What would you do if your entire author career disappeared overnight? That's exactly what happened to one unfortunate writer who shared their devastating experience on Reddit—all 30 of their books, representing four years of work and a significant portion of their income, vanished without warning when Amazon banned their account.

The shocking part? This catastrophic ban stemmed from a single book being flagged for "misleading metadata" because it referenced a popular influencer in the subtitle. Despite the author's attempts to appeal, Amazon rejected their plea and withheld pending royalty payments, effectively erasing both their catalog and money already earned.

We believe this case represents Amazon's increasingly aggressive approach to combating AI-generated content flooding their marketplace. Like a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel, their enforcement mechanisms are catching legitimate authors in the crossfire. Throughout this episode, we dissect the specific triggers that put authors at risk, including lookalike covers, celebrity name-dropping in subtitles, unverifiable claims, and implied endorsements.

Whether you're a seasoned author or just starting your publishing journey, this episode provides critical information that could save your author career from an unexpected catastrophe. Have you experienced similar issues with Amazon or other platforms? Share your story with us and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

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