This post was inspired by several readers who’ve said things like, “Do you plan to open a web store where we can buy your books? I want all your books. I’d rather pay you the full amount. I like my authors to make money. Let me know how I can do that, please.”
TL;DR No, you can’t sorry. Not for some years for ebooks, anyway. There may be other stuff sooner than that. Right now, I have books to write.
As my books gain popularity, I’m being asked this type of question more frequently. And several other authors have asked me. “What are the advantages and disadvantages of Kindle Unlimited? Should I be wide or exclusive?”
I love and very much appreciate that my readers care and are trying to help. However, there might be some things they don’t know about where I’m up to in my author career. So this is a full answer for readers and other authors who might, as I was, be looking for the right path for themselves.
DISCLAIMER : Readers should read however they want to! Always. We are not all the same.
But equally authors need to do what’s right for them.
It’s important I stress I do not speak for any other authors. All opinions are personal and everyone is on their own part of the journey doing what they feel is right for them at their career stage.
But my readers are asking for my opinion.
I can’t answer the question honestly without facts. Please don’t take this as boasting. When I can do half as well as some of the top authors in my genre, you’ll hear me boast then … Maybe … I’m not there yet.
But I have a plan. So here it is.
The full answer is in several parts. It’s long because I want to be able to direct people who ask about it for as long or short an answer as they’d find useful.
PART ONE – Sell Ebooks direct?
In the short term, the problems are threefold.
1: My books are in KU (Kindle Unlimited) which means under the terms of my contract with Amazon, which runs for 90 days at a time, I cannot legally make them available anywhere else. The primary condition of KU is that the ebooks (other than the first 10% sample) are exclusive to Amazon.
And yes I know the ‘Direct first’ wriggle where authors release first through their website and then through Amazon, but there are advantages and disadvantages to it. I’ve noticed that while some experienced authors take this route, very few of the best-selling, successful authors I hope to emulate are doing it at the moment.
Honestly, I’d rather be writing more or chatting to my Voracious Readers, or walking my dog or cooking for fun than running a shop.
And there’s one final conclusive reason I’m not prepared to release Direct First. You’ll find that in Part Two.
2: I could sell the paperbacks from my own store now. There are no restrictions on that.
But paperbacks make up only 1.6% of my income. My books are sooo long and wood pulp, unlike pixels, is expensive. You could say I provide them as a public service.
And because I adore having them on my ‘boasting wall’ on floating bookshelves, because they give me a HUGE grin on days when I need one.
But for that 1-2% why bother selling them separately myself? I buy them from Amazon. Why wouldn’t you?
I’d have to ship them or arrange to have them shipped internationally, and Amazon already does that for me.
Now a super-special, pretty limited edition hardback set with significant exclusive, additional content might be a quite different matter, but I need to finish the series first.
You might find I say that a few times. I can be a little single-minded when I have a goal. I want this series finished. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll cease writing in the Gretna Green world. It only means I promised myself I would write the ten core books before I allowed myself to be distracted by any other shiny things.
3: I make my own websites – so if/when I decide to do a store – I will design it myself. Because I like creating things and I’d enjoy doing it. That will be three to six months when no writing gets done as I sink into a fascinating store project.
And those caring readers who thought it was important to give me an extra pound/dollar/euro would end up, along with me on the Ten Most Wanted — Dead or Alive list for suggesting anything that delayed the launch of a new book 😂
So first I need to finish the series.
Part Two – Thoughts about Amazon and KU
As I am learning, authors’ careers go in stages. With progressive leaps, if they’re lucky.
Stage One – Find your readers.
I’m a very new author. Any of you who are thinking kind things about my books and muttering, “Really, that can’t be true?” should consider I didn’t say I was a new writer. But ‘authoring,’ especially fiction, differs from anything I’ve written before. Truly, I’m very new to that – it’s complicated and fascinating. But one thing I know is the single best way for people to discover me is on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited.
I know this as a reader. I’ve had my Kindle Unlimited subscription since about two days after it launched in the UK, I’ve found hundreds, if not thousands, of fantastic authors through it. I read their books in KU first. If I love them and need them in my library, I buy them. Everybody wins. The book is mine now (Book Goblin is muttering, “My precious”) and the best authors got paid twice and I didn’t waste any money on those books I wished I’d never started or DNF’d out of disinterest, irritation or annoyance.
