Some Downsides to Maps

I am pleased to be a part of seven upcoming MAPs (multiple-author projects) through 2023. I have blogged on and discussed the many advantages of MAPs for authors and readers. However, like most things, there are also some negative aspects.

For one thing, KDP, the publishing arm of Amazon, is not user-friendly when it comes to Maps. It takes some effort to get them to connect the books on a series page when there are multiple authors involved. And sometimes, there can be errors in the process.

Then, I am locked into the dates, schedules, formatting, cover designer, and all the elements prescribed by the administrator of the project when I sign up to write one of the books. All the organizers I have encountered have been easy to work with, but publishing MAPs doesn't have the flexibility that self-publishing does.

The worst problem I have encountered is that some members of a team tend to be selfish, domineering, and want their own way. This makes it harder than it should be for everyone involved. I have had two minor incidents that brought this home. In the latest one, the author thought it was unfair that I had two fifteen-minute timeslots in a cover reveal party. Two of us had this because we had two books in the series, and the administrator told me it was fine. However, in order to keep the peace, I removed my name from one of the time slots. Then I had to try to squeeze two books with bio, descriptions, and activities into one fifteen-minute timeslot, and there were still about five empty slots left.

Despite the downsides, however, I plan to continue to write in MAPs. I've come to the conclusion that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and they have energized my writing even more. It's fun to write and promote in a team where we support each other, and I look forward to what is to come.

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