Update: After reading this article and hearing questions and criticisms from dozens of indie authors, Focus On Words CEO Django DeGree has made some updates via TikTok to address these questions. I’ll be writing another article soon to address the new information (printers he claims to work with, more misinformation, insider details).
I’m on Tiktok. I follow a lot of the authors readers, bookish people, and so when WroteByMe kept stumbling across my FYP, I eventually stopped to watch a few of them. From the very first TikTok, something felt off. The guy in the video had energy that gave me the immediate ick—something performative, something rehearsed, something that smelled a little too much like bad sales. But I’m a curious person, and when my scam radar goes off, I start digging.
So I watched more of his videos. A lot more. And I noticed a pattern: big claims, lofty promises, zero substance and, frequently, lies. He talked about helping independent authors (also known as self-published authors), about disrupting the publishing industry, about freeing us from the clutches of Amazon. But when it came time to actually say what his product was, he consistently got vague. Just when you thought he’d explain the platform, he’d pivot into a tirade about how traditional publishing is broken, how Amazon exploits writers, how he was here to save us.
So I started questioning, was WroteByMe a new kind of small book publisher? Was he offering editing? Marketing? Selling tools? He certainly made it sound like he was offering something revolutionary. But I couldn’t find a single video that spelled it out.
I laughed thinking if this is how you market your own product I certainly don't want you marketing my book.
In one video, he mentions their product being like Shopify meets linktree but cannot explain why someone should choose the WroteByMe service over these.
So I went deeper. I visited the website. I made an account.
The Pitch vs. The Product
The vagueness didn’t stop at TikTok. The WroteByMe website is sleek and well-designed—but almost completely lacking in clear information. As of this writing there’s no “About Us” section. No mission statement. No straightforward explanation of what services they provide. The Terms of Service link didn’t even work when I clicked on it. And of course there were no reviews or client testimonials.
From what I could piece together from their site, it did confirm they were a shopify alternative. WroteByMe provides you with a custom links page where you can list all the places readers can buy your book. They host this info, give you analytics about how many people engage with their/your link. The idea of being you put the link into your link tree and you direct people there. I still can’t tell you how is that any different or a better option than using shopify or linking my own free website with eCommerce?
I'm still doing the marketing, not WroteByMe. I'm still driving traffic to the link, not them. And since Linktree already gives users analytics, the same question returned— what are they giving me that I can't already get for free other places?
I thought it must be discoverability. The guy, whoever he is (is he a founder? the CEO? some guy?) claimed that your book gets lost in the weeds of Amazon because there's so much competition and that made me wonder if there's a website where they host all the books the authors they work with. Is that what they have going for them? A discoverable marketplace?
No. (update, maybe coming in summer ‘25?)
Do they print books for authors?
No.
Do they distribute books for authors?
No.
Well are they providing me an author website with full functionality?
Also no.
The videos also claim to help with marketing, so maybe that's the true driver for using their product. But still, no. Their so-called "marketing tools" are limited to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT in a trench coat and a few online courses that are locked behind a paywall. I haven’t reviewed all the courses, but I’m skeptical they offer anything you can’t find for free elsewhere. In addition, many are “coming soon”. Not even made before launching the product.
The most frustrating part? WroteByMe claims their service is free until you make a sale—meaning you wouldn’t owe them anything until someone buys your book, at which point they’d take a 10–15% cut. That sounds like a fair deal compared to others out there. But when I signed up (to investigate their product only) I immediately encountered features that were locked unless I paid a monthly subscription fee. So much for being free.
I’m pausing here to share that AS I AM WRITING THIS ARTICLE and looking at their social media and webpage, that WroteByMe has changed their social handle to Focus On Words and there are two websites under both names. This is a huge red flag.
The Focus On Words website has even less information and only one thing you can click on. Here are screen shots:
*They do not host an online store nor do they distribute.
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Other Products?
In some of their other TikTok videos, WroteByMe/ Focus On Words references a physical bookstore that they are opening in summer 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It won't be an independent bookstore which typically is independently owned and sells new and used books, but will be an independently published author bookstore, a bookstore which only sells self publish books.
I literally could not find any information about this when looking for it, and believe me… I dug for it.