I love KU as an author, too. The Amazon algorithm is brilliant, as you all must have noticed when it manages to “Suggest” a book or series that you end up loving. And bless them, they’ve suggested my books to lots of people.
But there’s another way Amazon helps with discoverability by readers too . Some readers look for books by category, as I often do myself.
To take advantage of the chance for new readers who enjoy, for example, Fantasy Fiction to find me, I need to release through Amazon.
I just checked that Women’s Fantasy Fiction category today and 3 of my earlier books are in the top 12. I can’t buy that exposure. I can only earn it by committing to Amazon and having good sales.
But what about readers who don’t think they like women’s fantasy fiction? But do like my books. Maybe they’re men. I have quite a lot of fun, thoughtful male readers. Might they be more likely to see my series through another category?
What about people who see a new release is out and click in a vaguely half-interested way on the book page and then find out it’s the number one release in that category?
I know how many times over the years that alone has persuaded me to go to the first book in the series and click the ‘Send Sample Now’ button. Most recently, with The Fourth Wing. (Which is great if you haven’t read it. Several readers said Violet reminded them of a younger Niki.)
But I literally can’t buy (and probably couldn’t afford it if I could) this type of promotion. Being the top new release is exposure on steroids, especially if you’re lucky enough to do it on the UK, USA and the Australian sites. That coveted Top Selling ‘orange flash’, as it’s called, gets an author a lot of exposure.
And if you’re lucky enough to hit the number one spot in a popular category, it can really help you find more lovely lunatic readers who might get a giggle out of your books.
And anyone who wants any series, not just the Midlife Recorder one to continue, knows it needs to continue to sell. Editing is expensive, Covers are expensive. Sooo muuuuch author software … KU pays for all that via my share of the KU pot.
The two most effective ways that help an author find their future readers are:
1: Hitting a high spot (1-5) in a big category. That’s mostly, but not totally, created by pre-orders, sales, KU reads and wish list additions.
2: Bloody lovely readers who care enough to leave their reviews.
I have been incredibly fortunate with both.
But if I didn’t launch my books through Amazon — I would lose all that publicity on the largest bookseller in the world. Right now, that would cost me a lot more than a few extra pounds or dollars could ever replace.
So why don’t some people like KU?
Or even badmouth it?
Authors included?
I have no damn idea!
Regarding authors, I have quietly (and mostly under my breath) wondered if it’s because they haven’t had enough real-world business experience before their author career. But it may be something completely different. I’ve asked quite a few writers who don’t like it and I haven’t received a serious, well-thought out, data-backed answer … Yet.
The KU payment to authors is based on the KENP of a book. This is a numerical value assigned by Amazon at publication. The KENP of a book depends on the length (specifically the word count) of the book.
It’s possible that one reason I like it so much is that my books are long.
Some of my shorter books are still twice the length of some cozy mysteries or a certain type of paranormal book. Which means if someone reads my book via KU, I get paid more than the author of a shorter book would.
Which only seems fair.
But they still charge you to sell through them?
They do. If we’re moving to book sales … they charge me 30% of the price of my book or give me 70% of it – whichever way your mind works.
My mind compares what they charge me with what they do for me.
For 30% Amazon provides me with:
A brilliant series page
A book sales page
They allow readers to review not just my books but my series too
They promote me extremely efficiently to those readers who might like my series.
They duplicate all that on Goodreads (and yes, as a longtime Goodreader and GR librarian I’d prefer they hadn’t bought it, but that’s not an author issue. It’s a personal one.)
They allow my readers to mostly reliably get my books to their Kindle.
(The occasional problems I’ve looked into have been PEBKAC. (Problem Exists Between Kindle And Chair), Wi-fi or bluetooth turned off, card expired, Kindle needs a restart etc.
This page covers the obvious problems.
They securely process all those readers’ payments
Then they pay my share direct into my UK bank account from lots of different countries.
All for their 30%.
That’s a steal in the real business world.
I mean, sure, if you’re traditionally published, your publisher would do all that for you.
But a traditional publisher:
Keeps 85-90% of the royalties, not 30%
And then you have to pay your agent, who you probably needed to get that traditional deal, 20% of what’s left.
Seriously, any intelligent business person would be astonished every time I say, ‘Yeah, Amazon handles that for me’. VAT and international sales taxes, for example. I consider they work damned hard for their 30%.
