There are some people who have not appreciated my “aggressiveness” regarding the error-reporting tool and readers attempting to control an author’s creative domain.
Yes, I’m “aggressive” about it. I have boundaries, and I am establishing those boundaries.
Pilots, bonus short stories, and future slices of life stories are supposed to have errors and mistakes. While I (and my team) do our best to remove the blatant errors, these things are extras. They’re supposed to be fun. They’re supposed to be flawed.
Amazon’s system does not permit flawed, period. With creative control being put in the hands of unqualified readers, it’s a serious problem.
No, I will not be putting the pilots, etc, on my website. These stories are for paying readers, not for everybody. Sorry. There are options for those who use the kindle app to buy the book and read on their kindles.
Buying from Amazon is a choice. It’s totally a-okay if you make the choice to pay Amazon, but I am not rewarding Amazon for its poor behavior. And yes, that means readers who want the pilot will have to either use Patreon, Smashwords, or their public library to access the pilots/bonus short stories.
Before these reports were coming fast and furious, the publishing process (for me) worked a little something like this:
- I write the book.
- I send the book to editor #1.
- I edit the book.
- I reread the book, correcting errors.
- I send the book to my proofing beta readers.
- I edit/correct everything I missed, reread the book.
- I send the book to my professional proofing editor for final checks.
- Time allowing, I reread the book. (Usually did, but for the fun of reading more than anything else…)
- I publish the book.
Now the process looks a little like this:
- I write the book.
- I send the book to editor #1.
- I edit the book.
- I reread the book, correcting errors.
- I reread the book again, seeking out more errors.
- I reread the book yet again… you guessed, it seeking out more errors.
- I send the book to my proofing beta readers.
- I edit/correct everything I missed.
- I reread the goddamned fucking book AGAIN (I now hate the book and never want to write another book ever again…)
- I send the book to my professional proofing editor for final checks.
- Reread the book….
- I write the bonus story around this point.
- Send bonus story to the first editor.
- Reread bonus story.
- Send bonus story to the second editor.
- Reread bonus story.
- Send bonus story to the third editor.
- Guess what, rereading the bonus story again.
- Can I light the fucking book on fire yet? I’m DONE WITH THIS… but I’m rereading the novel again because of the error-reporting tool.
- I send the book to my second professional proofing error for final checks take two.
- I publish the book.
Fun fact: The difference in caught typos between the two or three extra re-reads is single digit…. Bleh.
For the record, the 12 additional steps will cost me a month of time per book.
Let’s reread this again: The 12 additional steps will cost me a month of time per book.
Essentially, the error-reporting tool is literally adding hundreds of hours of rereading a book over and over, plus $1,000 in extra expenses, to the production of each book.
View the pilot and bonus short stories as thank you to the readers and vendors that have not cost me so much time and money.
And yes, this completely unhinges my general publication schedule. As it is, I may have to move Trickster King and Grave Affairs to account for the additional time required.
There will be no more “one book a month” release schedules. Amazon has taken that from you. Sorry, but that’s just how damaging these tools are.
Kindle users can get the book from Patreon or Smashwords. (Yes, I’m repeating this numerous times.)
These read throughs take TIME. They take a LOT of time. It’s usually 30 hours for me to carefully proofread a book PER PASS.
No, that is not a typo. THIRTY hours per pass. I will need three complete days to try to proofread carefully, looking for mistakes and polishing things.
The three extra passes cost me 90 hours of time… time I’m not paid to do. Or is it four? It’s too many extra passes. I end the publication process never wanting to read the book ever again.
And that’s before discussing the extra $1,000 in editorial costs.
If you use Amazon, I’m sorry. You’re not getting the bonus stories. If you want to read on your device of choice, you have the option to use Smashwords or Patreon. It’s your choice to purchase your books through Amazon’s toxic ecosystem. It isn’t hard to use your @kindle (dot) com email address to forward the file onto your kindle. If you have a modern enough computer, you can also plug it into your device and load it through Amazon’s software.
Amazon is not being rewarded for their decision to allow this tool to take creative control away from authors. If I could 100% optionally ignore the “recommendations” without penalty, this wouldn’t be a problem.
I cannot do this. Amazon insists on taking away creative controls. When I have an error report I need to deal with, I have to appeal to have “corrections” eliminated. And they’re kept in my account as records… even when the error wasn’t actually an error.
