Goodbye KDP Select

So, I spent last week working on short stories and avoiding editing both Carmilla’s Gambit and Wolf in the Sanctuary. In addition, I’ve made a decision that may have a short-term negative impact on my royalties, hopefully nothing more than short term. What is that decision? I am having my books removed from KDP select.

---

Here’s Why:

Thanks for reading Cursing Raven Books! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

It’s a political decision based upon Jeff Bezos taking control of the Washington Post and declaring that editorials will not oppose the current administration. As things continue along the path they are in this country, the billionaires are forcing a widening of the gap between the 1% and the rest.

I’ve been one of many independent authors asking people to not cancel their KU subscriptions, because for many of us, that’s how we get new readers. And I understand. With the cost of books (and now everything else) rising, it’s a big gamble to take a chance on a new or unknown author when you have to shell out money for the books, and a Kindle Unlimited subscription allows readers to read many books for $12 per month. For readers, that’s great.

For authors, it’s not so much. KU royalties offer roughly 1 penny for every 2.3 pages (using my own books as example). So, if I sell my eBook at $2.99 (which is on the lower end of industry standard), I earn $2.09 in royalties (roughly). If someone reads that same book via KU, I earn between $0.73 and $0.99. That’s a big difference.

But that exposure comes at another price beyond reduced royalties. Exclusivity. In choosing to be part of KDP Select, I cannot release my eBooks to other retailers, cannot sell them directly, and cannot offer them to libraries.

And while I bought into the “do it for exposure” argument and love every reader I’ve gained along the way, I do not want my finances bound to the will of a callous billionaire any more than I have to tolerate it right now.

This process will take a few months, and I am currently researching the best platform for direct sales in addition to a wide release. What I’m hoping for is that by selling directly, I can offer the eBooks at a lower price than they are listed at larger distribution sites (the way I do with paperbacks on my website!). I want to do everything I can to keep the cost of my books from being a barrier to reader access while still making a profit.

I’m not trying to strike it rich. I would love to make six figures per year as a writer. What I really want to do is share my stories with the world, connect with readers, and live comfortably.

This is not a decision I’ve made lightly, but I believe it is the best for my work in the long run.