In conclusion; My Choices and Why I made them.
If I’d simply sold my books everywhere, it’s possible that the same 15,000+ people would have read them. (That’s how many I’ve sold up to the end of the last quarter.)
Maybe I could have sold a few more if I’d been wide and on Apple and Kobo, etc. Or had my own store. But I might have sold a lot less because, even if you see them in all the stores, most (80%+) indie authors make the majority of their income from Amazon .
Now that’s pretty darn respectable. As the recent highly publicised trial case with Penguin Random House (see graphic above or google it if you’re a new author) taught us, most “Trade titles” or what you might know as traditionally published books don’t do that well. The handful at the very top (Like the Fourth Wing I mentioned earlier) make up the publisher’s profits. It’s the old 80/20 Pareto principle.
Amazon is just a microcosm of the publishing industry. There are more than 32.8 million titles on Amazon at the moment. But as voracious readers, we mostly notice the top 50,000 or the top fifty books in our favourite categories.
But here’s the thing many people don’t grasp about KU
Let me put this in a different way that might help everyone understand where I’m coming from.
I started this authoring lark LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO.
It’s just twenty months ago as I write this since I pressed the button to launch Midlife in Gretna Green.
So it’s 633 days, if you want to be precise, since I published my first book.
Remember Stage One – Find your readers?
I’m definitely still in that stage and I hope many more readers will find my books over the next few years.
So why don’t some readers like KU?
Again, I don’t flipping know. It’s fantastic for them and for authors. Do they not know this?
Because of KU, in addition to my ebook and paperback sales, over 30 million KU page reads of my books have taken place through Amazon in a wide range of countries. That’s the equivalent of another 60,000 books. Now 75,000 books sold in less than two years is respectable. And the money I get from KU is awesome. It pays for my author expenses: Covers, editing, my bills and recently even emergency surgery for my pup!
So when I hear a reader say, “I don’t approve of KU. I like my authors to make enough money. I’ll buy another book next month.”
My primary thought is they simply don’t understand that the Kindle Unlimited lending library has not just helped a lot of new authors to launch their careers. But that they could read twenty books from twenty new authors over the next month and give them all money for the cost of buying one book. If you read a book in KU you can access it anytime in the future. All the notes you made are still there. Even if you’ve returned it and the borrowed it again.
And Amazon will pay all those authors for you. Sure, it’s a bit less than if you bought their book, but not that much less. (Unless that book is highly-priced or very short)
Let’s talk money for a minute and let’s work in US dollars.
If you buy Code Yellow – and let’s remember it’s higher priced than my other books because it’s twice the length. So the calculation is accurate both ways. But if you’re an author, you’ll know your own word count. (Yellow is 211,000 words.)
Buy my $7.99 book, I’ll make about $5.39. (Which I’m aware is less than 70% but there are delivery fees on sales, remember, but not on KU reads)
Read it KU, I’ll get something between $4.20 and $4.75.
(The rate varies each month depending on subscriber numbers.)
And as a KU author, I never feel short-changed. It’s money I wouldn’t have had otherwise and they put my books in front of lovely and often warm, intelligent and hilarious readers. I would never have had the chance to meet them without KU or Amazon.
If I launched my own store I could make a little extra but not the whole 30% that Amazon takes, because I’d need a webmaster, I’d have increased hosting fees, I’d have payment processing fees and delivery fees. And I’d have all the headaches that go along with them. I want to play with my crazy characters, not play shop.
I’d much rather just write more books because that’s the fun bit for me.
Will you always be in KU?
Maybe not, at least not with all my books, all the time. It’s too early to say. I’m so new to this, see above, 633 days remember?
I don’t always know what I don’t know … yet.
I might write a completely different series one day or a spin-off. But this is a retirement project, so … maybe … I won’t. I expect it depends. If more readers find me and I continue to love doing it, then move over Catherine Cookson and Barabara Cartland. Maybe I’ll be writing at 90. Did you know Barbara Cartland wrote her last book at 97 and it was part of the Way to Heaven series? 😇
Will I eventually take my books out of KU? Maybe. I’ll probably need to reach those other markets and readers at some point. But not for ages and definitely NOT before the ten books that form the main series are published and everyone’s had the chance to read them as part of their KU subscription. (I’ve never forgiven an author that took their books out of KU halfway through a series with no warning and hiked her prices for no apparent reason (I don’t mean by a pound or a dollar, I mean hiked. And, yes, I still remember exactly who it was and I don’t think I’ve ever read another of her books because I’m like a camel that way – or do I mean an elephant? Anyway, she’s still outside my Trust Circle).