When I’m on my “vacation”, I have to check my amazon publisher backend daily, because there is no actual grace period for corrections. They will apply the flag that the book is low quality immediately.
Even when the reader is wrong.
Authors have no value to Amazon, and they never have. They never will. I get this. That doesn’t mean I’m going to suffer in silence, however.
As i don’t generally believe in exclusion, Amazon is getting the books still. They just aren’t getting the reward for treating authors well.
That error-reporting tool is… something this industry does not need.
Readers have ratings and reviews to express if they liked a book, if it was edited, and so on.
And yes, I am expecting people to low-rate books on Amazon because they didn’t get the pilot. I’m expecting problems. I’m expecting people to sabotage series, etc.
It is what it is, and that’s also par for the course for this industry.
The readers who submit the reports are anonymous. They can be anyone, from bullying authors who are buying and looking for errors because they can’t stay in their own lane. Yes, this happens. No, I would never do this to ANYONE. Ever. But I’ve seen plenty of screenshots (and directly witnessed) it where authors organize lynch mobs to take out another author, usually because of jealousy.
I’ve been attacked plenty of times because people feel that if they can’t be successful, nobody should be successful. I’m easy to dislike, too… which is fine.
The submitting readers may also be fans who have no idea how much harm they’re doing… or they’re former teachers, editors, etc, who hate errors so much they lash out. Or they think they’re helping when they are not.
The saying “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” exists for a reason.
I know some Amazon readers are upset that they did not receive the pilot.
Here’s what you can do if you are one of those readers who won’t buy anywhere other than Amazon… or want to be able to buy on Amazon:
1: email jeff@amazon.com
2: Inform Amazon that you are very unhappy because their error-reporting tool is barring authors from including things like pilot / sample stories from future projects because of the error-reporting tool, and that Amazon should not be attempting to control authors.
3: Mention that readers have reviewing tools to tell other customers if a book has issues, and that Amazon is not a publisher, nor are they compensating authors for their tools.
4: Request that the error-reporting tool be removed/disabled, as it is barring you from receiving the same content as other vendors.
5: inform them that you will be buying books from elsewhere until they remove the toxicity from their system.
Amazon doesn’t really care about anything other than its bottom line.
While I am sorry that there are readers who are disappointed they won’t have access to the pilot story, you have the choice to use Patreon or Smashwords.
Should Amazon change their mind, then I will change my mind, but for now?
No.
Sorry, but I’m not rewarding the vendor for their choices.
And no, I’m not putting the stories up outside of those stories. The other vendors (and readers who support me on a non-toxic vendor) are receiving the stories as a reward for being non-toxic.
And yes, Amazon is toxic.
The books themselves are the same, but the bonuses are just that: bonuses. They’re a reward for vendors and readers who do not make my life more difficult than it needs to be.
Nobody should be forced to work seven days a week.
And no, I do not get to take weekends off. Ever. I must check Amazon for error-reports daily. They send them all days a week, and I need to be ready to address them, because they do not have a grace period, they implement punishments on authors before the authors even have a chance to review… and to them, the reader is always right.
Even when they aren’t.
So, while I am sorry for disappointing readers who choose to use Amazon, I made the choice I did for the sake of my sanity.
Now, all that said, if the release dates on the 2024 releases change, you now know why.
~R.J.
And no… Amazon doesn’t compensate authors for the destruction of their mental health.
No other vendor acts like this.
Nope, props to you. 100% behind you. I have a few books up on amazon myself and i know how freaking exhaustively long it takes to edit them. The way amazon behaves is shameful.
Email rant sent and now am looking at kobo unlimited instead as they have similar set up as Amazon but you said they treated you better
Yes, a great deal better. I love Kobo!
Currently I am on your Patreon, but before that, I made the switch to Kobo from Amazon due ot one of your earlier rants :). Your messages do have effect on your fans, we appreciate all the worlds you built for us, all the content that take us away from the mundane. So thank you, and protect your mental and physical health with any and all steps you deem necessary!
excellent, I didn’t realize kobo had an unlimited option
Anyone who has a problem with your “aggressiveness” about the error reporting tool hasn’t been really reading (or doesn’t care about) what you are saying. Don’t concern yourself with them. You have to do the best thing that you can for your life and peace of mind. Anyone who doesn’t want to understand that is simply being selfish. You do what you have to do for you.
