Categorical Denial, Part II (11-2-23)

(direct link)
https://drewfaraday.com/2023/11/02/categorical-denial-part-ii/

In my last post, I described my two choices for addressing the new-to-me rule in KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) that restricts an independent author to three categories instead of choosing up to ten as I did with my first self-published novel, Pearl Fields & the Oregon Meltdown.

Last week, I mentioned my two choices at that juncture—walk away or delve into it.

Of course, I chose the latter & came up with what I thought were the three best categories (thanks again to Publisher Rocket): Action & Adventure; Disaster Fiction; Literary Fiction.

However, Amazon's algorithm made its own determination: Action & Adventure Literary Fiction; Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction; Contemporary Literary Fiction.

The overall rankings have improved somewhat, but my own third choice is faring the worst. Guess two out of three isn't so bad.

So now I have a new, true dilemma:
Choice #1: email support at Amazon & ask for clarification &/or a change, wait a decent amount of time, then move to choice #2;
Choice #2: accept my fate.

In the meantime, I'm reevaluating my launch date for my serialized companion novel on Kindle Vella. Just this morning, I had an aha moment (or rather a duh! moment) when it dawned on me that I don't need to adjust my overall life to fit into a self-imposed publishing deadline—no way, nohow.

I am, after all, an independent author, right?

Keep you posted.

Drew
Drew Faraday
Pearl Fields and the Oregon Meltdown