So if I ever decide to remove mine in the future—after I have my pretty hardback set for my mantlepiece (much nicer than an engraved clock 😂 — Be assured I will give everyone plenty of warning.
So I can’t and wouldn’t tell any other author what they should do. I can only share why I do, what I do. I hope it’s helped newer authors and much-appreciated readers with information that few people seem to be sharing.
Thank you for the information and explanation. While i was initially reluctant to use KU, once i took the leap – frankly I couldn’t afford all the books i wanted to read – i have found so many authors and stories i would have missed out on otherwise. Thank you for ypur awesome series and looking forward to the beauriful hardbacks once the series is complete. Love, love, love your stories and characters.
Thanks so much Cindy. Can I ask what was it that made you reluctant? (I’m wondering if it was promoted differently in the US to the UK?)
I’m still with KU but have considered moving to Amazon Prime, for a strictly financial reason. But can you tell me, if your books are read through Prime Reading, without the KU subscription, would you, as the author, still receive the same return financially as through KU?
Hi Mary, Blast I should have mentioned Prime – thanks so much for the reminder. No, we don’t get paid. If the books is free – it’s just free. If its 99c/p we get the usual royalty on that amount. However we do have to choose to include our books in Prime. I always do it whenever Amazon offer me the opportunity just for the exposure.
So this is how it works.
Amazon send an email saying would you like this particular book including?
If we say yes THEY decide whether it is or not (not us)
If it is chosen they let us know.
As an author I always opt in and consider it free advertising
however …
As a reader it might drive me crazy because you rarely get the chance to read a full series. For example the only book of mine that’s ever been consistently selected is the first in series.
Sorry for the long answer – I hope it helps.
I hope you make a Billion Dollars!!!
Well if I ever do we’re all going on a free book cruise 😀
That sounds amazing.
Wonderful explanation! I love KU, and as an editor (and voracious reader) I so appreciate the tremendous quality of all your books.
Thanks Linda – I really appreciate that.
I love using Kindle Unlimited to read books. So glad your books are in it.
Thanks for writing a great series for us to read in it.
Thanks Wendy and thank you for all the help you’ve me through the FABs 🥰
Do you have any information about when Code Yellow will be sold as a paperback on Amazon? I like to buy both the Kindle edition and also a paperback for my physical library. Thanks!
It’s published on the 6th of April Deb. There’s a long explanation, (more of a rant if we’re being honest) in the Voracious Readers group on Facebook – but I honestly can’t remember if you’re in there. If you’re not, you would be warmly welcomed.
Thanks for this Linzi. I love KU. I read at such a rate that I cant afford not to use it. It introduced me to your books, and although I now buy them that’s cos my book goblin agrees with yours as it sits in my Kindle library repeating “my precious” and hugging the books tightly….🤣
I too have stopped reading mid series when an author decided to take books out of KU, especially since that person then expected me to pay full price for what I felt was half a book! Why do they do that?! So frustrating.
So thank you for the explanation, the facts and figures were interesting. 😊😍
Exactly, I’m always baffled when any reader doesn’t use it.
Thank you for the great explanation. I’ve been a KU member since forever ago and currently am paid up through June of 2027 🥰 Every time they have a sale, I gift myself another year lol
I always wondered if the authors were getting the short end of the stick, but after your explanation, I feel I may never NOT be a KU member. I have found so many great authors and series and characters I wouldn’t have found otherwise. NGL, Dola is my new favorite, if only I had someone (somehouse?) like her 🤣
If you continue writing after your planned 10 in Gretna Green, I’ll keep reading whatever you write, thank you!
Hi Susan (and hoping I’ve got the right Susan) aren’t we celebrating our birthdays almost together next month? I think the US might get better/more/any sales on KU than the UK does. I’d love to be so far ahead of myself. Although I’ve had a free 3 or 6 months with a new Kindle a few times.
Thank you for the explanation Linzi
As a very small business owner I simply couldn’t afford to read as many books as I do without KU.
