I thought self-publishing would be freedom. My book, my voice, my truth. But the reality is harsher: platforms that promise independence sometimes act like dictators.
After leaving an honest review about my experience on the self-publishing platform’s page, I received an email that made the control painfully clear:
“If you do not provide additional information, the company may consider your review not authentic.”
– YCP Customer Sales (Youcanprint)
It was not a question. It was an order. A warning. Speak the way they want, or your truth doesn’t matter.
Another email from Trustpilot reminded me:
“Provide additional information within 3 days to allow the company to acknowledge your experience and respond.”
Three days. To justify my honesty. To defend my perspective in a system built to protect corporations, not creators.
This is the reality for authors using self-publishing platforms. You publish your book, expecting autonomy, visibility, perhaps even some guidance. Instead, some platforms monitor your reviews, question your voice, and pressure you to conform. Honest feedback becomes a battlefield.
I refused to comply. I will not delete my review. I will not censor my experience to appease bureaucracy. My words reflect what I saw, what I felt, what I lived.
For writers, creators, and anyone navigating the world of self-publishing: platforms may promise freedom, but their algorithms, policies, and corporate instincts sometimes enforce control. The true power remains with the author who dares to speak the truth – unedited, unapologetic, and unbowed.