The dark web of self-published romance

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Cockygate may have alerted many casual observers to the competitive side of romance writing, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The Verge took a long, thorough look at the self-published romance world. What it found:

Trademark trolling is just the beginning: There are private chat groups, ebook exploits, conspiracies to seed hyperspecific trends like “Navy SEALs” and “mountain men,” and even a controversial sweepstakes.

See how a small group of shadowy actors are gaming the system in a big way at The Verge.