Dear Lit Loves,
Greetings one and all! I received an email from the powers that be at Goodreads yesterday indicating that beginning January 1st, 2018, if authors and publishers wish to utilize a book giveaway on the Goodreads site, we will now have to PAY for that opportunity. I for one thought I must have misread the email so I sent an email to Goodreads asking for clarification. Sure enough, I was informed that both self-published and traditionally published authors will have to choose between a standard package for a book giveaway at a cost of ($119) or a premium package at a cost of ($599). Outrageous! Are you kidding me?!!!
You know who this hurts? This is an effort to eliminate promotional options for self-published authors and authors published by small presses who do not have the promotional budgets of the big traditional publishers. Self-published authors like myself who have been utilizing book giveaways on Goodreads were already having to not only offer free copies of our books, but also pay postage and shipping to get those giveaway books to the winners. Everything about this new concept screams corporate greed to me and frankly, I am disgusted by this change in giveaway guidelines.
Also, the book buying public loses access to discovering new indie authors with this giveaway rule change so the readers are losing as well as those of us who remain committed, indie authors. I am reconsidering whether I wish to have any connection to Goodreads period as the entity appears to want to flush indie authors and publishers and cater to the high and mighty traditional publishers with their larger promotional budgets. Shame On You Goodreads!!! The next thing you know anyone wishing to even utilize the Goodreads site will begin having to pay to have access to the site and that is a damn shame in my opinion. Goodreads, you are biting the hands that feed you and it is a slap in the face to those of us who helped make you the popular entity you are, or should I say, used to be.
Woman And Writer Not Afraid To Speak Truth To Power,
Grace
(Amy)
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