The Tiktok Trend Urging Readers to Return Books

First of all, most Tiktok advice is pure trash; always take it with a grain of salt.

Second, use the Golden Rule. Never do to someone else what you wouldn't want them to do to you. Is that so hard to figure out?

Operation Awesome has another writer hit by the vile Tiktok inspired trend of returning author's books after reading them.

What kind of person does this? Honestly, I know the economy is hitting people hard, but if you are a reader of mine and can't afford my books, email me (tara at taramayastales dot com) and simply ask for a free copy. I'll send it to you. But don't pretend to buy them, read them and then return them. That's creepy.

(This is isn't happening to me right now, but it's the principle.)

So, I admit, I was skeptical about this when I first heard about it, but the more I've heard, the more I understand why this is a problem. It seems to be a combination of two factors: one, scum on Tiktok urging people to take advantage of authors, which is dreadful. But what really seems to be the clincher that can sting authors is that Amazon charges authors for the download fee even when the author makes no money off of the sale--charging authors to lend their books to people. 

Clearly if Amazon had to eat the loss, they would take the return mania more seriously. 

As authors, I think we do need to emphasis to both distributers and readers that this is not right.

Although I'm not a fan of KU and recently posted about it on my blog, writer do get paid for KU borrows, and there's nothing unethical about the arrangement. I don't like it, but I don't condemn anyone who does choose it, either as a writer or a reader. 

This returning books one has already read is something else. One is treating a bookstore like a library, and that's not fair. 

Again... dear readers... if you can't afford my books, just reach out to me. I am happy to share my work with readers, but I hate people who try to game the system.