Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
The ranking rules change frequently and are highly proprietary/secret. They don't want people to game the system (for a time, an author could buy her own books and gift them and this would improve rankings hugely). There have been other games such as buying books at midnight when other books had slow sales, etc (this was during print times. Not so much ebooks).
Right now Amazon is favoring the big 5 or 6. I'm sure they are being paid handsomely for it.
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Is it really favoring? They are promoting what sells. Now I don't know about you, but if I was in the book selling business I would also be more inclined to promote books that sell thousands or millions rather than those that sell hundreds. You want to know why. I would be business to make money. That is the way businesses work.
So it is not being rewarded, it is called making the most money.
As an author until you get to as you call them the outlier state the only person you have to earn money for is yourself and maybe the outlay of some cash to freelancers.
The outliers have staffs because they have worked their tails off and spent (probably good money to me and you) money on their books before they were even published.
One other thing about the outliers, I never once heard any of them complain about the big 5 getting extra benefits. This was before they hit it big. They knew what they were up against.
It may just be me but when I hear an author complaining about how other author got more than me, or why does that guy always get an ad spot and I can't, etc. It makes me think the author believes they are special and should get privileges others have earned. It also makes me not want to buy their books. I figure if they whine, they didn't put much effort into their books. (Yes, I actually tested that theory on a couple of the whiners, let's just say I could see why the advertisers turned them down. )
So, I get you are trying to explain why little authors and publishers have a hard time, but some of your wording is sounding like sour grapes. Quit playing the blame game. Accept the fact that those that make the money get promoted to help make others money.