Book Distribution for Indie Authors: Amazon Exclusive or Go Wide?
Being an indie author can be the ultimate double-edged sword.
The beauty is that it’s ALL UP TO YOU.
The stress is that it’s ALL UP TO YOU.
When it comes to publishing your book, options abound.
Read on to help determine whether publishing your books exclusively on Amazon OR publishing wide across platforms is right for you.
Before we delve into each of the options, take the pressure off of yourself and know that no decision is right or wrong nor is it forever. What’s right for you now in your self-publishing journey will likely change over time. This is where being an indie author is truly wonderful: YOU get to decide and to grow and change WITH your business!
Also, please note that this exclusivity APPLIES TO KINDLE EBOOKS ONLY. You can publish through both Amazon KDP and through Draft2Digital, for example.
Self-Publishing: Amazon Exclusive vs. Wide
What is Amazon KDP?
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows you to self-publish both print and ebooks.
What is Amazon’s KDP Select/Kindle Unlimited Program?
Kindle Direct Publishing Select is free to enroll in for 90-day increments. It’s for Kindle ebooks only, and by enrolling, your ebooks are included in Kindle Unlimited (KU). KDP Select also allows you to take advantage of Free Book Promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals.
What is Kindle Unlimited (KU)?
To be able to read books in KU, readers pay a subscription fee. Readers then have access to all the Kindle ebooks that have been enrolled and can download as many as they’d like.
Authors must sign on with Amazon exclusively to participate. This means you CANNOT sell ebooks anywhere else:
Your ebook cannot be available for free or for a lower price on your website. You can, however, sell paperbacks and hardcovers anywhere you’d like.
Only 10% of your ebook can be made available as content for marketing. This means that only 10% may be given away as a sample on your website, for example.
You can send out review/ARC copies, but do this through platforms like BookFunnel, or email the link directly to readers on your team.
Your book needs to be in KU at 90-day intervals, but you can take your book out of KU at any time.
Amazon Exclusive:
PROS
Millions of readers are subscribed to Kindle Unlimited (KU).
KU members are less likely to purchase ebooks, since they usually read books that are included in their membership.
As an author, you can take advantage of Free Book Promotions and of Kindle Countdown Deals.
Amazon favors books that are enrolled in KU.
Royalties are paid to you when someone reads your book. This is calculated based on the number of pages read.
When readers borrow your book, it’s counted as a sale. This boosts your ranking, thus showing your book to more potential readers.
CONS
You must be exclusive to Amazon; therefore, you cannot sell your ebook anywhere else, including selling directly from your own author website.
You’re not able to take advantage of promotions through Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc.
If something happens to your account or to Amazon, you’re not able to easily remedy the situation and continue to sell your books. To help with this, consider having a separate account from which you ONLY sell your books, rather than having it be part of your personal Amazon account.
If your book is pirated, your account will likely be suspended.
If something happens to Amazon and/or to your account, make sure that you have a way to keep in touch with your readers. Having a newsletter is especially important for this reason. Please see Why Every Author Needs a Newsletter for more information.
Major Considerations:
Romance is the most popular genre in Kindle Unlimited. If you write in the romance genre or other popular genres, it’s highly advantageous to have your books in KU.
Consider the risks of allocating all of your resources to one platform: if something happens, the consequences are yours to figure out.
Publishing wide requires additional effort to not only learn more platforms, but also requires additional marketing to drive readers to these platforms.
Whether you publish exclusively on Amazon or you publish wide, having a newsletter is critical.
Whether you publish exclusively on Amazon or you publish wide, having a newsletter is critical.
Publishing Wide:
PROS
Publishing wide means that your books are published across multiple retailers/platforms.
You have more options for promotional opportunities through each retailer, and therefore, can access more readers.
You and your books are not affected by any Amazon shut-downs nor their algorithms.
You can sell your ebooks directly AND make a profit.
You’re able to take advantage of featured deals through BookBub, so they move the traffic to your page.
CONS
It’s a lot to keep track of: multiple retailers’ platforms, rules, schedules, algorithms, etc. This can be very time-consuming and overwhelming.
If you find an error in one of your books, you must re-upload to multiple sites.
You’re unable to access the readers on Kindle Unlimited (KU). This is a serious consideration, since romance is such a large genre on KU. Check the top 100 to see which genre is in the top ranking on KU.
With KU, subscribers pay a monthly fee to read as many books as they’d like. Authors are paid by the number of pages read, and each download is considered a sale for ranking purposes.
It’s more difficult to convince readers who are unfamiliar with you to pay for your book when readers can take a chance on authors they don’t know. Readers subscribed to KU can simply download an author’s book, since it’s part of the subscription fee they’ve already paid.
Amazon gives priority to authors who are in KU, thus making it more challenging to gain traction on Amazon.
Options for Self-Publishing:
For Ebooks and Paperback/Hardcover:
IngramSpark - into bookstores
Draft2Digital - into libraries and global ebook platforms like Kobo and Apple Books
Your Author Website - direct sales from your own website for control and profit; more work but provides more revenue and buyer data
use Squarespace with their integrated e-commerce
or Shopify + Book Vault
If only doing digital, can use BookFunnel or StoryOrigin for secure delivery.
For Audiobook Distribution:
Findaway Voices by Spotify - international libraries and markets
Author’s Republic - international libraries and markets
Steps to Take Before Distribution:
Purchase ISBNs (one for each format). This International Standard Book Number serves as your book’s fingerprint, and it allows libraries and retailers to catalogue and track your book.
While you can save on needing to purchase an ISBN if you choose to sell only on Amazon, this can be very limiting in the future.
When you sell your books on Amazon, they will assign each product an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN), which is exclusive to Amazon. Although Amazon will automatically assign each of your book’s formats a free ASIN, this number can only be used within Amazon.
You will need an ISBN if you want to market wide. Get one right away from Bowker in the United States, Nielsen BookData in the UK and Ireland, and through the Canadian government in Canada. That way, you have the publishing rights! Make sure you maintain accurate notes regarding which ISBN is assigned to which format of each of your books. You’ll need to use this across platforms.
2. File for copyright with the US Copyright Office.
3. Create a simple copyright page for your book.
No matter where you are in your self-publishing journey, Mint Copy Services is here to help!
In fact, all the tasks involved in publishing exclusively with Amazon and publishing wide are perfect for an author personal assistant (PA)!
Not sure what you need? Let’s chat and plot next steps together!
Your supportive side character,
Lisa