,
Anne states in her latest post that with Amazon changing its rules to neuter Indie Authors
with their Kindle Unlimited and changing algorithms,
the sun is setting not rising for us.
Those pesky algorithms no longer treat indies as equals
with the same "also-boughts" and advantages they give their own growing list of imprints,
so becoming a bestseller is a lot harder if you self-publish or go with a small press.
The Kindle Unlimited program has been mostly a disaster for authors.
Borrows only get a payout if at least 10% of the book is read, and the payout amount decreases by the month.
And with E-Readers full, the days of wine and royalties are over.
What do I think?
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?t
I read Anne's post today. The part about Kindle Unlimited hits a lot of authors, as we small press authors have also seen our sales dip. It's still not impossible though. And I still believe in blogging.
ReplyDeleteAlex:
ReplyDeleteI still believe in blogging, too. Remember reading Samuel Pepys' diaries from the 17th century?
"I went out to Charing Cross, to see Major-general Harrison hanged, drawn and quartered; which was done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could do in that condition."
One of our blogs could become the Samuel Pepys commentary of our times.
It would be a shame to say Good-bye to an enterprise that we have put so much of ourselves any way, right?
Amazon is blissfully hurting small authors with their Kindle Unlimited like any other business interested only in drawing larger clients.
But our cyber-world is changing, and we will have to change with it.
I hope you always stay blogging, Alex!
I was a little annoyed that Jessica is not going to be at her blog too often anymore, but it's her choice. I likely won't visit as much either, since it's her voice that I liked there, not the guest posters so much. I haven't been blogging much either, but I will continue at least for now. My time has been crunched.
ReplyDeleteThere are bloggers I'll miss, but I have to admit my own blogging days are likely numbered. I haven't been paying enough attention to Amazon's changing Kindle Unlimited rules, but what I have learned is discouraging. I think this year I'll have to make some big decisions about whether or not to carry on writing at all.
ReplyDeleteI think that sounds about right. It now takes pure luck to get anywhere with an indie book. Millions of people might love my book, but none of them know it exists. Only if someone big with a huge audience happens to read and love my book and is then willing to tell their followers about it does my book stand a chance.
ReplyDeleteD.G.:
ReplyDeleteLike you, I won't be visiting Jessica's professional blog because I visit to connect with her not guests. Her choice as you say. I got the impression we visitors had served our purpose, and she was moving on. I wish her the best.
With all the turmoil and stress in your life, it is only natural that you are not blogging as much anymore. I'll be there when you return. :-)
HELENA:
The thing about Amazon: it is always changing, tweaking its set-up. When the tide was in our favor, it was nice. Now, the tide is ebbing.
I am in for the long haul. No one buys, of course. But you never know. It is why I buy lottery tickets! :-)
You poured so much of yourself in your blog that I hate to see you leave it. I would miss you ... a lot.
Keep writing. It is the dream that lends sparkle to life not the obtaining it.
TED CROSS:
Like you, I think it would take Oprah or FB's creator who just created his own book club to pick my book to get sales for it.
I mean when everybody is selling and nobody is buying, how do you stand out from the crowd?
Now, if Neil Gaiman wrote of our books, Ted, our sales would soar! Hey, it's a nice dream.
Best of luck with your book!
Depressing it all is, but I won't stop blogging or writing. :) I think Amazon is too big for its breeches. :(
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Teresa:
ReplyDeleteIt is just life, somethings for us, often against us. :-) I am glad to hear that you will not stop blogging or writing.
In the process of writing RETURN OF THE SHAMAN, my knowledge of the universe and the world we only think we know has expanded immensely. That would not have happened if I had stopped writing.
It would be nice though that, once I have finished it, people will buy it!!
Yes, Amazon is one of the new Robber Barons of the cyber age. Some experts think that their days of stock rising will flounder mid-2015. I hate to see it happen, for we little fish will suffer first and most. Ouch!!
Hi Roland ... we can't give up, because the big boys are battering us. We just need to work harder and not rely so much on Amazon ... not easy I know ... and I won't stop blogging.
ReplyDeleteI like connecting - not so happy with guest posters .. though can depend ...
Good luck to one and all .. cheers Hilary