Additionally, one of the videos references a Good Reads competitor app, and I'm not sure what the purpose or intent of it is but I could not find that either.
These additional products show that this business is all over the place with what it's trying to do and likely doesn't have a consistent plan or know how to get these things going properly. A typical bro-style startup.
Lie after Lie
Not only have they consistently been unclear, vague, or straight up lying about services they provide… But they lie and mislead people about their “competitor” Amazon. I want to be clear that Amazon isn’t their competitor, because they do not provide even remotely the same services (if WroteByMe even provides the services it claims in the first place), but because Amazon is the biggest name in bookselling (unfortunately) WroteByMe / Focus On Words spends a lot of time spreading misinformation about them, claiming that Amazon takes 6-9 months to pay authors (they don’t), and that they charge $125 for an Amazon-only ISBN that you can use anywhere else. That ISBN exists, but it’s free. Then in later videos, after being school by their own comment section, made expert-sounding videos on the topic in an, at best, attempt at verbal plagiarism.
Spreading this kind of propaganda is awful for the indie author community and I’ve had to stand by and watch countless unknowing commenters get excited about this man’s lies.
What Writers Deserve
Writers who publish their own work already wear many hats: writer, editor, designer, marketer. It’s a lot. If a company is going to take a percentage of your book sales, it should offer something meaningful in return. Hosting a simple web page and giving you a chatbot isn’t enough. And calling the service "free" when key features cost money? That’s not just disappointing—it’s deceptive.
If you’re going to be the one promoting your own book anyway (and with WroteByMe / Focus On Words, you definitely are), then why not use tools that are transparent about what they offer—like Shopify, Etsy or even building your own website? At least then, you keep all your earnings and know exactly what you're paying for.
How to Spot a Grift
If you're new to the world of publishing—especially self-publishing—it can be hard to know which services are worth your time and money. Here are a few red flags that might indicate a service is more interested in your wallet than your success:
Vague Language: If a company makes big promises but never clearly explains what they do, be cautious. If you can't figure out what you're signing up for, you're probably signing up for disappointment.
Missing Transparency: A reputable business will have an "About" page, a clear breakdown of services, client reviews, and accessible terms of service or a contract (to be protect both you and the servicer). If these are missing or broken, proceed with skepticism.
Locked Features: If a platform advertises itself as free but starts charging once you're inside, that's a bait-and-switch. Always read the fine print—or better yet, test the platform before you commit.
Overuse of AI Tools: Many writers are wary of AI-generated content, especially if it’s used to replace human editing, coaching, or marketing advice. If the platform's main value-add is a chatbot, it's worth asking whether you're actually getting your money's worth.
Royalty Sharing Without Real Support: Giving up a portion of your book sales might make sense if the company is actively helping you sell more books. But if you're doing all the work yourself, why should they take a cut?
Trust your gut: If something feels off, it probably is.
Final Thoughts
The world of self-publishing is full of hopeful writers—and unfortunately, it's also full of people looking to take advantage of them. WroteByMe, Focus On Words, or whoever they are, fits a pattern I’ve seen too many times: big promises, vague details, and cash grabs.
Until the people behind WroteByMe can clearly explain what they’re offering, be honest about pricing, and stop hiding features behind surprise paywalls, I will be shouting from the rooftops about the scam they are, and you should be too.
Writers—and readers—deserve better.
Have you tried WroteByMe / Focus On Words or a similar service? Share your experience in the comments or reply to this post. Please also share this post with friends so that we can warn new authors and writers. Let’s build a community that protects, uplifts, and informs—without the snake oil.
This article is a rare gem, smart, sharp, and clearly backed by actual research. I’ve also poked around that company, and yup, you nailed it. They have no business giving advice to authors unless it’s on how not to publish a book. I am hoping they hit pause, crack open a few real resources, and learn what they’re talking about before coming back to the grown-up table.
This article is a rare gem, smart, sharp, and clearly backed by actual research. I’ve also poked around that company, and yup, you nailed it. They have no business giving advice to authors unless it’s on how not to publish a book. I am hoping they hit pause, crack open a few real resources, and learn what they’re talking about before coming back to the grown-up table.
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