#IWSG: Skip Amazon
Today's the first Wednesday of the month and IWSG posting day.
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. Remember, the question is optional!
February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?
I'm not going to answer the question today, though I hope you will, in the comments. Instead, I have something that needs to be said. Is this about to be a political post? Why, yes, I believe it is. I believe that these are times that don't allow us to be silent on politics, though this is pretty focused.
But here's a thing: I know a lot of you are trying to boycott Amazon. I'm trying to do likewise, struggling with the reality that I can stop buying there, but I can't stop selling there (though I'm ready to put in the effort to get my paperbacks out through D2D, a major step in reducing Amazon's grip). But know this: You don't have to buy books from Amazon. Your readers don't have to buy your books through Amazon. You have options.
If you want a physical book, ask your local bookstore to order it. Or--if the author is indie, as I am--consider buying directly from the writer! I have a page on this blog that shares the universal buy links for my books. I'm in the process of figuring out something better for paperbacks than "Send me an email and I'll send instructions." I had it all set up with PayPal, but they no longer support the system I used. If you're in the Seattle area, watch this space for events where I'll be selling live.
If you want an ebook, there are so many retailers out there, and since Kindles now use the same epub as other ereaders, you don't have to buy from Amazon. But here's a big secret: a lot of us indie authors have our own stores. I do.
Check out my new Buy Me a Coffee Shop!
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©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2026
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Good luck as you dig into writing your manuscript.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll need it :p
DeleteI only buy from iTunes!
ReplyDeleteI've shifted to my Kobo, though I'm sure the big corporation behind that is also not innocent.
DeleteI have no idea why people are boycotting Amazon....I just looked it up on Google. Well ofc there are other better options than Amazon!
ReplyDeleteThat picture is nice!
Happy Writing!
Thanks. The short version is that it's an effort to hurt the big $$ folks (who support the current regime in the US) a bit in the only place they seem to have feelings--the pocketbook. There's also long been the issue for writers about Amazon's efforts to become a monopoly in the book world, allowing them to keep prices up and royalties down.
DeleteAnother great reflection! I set up a ko-fi page (it's more like like Patreon) but I have not put up my books yet. Yay for writing!
ReplyDeleteI like BMAC because it allows for one-time contributions, not just subscriptions. I don't expect to get either sort, but it's nice the option is there. I really did it for the store.
DeleteI understand boycotting Amazon, but I have a question. I read on kindle, an old Paperwhite version. I'm not sure it reads epub. Recently, I wanted to buy a new book by a writer I like, and it is not on Amazon. And the only format she sells on her website is epub. So if I buy it, how do I read it? I don't want to read on my laptop. Should I buy a kobo reader? It is upsetting.
ReplyDeleteI need to explore this a bit. I know that Calibre will convert books back and forth (to and from .mobi if that's what's needed), so that might be one option. Tell you what, I'll send you one of my books as an epub and you can play with it! (I did buy a Kobo the last time I needed a new ereader--I now have both--because it can read PDF and other things that Kindle can't, or couldn't).
DeleteIf it not DRM protected Calibre will easily convert to whatever format you need. I get all sorts of stuff onto my old Kindle Keyboard (that's a version 3!) via Calibre. It's also a wonderfully useful tool for managing all your e-books. Make sure you have a good backup service, however. Computers and drives don't last forever and there is nothing worse than realizing that all of your hundreds (or in my case thousands) of e-books have just gone away. Do some research and get a good on-line backup and you can sleep a bit easier at night.
DeleteI have an oldish paperwhite, and I have no problem reading new books on it. Of course it depends on how old and whether it updated itself at all since purchase. I’ve just checked its settings, it’s a sixth generation running firmware 5.12. You can find those under Settings—Device options—device info. To see if the software is updated, go from Device options to Advanced options. Hope that helps.
DeleteYou are very brave to have a bookstore, Rebecca. I'm technology challenged. I'm not sure I could understand the parameters to, in fact, make the sales. All the luck with your store and your WIP. I LOVE the sunrise photo. You live in a beautiful area.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand a desire to boycott Amazon. I'm not honestly sure they're providing me enough marketing opportunities to warrant my loyalty. On the other hand, I have some books that aren't available on that platform, and the sales on those barely exist. Much less reviews. Then again, I rarely BUY from Amazon, so I, oddly enough, can't leave book reviews on their website. But I can leave them on Goodreads, which they've owned for a decade. 🤦
ReplyDeleteHappy IWSG day! I'm co-hosting this month.
"A good book gets better at the second reading. A great book at the third." — Tyler DeVries
J (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) @JLenniDorner ~ Speculative Fiction & Reference Author and Co-host of the April Blogging #AtoZChallenge international blog hop
Ah. Amazon… my books are still there, people still buy them. But I seem to be getting more royalties from D2D, and using the books2read URLs gives the customer the choice to use all sorts of outlets I’ve never heard of, plus bookshop.org. (Com in the US). So I’ve sort of given up the idea of bringing them in-house as well. for now.
ReplyDeleteI have the same issue with Amazon. It's my main place I sell books. I rarely buy from them, though. It's gotta be a special case where I have no choice and luckily those are far and few between.
ReplyDeleteI need to wean myself off Amazon.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your manuscript!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Rereading my work is a mixed bag. Thanks for this post. It's good to hear other options being shared for readers.
ReplyDelete