I sent an email to Amazon regarding the error reporting tool. I got what I’m sure was a “standard” reply in return. Hope it helped. Will be trying smashwords going forward. Will have to cancel all the preorders as I have them all. Does smashwords have preorders? Guess I’ll find out. Enjoy your trip
!
It currently does not. If you prefer preorder style, please join the per novel patreon. It’s also a little cheaper, and you get the books a little early.
Terry, how can you cancel pre-orders on Amazon? I can’t find any place to do so.
Not Terry, and you probably already figured it out, but for future readers with the same problem:
If you go to Amazon’s “My Orders” there’s an option to see only digital orders. You’ll have to scan back, because they took away the “open orders” view, or you can do a “Find in Page…” (control-f or command-f on Mac) for “Pre-ordered” When you find it in your order list, there’s an button to cancel item.
Hope that helps somebody!
I love your content and I already wrote Amazon. I am switching to Smashwords as my store of choice, no problem. My only issue is I can’t find a correct list of each of your series books in order. I like to read them in order. Which ones do I start with in new series?
Amazon’s series list is always correct reading order. People like changing the orders all the time.
I will be updating the website with both chrono and intended reading order, but the way it is listed on Amazon is correct.
I sent an e-mail. The number of issues that you have makes me think that you have an enemy, besides Amazon. Who have you pissed off?
I love your stuff. Please take care of yourself, and go enjoy your much deserved vacation.
What I want to know is what sort of person is so… something… that they continually pay for books that they are unhappy enough about they feel a need to report they typos rofl
After one of your previous posts on this, I emailed the email you used here with some suggestions (four or five) for removing the error reporting tool, making it more optional with the ability to flag things as stylistic choice, or even having a Real Live Person TM look at the errors to see if anything is even wrong. I did my best to not be snarky or point out they are NOT A PUBLISHER nor are they paying your editing costs, so I was polite and did my best to be helpful with lots of ways to look at it. I will note I did that two weeks ago about (on a Thursday), and I have yet to get their smarmy ‘thank you for this email message’. SO here’s to hoping they’re thinking about it!
They shouldn’t even have real live people doing that because it isn’t THEIR book…
Absolutely understand your issues with Amazon. Unfortunately had already pre-ordered 6 or 7 books & don’t see any place to cancel pre-orders. Signed up for short story Patreon hoping that would pick it those bonus stories. Sigh!
Go to the product page for the books you preordered. Click “View order.” on the next page click “need to cancel an item?” that will take you to where you cancel.
Thank you! Finally messed around long enough & found it! Have a great trip to Australia!
To cancel all my preorders, I had to go through this website and click on all the Amazon links that RJ provided. It would not give me the option to cancel the preorders any other way. I could find no place on Amazon to see what I had pre-ordered.
Okay, I understand the problem with amazon. However so far it’s the only vendor I found in my country that offers the dead tree version of (most of) your books (at some arbitrary point in time unrelated to the e-book release, it seems). Am I overlooking an alternative vendor? (Asking from the Netherlands in Europe).
Dead tree copies will have the pilots. They do not have access to error reporting tools.
And yes, I am the arbitrary reason it is not at the time of ebook release. I’m an ebook author before the other formats, so I do all other formats as I can after release as a general rule.
I do not mind that the print version is at different timings, I usually just add all your books to my wish list and check repeatedly just until they show up. I just like having the paper version, they make nice conversation points and I don’t handle screen reading well (although the dedicated e-books are easier on my eyes then the digital). Anyway I was not so much concerned with the pilots (I’m okay just waiting for the books, I buy them anyway 😉 ) but I was more hoping to avoid amazon. Thanks for your replies. 🙂
Is it bad that most of my review for 101 to Die is a rant about the GD reporting tool? I wonder if it will be accepted?
Have a great trip, best of luck with the allergies. Pfft to amazon & their minions.
R.J., I’m taking the liberty of changing your #3, see below:
original–3: Mention that readers have reviewing tools to tell other customers if a book has issues, and that Amazon is not a publisher, nor are they compensating authors for their tools.
modified–3: Mention that readers have reviewing tools to tell other customers if a book has issues, and that Amazon is not a publisher, nor are they compensating authors for the time it takes to address issues raised by their tools.
Dinner interrupted me posting, hope this isn’t already mentioned. Have fun on your vacation!
I’m not changing my post…. It was a suggestion of what people could write. That’s it, that’s all. People can phrase things how they feel. It’s not just the issue of time. It’s the tool itself.
