According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, the 411 means...

Pre-Internet, there were only a few ways to find out someone's telephone number: asking the person or an acquaintance for it, looking it up in a phone book, dialing 0 to speak with an operator, or dialing 4-1-1—the telephone number used in the U.S. and Canada to reach directory assistance.

"Directory assistance" came to be known as "Information," and by the early 1980s, 411 (usually pronounced "four-one-one") was being used as a slang term for just that—information—and usually in the phrase "give me the 411 (on)."

Just in case you suspected I'm a dinosaur, there's your proof.

Earlier this week, we discussed the extinction of the Amazon feature where one could download books to computers and then copy them manually to an e-reading device via USB. That went into effect February 26th.

Now for a brief, hopefully uncontentious, discussion of what's going down on February 28th.

The Boycott!

No Amazon, No Walmart, No Fast Food, No...

You get the general idea.

I've read the reasons behind it, and please believe me when I say, with all the love in my heart, you will not be hurting the corporations nor the politicians with this. Bezos is not going to bat an eye. The Walton family won't be scaling back their vacations for this. The politicians in DC and elsewhere, they're not going to be affected.

In particular to the part about boycotting Amazon... They are a massive monopoly. They won't even blink at this. It'll be a non-event to the corporate zillionaires. Sorry, but that's the truth.

However,...

You WILL be hurting Indie Authors and others whose business it is to support authors (editors, book cover designers, formatters, social media book marketers, etc).

Indie authors and other small businesses rely on Amazon for distribution of their goods. A one-day or longer boycott can be catastrophic.

The reality is this: indie authors are forced to be exclusive to Amazon if we want to be in Kindle Unlimited. It is an amazing resource for people and where the majority of readership is. It helps readers try new authors, read tons of books, and it helps authors connect with those readers. Authors get paid pennies for page reads as it is, but in order to get our books out to you, the readers, we do this.

Do indie authors wish we didn’t have to be exclusive to Amazon for this? Absolutely. But as of this moment this is not something we can change. Readers are on KU and we go where the readers are. Maybe, one day, something else will come along.

Per another author who says it with so much more eloquence than I...

"...please don’t ever ever let anyone make you feel like you shouldn’t use KU. If that’s how you can afford to read, DO IT. I support every legal option out there to read my books. We get paid the most when you purchase an ebook vs KU, if it matters to you to know that. But I am so grateful to every single readers who gives me a chance in any format of my books."

I second that sentiment completely.

So, February 28th, do as your heart aligns. But please at least do so with the foreknowledge of who really pays the price.

*** If I've ruffled your feathers too fiercely, please feel free to unsubscribe. I hope you stick with me though as I don't judge anyone who boycotts or doesn't. If you're personal decision. However, as an author, an independent author, I stand by and with other indie authors. ***