Ripped-Off Writers

The more book marketing I learn about, the more scams and rip-offs I find. With so many writers trying to self-publish and market their books, it seems like the predators are sharks finding easy pickings in this large school of fish. I myself feel ripped-off. The $3000 I spent for an Amazon Bestseller Campaign has not sold a single book. The hundred or so books I've sold have been bought by friends and family and those with the natural curiosity to read something new. The promise of 500 books sold in the first five months is the hook I fell for. Optimization of my Amazon ranking never happened, and the website I once admired is now down again at Wordpress.

The marketing company claims to be part of Amazon KDP. As I was warned, to publish on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is free and any company charging money is not part of KDP at all but using their name and likeness to mislead clients. Amazon does nothing to inhibit these fake companies and offers no help in recovering any lost funds. 

How many other writers have been burned this way? I'm told SEO services is another way to spend money and get zero results. More people want to promote my book than want to read and review it. If I had my original investment back, I could spend more time writing and less time trying to do what I paid KDP Publishers to do.