Hate that tool. Even Satin wouldn’t be that evil. Love getting the books from patreon with the author’s note. Safe travels, enjoy Australia.
Dear RJ I totally understand why you are frustrated and angry at Amazon for its editing “issues” and I applaud your finding a way to reduce the angst associated with this. Therefore I also applaud your solution of reducing “at risk” content at Amazon. Thank you again for all you do, writing fun books yet trying to navigate between your needs and various reader “wants.” I hope you have a truly wonderful time in Australia!
Sorry the process sucks. All that does is drive up costs for you… and ultimately the end consumer too… Either through actual costs or less content/availability to content.
Do I ever read books where I don’t like the editing? Yes. My choice is to accept it or choose not to purchase again from that author. I have no clue how to or desegregation to learn to use Amazon’s reporting tool. It sounds idiotic to me. My life is too short to try and edit anyone’s books. I give my feedback through my $/purchases and let market sort it out.
I enjoy your books and am bummed by Amazon/Audible’s (a) near monopoly (b)flexing their unreasonable monopolistic muscles unreasonably to the point of adding cost with minimal value.
I have never made one of these comments before because I’ve always thought my control is over how I spend my money and that is enough.
Unfortunately, I have been Amazon/Audible customer from since time there were few other options. Now I am locked into their system because of the size of my library. Using another system for me is a pain because my health makes navigating multiple systems to find my content just not practical. So I will miss your content. But… and it’s. a huge BUT… that’s my choice. You have been clear about those choices. But I’m the customer you should NOT make business choices to satisfy… I literately have a terminal illness so there is no economic reason to try and retain me my business will be lost regardless.
I’m leaving this comment to say you are appreciated in what sounds like a thankless and costly loop spiraling to nowhere. Do what is cost beneficial to your business. You owe no one anything more. You attempt to keep your readers aware of the market pressures faced by authors. That’s more than most authors do.
My only minor feedback comment is that in the beginning when my health permitted, I tried to reward the non-monopolistic option of the patreon option. Way back then it was difficult to navigate for someone who has given upon on using an actual computer for anything more than absolutely necessary so ease of access and ability to have everything in one place and not having an actual kindle device but using an app was/is my access. I couldn’t easily figure out how to become a patreon so I easily gave up. I’m sure the process has gotten easier with time and the feedback you have given… I just haven’t had the mental bandwidth to try again.
I have purchased every product available to me through Amazon/Audible. This is intended as an appreciation comment not a criticism in any manner so that you can provide feedback to Amazon on loss of THEIR business if ever appropriate or needed. I would switch from the monopolistic system but for health. I do encourage anyone and everyone who will listen to not purchase from the monopolistic system.
I feel that I have enough feedback through my purchase $. I do not appreciate Amazon driving up the cost of a book for minimal reward. One character change is minimal reward to the absolute extreme. I would rather cheaper product where I can reward authors by purchasing multiple products. They have over a decade of my purchases to use as data points. It should be very clear to them who gets return customers and who does not. Let the market work in that manner.
To you personally, your eventual loss of my purchases has nothing to do with you and everything to do with my health.
Thank you for an enjoyable products over the years. I will buy any Lucy products available to me until such time. I enjoy them. I think now that you have developed that world extensively… it would be fun to revisit any of the existing main (and minor) characters like you did with Bailey. It greatly saddens me that the joy has been sucked out of the process for you and that is a potential factor on whether or not you might revisit characters and flush them out further.
Thank you.
First, I really appreciate your comment–all of it, good and bad. I didn’t take the decision to leave out the bonus stories from Amazon lightly. But, it was a decision made to help other markets grow and get all the eggs out of one basket.
There *is* an easy way to get books sent from another vendor to your kindle, though. It’s called Smashwords. I don’t know if you’ll like this process, but I’ll explain it to you step by step so you can try it if you’re game.
First, you’ll go to Smashwords and make an account for yourself. You can do this on your phone. (No actual computer is required for any step in this process, just an email address and internet connection.)
Once you have an account, you’ll buy the book you want. It will send you an email with the epub book file attached.
In Amazon’s backend, you have a section called “Content and Devices”– there is a tab called preferences. You’ll scroll down until you find “Personal Document Settings” there will be a section with “Send-to-Kindle E-Mail Settings”
You will copy the email address associated with your account to your clipboard (or write it down so you can type it out later). (Any one of them will do if you have more than one. All are valid to send the device to your kindle.)
