Amazon puts on its Horror Mask!
I know there is Barnes and Noble out there and other online stores, but really, let's face it, Amazon has a name everyone associates with. My gut tells me Amazon needs some serious competition to stop them from piling manure on top of authors who struggle as it is with marketing and promotion and subbing and finding a publisher and and and and and and... They now decided (obviously without considering the result this might have on a writer) to...hold on, read the ever brief note:
In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.
Hence, if you have further questions, kindly write back to us.
Best regards,
Ashlyn D
Member Services
Amazon.com Advantage
Now, on the one hand I have to agree if by 'adult' they mean pornographic. That shouldn't be on the site where youngsters can browse and accidentally come upon a half-naked body in a rather compromising position. However, removing the sales ranking and searchability factor without even posting more than the above mention with amble time for writers to give their impressions and opinions perhaps to a solution, Amazon once again took it upon themselves to kick a writer in the behind. First they did that stint with the publishers last year. Now this. Perhaps if Amazon had a competitor they wouldn't pull this crap.
The pulling of rankings and searchability happens to be on books dealing with lesbians, gays, bisexuals. One doesn't have to agree with a person's lifestyle. The point I am trying to make is that others are dictating to us what we can search for. What's next?
Who complained to Amazon that they had to pull the plug on these books? Are all romances soon going to be 'de-ranked' and 'de-searchable' on Amazon? Do they forget who buys from them? Writers are readers, too. Writers purchase their Kindle. Helllloooo!!
This is discriminatory.
My biggest worry?
What eventually will they target as 'adult'?
All I see is that Amazon's getting a swelled head and that Horror Mask is getting a bit uglier with time.
7 comments:
"What eventually will they target as 'adult'?"
I totally agree. It's already happening.
Award-winning poet Mark Doty's memoir Heaven's Coast, which is about his partner who died of AIDS, has been considered "adult content" even though it is not pornographic. There is currently an uproar in some writing circles to boycott the site. See this link: http://craigspoplife.blogspot.com/2009/04/is-amazon-homophobic.html
What is so bizarre about all of this is that one can purchase any number of "adult toys" on the site, all with rankings. But for some reason books are the target. I'm afraid of what's going to happen next. At what point does this censoring of books end? The next thing you know, they won't be ranking classics like The Scarlet Letter. This is crazy.
I agree. Thanks for posting this information, Leah.
Wonder if Amazon is any kin to Congress?
I agree. Right now, Amazon seems to be able to get away with anything, right or wrong. Somehow, we authors seem to be getting the shortest stick.
Thanks for the post, Lea.
Boy are they killing their authors. First the publishers last year, then recently telling authors who do book reviews that they cannot put their book info in the signature line (big thing happening in the last couple of weeks) and now this. They must like authors at all. Lea, watch out since you write adult books, you will not be searchable any more on amazon. Is anyone willing to take on amazon.com?
And Vivian, I think the same people running amazon.com are the same people we voted to Congress -lol - that was funny.
I'll fight along side anyone who wants to fight the good fight but it will be a long hard road to travel.
Thanks for posting this info, Lea. See you guys in the postings - off to work so I can do my school visit this afternoon - E :)
Hi Lea!
Like you I agree that pornography and books of questionable material should be someone what censored in a website that is opened to us all. And no you don’t have to be a GBLT writer or a homosexual to be outraged. Like you I wondered what’s next on their plate it can affect us Erotica authors as well. And what bothers me about all of this is that, why accept the books to their book catalog if they were going to what they’ve done?
I will say this; the people at Amazon never saw the surge of negative publicity coming. The jokes on them! I believe Amazon, like other companies; underestimate the ePub community and this strong show of signatures in the petition, blogs, articles, and discussions on the subjects shows that we are a loud and strong group of people. I AM AN ePUBLISHED AUTHOR! HERE ME ROAR!!! LOL
Wow, that one is stunning! Who do they think they are - Big Brother?
L. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net
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