As a service that sends out thousands of free books daily across multiple genres, it’s probably no surprise to learn that Hidden Gems hears more than our fair share of self publishing industry rumors from both authors and readers alike.

Most are sparked by some sort of catalyst, like a vague or misleading news story, or an industry heavyweight changing their policies. Those type come in waves, rolling in repeatedly from different sources all devouring the same misguided conclusions.  Other rumors are more persistent, coming in less evenly but still consistently over time, never quite fading away completely.

However, there’s a benefit to hearing all of this speculation from so many varied sources. It provides us with a unique opportunity to watch these overall issues as they develop, giving us fresh perspectives and differing viewpoints into each.  When we combine that with our experience in the self publishing industry, some research, and a bit of logic, we’re often able to help determine fact from fiction.

Still, while we’re always happy to ease the minds of those that bring rumors to us directly, it’s always disappointing when we hear the same thing again from someone else.

Truth spreads slower than fiction, so replying one by one just isn’t cutting it anymore.

Besides, for every author or reader that takes the time to reach out and confirm something with us (or anyone else), there are probably far more that are just sitting around worrying about the same issue.

So instead of talking the problem through one author at a time, we decided to try and help everyone at once with a new, ongoing blog series called Rumor Busting.

Whenever we hear a persistent rumor that affects the publishing industry that we think we can help clear up, we’ll dig into the heart of the issue and try and figure out what’s going on. We’ll do our best to present clearly referenced evidence, wherever possible, or at the very least use the incomplete data that is available to present a more reasonable explanation of the issue.

In the self publishing world, where authors typically have so many roles to fill – as their own writers, publishers, editors, marketers or designers – it’s only natural that they feel overwhelmed with everything they need to know and filled with fear and anxiety about what they don’t. But fear and anxiety are the breeding ground of rumor, making them much easier to believe and spread.

At Hidden Gems our main services revolve around lightening some of those burdens that authors have to carry on their own, giving them more time to concentrate on what they do best – giving us great stories. And that’s what we hope to continue to do with this blog.

Below is a list of all the Rumor Busting articles in this series which we will continue to update whenever new ones are written, but you’ll also be able to find them using the Rumor Busting category on the right.

And if you have any rumors you want busted within the world of online book publishing, feel free to send us an email!

Rumor Busting Series

• Yes, Your Amazon Book Reviews Are Still Safe
• Reviewers Locked Out By Amazon’s Latest Glitch
• Book Piracy – Rumors, Facts and Opinion
• The Complex Relationship Between Authors and Free Books

Share this blog