Scroll down a little more: Approved Personal Document E-mail List
There will be a link that says “Add a new approved e-mail address” and click it. Plug in your personal email address and submit it. It’ll show up in that Approved Personal Document E-mail List.
Now, you go back to your email, forward the smashwords email with your book attached to it (with attachment) to your @kindle.com email address you either copied or wrote down. Wait maybe 5 minutes, (it’s usually quick) go into your kindle, and it’ll be waiting for you in the documents cloud! (Just make sure documents is selected when you’re looking for your book.)
You can also do this with bookfunnel, so it will offer you access to a LOT of books from authors, as there are often bookfunnel promotions going on.
If you’re on a Kindle Fire, you can install all of the other apps on your device, although I would find someone tech savvy to help you with that process.
I’m not going to be taking away the books from Amazon readers and listeners, though. They bring too much joy. The only thing that is being kept on other vendors are the bonus materials and fun stuff I don’t polish or edit as much… and should Amazon change their ways, I will change mine.
I really hope they do change their ways, because I ENJOY writing the random pilots and slices of life stories I just can’t realistically publish as part of an anthology due to not really being a good STORY. They’re fun, they’re entertaining… but they’re definitely bonuses, not a properly edited and “created” project.
I do wish Amazon’s system allowed me to just have fun with stuff like that. I’d make an entire anthology of strange ass pilots just for the fun of it.
But I can’t, because of Amazon. :< I do wish you the very best, and I do wish the upcoming books bring you joy, even when your health spirals in the wrong direction.
I do use Amazon for books and bought this one. I really wanted to read the pilot so I requested and actually got the same day the library version, which has the pilot! That said…… I would like the whole story please. It was good and I want to read more. Thank you!
Update…I returned the book early because now there is a wait list 🙂 yay I was first!!
I loved all the extras with 101 Ways to Die. Please write more for Meredith! She’s wonderful!
So glad you have patreon as an option! Thank you!
Oh my gosh! Just finished 101 ways to die. It was fantastic! I also loved the short story! I hope you decide to roll with that story so it makes a full novel! I hope Australia is amazing and more than what you expect it to be! I am so jealous and would have traveled there if I had the funds. Next time!
You are good. Just do it your way and companies like amazon should shut up and be happy they get to sell your marvelous books. Pleas don’t let them get to you. I would tell them to F-off like you said you do all the work, I think you are GREAT Thank You for being a great person and writer !
Mea culpa! My Kindle app updated and now there’s a really big button with options to complain about series. I was on Witch and Wolf, a favorite series, when I accidentally hit that (really overlarge) link. To make matters worse, you can’t get out of it with hitting submit. Scrolling back did nothing and I didn’t know if exiting would just pick a problem based on my no choice.
If you see this series review that just says something is wrong without details, I am so sorry.
I have reached out to Amazon to request positive commentary or the option to change our minds. Oh, and please make the button smaller.
Apologies again.
This is not a typo so I am not sure how to report it. I just started my Kobo Plus trial. I downloaded “Playing with Fire” to listen to the audiobook. The sound kept breaking up while I listened to it I called Kobo and they tried removing the book and had me download it again. It still had the problem. I then tried another audiobook and didn’t have the problem. You might have to do whatever is needed to refresh the master file.
Yeah, I’m really not sure what’s going on. There’s no evidence of an actual problem with the files. (I can’t replicate it.) My guess is the software still had the old file in cache and it hadn’t gotten refreshed properly.
I… can’t actually Do anything about a non-problem file, because it’s not showing up as a problem elsewhere. And only Kobo can force a new download from the distributor files. (I can’t just force a redownload to the vendor on a non-changed file…) That’s not how the system works…
Kobo has to fix their technical difficulties, because it’s something with your device or their end. The master files are fine. They are the ones who have to initiate new files. (Because there’s nothing wrong with the master file they received.)
I read all your books they are a joy, Sucks Amazon is being an ass, that is where I get all my books I will try to do the apps but as is I have had a kindle fire since they first came out with them. Also love all your books 😉!!
You can install Kobo and Barnes and Noble’s apps on Kindle Fires through the Google Play store / direct downloads of apps.
Thankyp
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Thank you for yourstories. Nook reader. Enjoyed Meradith. Sorry for your troubles and resulting trauma. Sending support a d best wishes.
Apologize for typos! Eeirdnesx – cant see what is being typec!