One of the cool parts about being a writer these days is how accessible publishing is. You can easily format your book, pick cover art, and boom! Published!
However, there’s a discussion to be had about those in the community using their following to sell their books that are mislabeled and falsely advertised.
For example, you can write whatever book you want, like a cozy mystery (totally not using myself as an example) but if you label it as a thriller and advertise it as hard-hitting, you’re disrespecting your readers. Not only that but you’re doing a disservice to yourself, by eliminating an audience you may actually want for the sake of making a quick buck.
Another part of this is the fact that some folks write books with poor formatting, no editing, and send it off to friends, urging them to give high reviews without reading it. I once read a book by someone who switched up the character names halfway through and that person still published it. That book gave me “write drunk, don’t edit, publish hungover” vibes.
For anyone thinking that books will make you a quick buck, I urge you to at least do your research first. You can write something great and make boss sales, but please also respect those buying your book enough to be honest in how you advertise it.
Raine August 