I found you through a book recommendation while reading another series. One click and I was hooked. I love your books and
as a Scot living in England they also remind why I’m only homesick in the summer 🤣
Oh that made me giggle. You don’t even mean the summer do you? You mean those two beautiful months we get if we’re lucky often May and September!
Thanks, Linzi, for explaining how KU works. I’ve also been a subscriber for years and have wondered/hoped that authors were fairly paid. I started to read more on Kindle than traditional books because I could increase font size. (I swear the print in books gets smaller every couple of months – it couldn’t possibly be my eyes! 🤓) Your back story is so interesting and I love your boasting wall. May you have many more successful years and books to add to it. I’ll be following and buying!
Thanks Dana,
I guess every author has to decide for themselves what they think fair is. But I’m always delighted by it. New readers and some money – what’s not to love? 😀
As a reader – it’s essential for me. It can’t be your eyes – because mine are exactly the same – it must be the print … right?
Thank you for your support 🥰
First…I love ❤️ the Midlife Recorder series. I’ve read all the books within a month.
Now to KU…I don’t like that the books don’t stay in my library. That’s why I always buy my books 5hrough the Amazon store for Kindle. I know it would probably be cheaper with KU, but I just like keeping my books.
You have to do what’s right for you – of course – always.
Everyone has to do what is right for them at the time they’re doing it. Since I’m retired, I get most of my books from libraries on Overdrive. That means I often have to wait months or years to read “the next one”.
Thank you for making your stories available to everyone.
Thanks do much for all the info! Personally I’ve loved Kindle Unlimited from the first day I discovered it. There is no way I could afford to buy all the paperbacks that I read in KU. And ypu are so right, I’ve discovered new authors that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. So thank you for wanting to continue publishing through KU. I love your books!
Linzi, I can’t thank you enough for bringing your characters into my life. They are people I would really like to meet (and drink coffee or wine with!). I’m so glad you brought them into the world and out of their gateways. I found them on KU, but ended up buying the electronic versions. Well, why wouldn’t I, I had already borrowed them from KU at least three times! I am holding out for the special hard cover editions as well. Keep doing what you’re doing, it works. Kudos.
Thank you so much Jan – I’m glad they’re giving you a smile 😀
Very reasoned blog, thank you. I am not a great fan of kindle reading, but that could be to do with my age, eyesight and the fact that I love having a physical book that I can read with having to balance an electronic device and cope with fluctuating/non existent wifi and mobile signals. I am not a member of KU but do buy and read occasional Kindle e-books.
I love the concept of the author controlling their own writing and direction rather than be at the direction of a publishing house (who may not like/want their next offering) or having an agent who is a greedy, grasping creature who then ties the author into all manner of knots under the guise of protecting them from their readers. This happened to an author whose work I had followed and enjoyed for a number of years – the result was a new monetized face (fb/website/shop/merchandise) and everything turned into money, money, money with the agent running everything and not caring how many fans got disillusioned and totally alienated, so how to lose at least half of your loyal fan base in 12 months. It was on the rebound from this that I found the first of your books – or rather Amazon marketed HRH and Dola to me on fb and I thought I’d give it a go. I’ve not regretted it. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Su, I appreciate that and yes I can think of several authors who went through what you describe. I definitely don’t want protecting from my readers, they’re far too much fun 😀
What a great explanation! I have a few friends who are wanting to self-publish, and I am going to share this (I have already shared your books with a few of them!) with them! Thank you!
Thanks Sandy happy if it helped. It’s what I wish someone had told me before I published. Thank you so much – there is NOTHING so powerful as a book recommendation from a friend we trust to know what we might enjoy 🥰
Hi Linzi
I happen to be one of your (dedicated) male readers, which is relevant only in that I became a reader simply because KU slipped one of your titles in front of me and it was only after I finished the second book I realised it was a “cosy woman’s “ book and I ought not to be reading it. I just like fantasy and more importantly I like well written books. I am very happy to read your explanation of how KU works and relieved to learn how much a good author can earn every time I read one of their books. (You don’t think I read a book only once do you?) since it is usually a few months between releases (sometimes longer) I need to borrow the preceding book to refresh my memory before continuing to the new release, and very often I just need to start at the beginning of a series and work my way through them all, just because I can).
Thank you for the books and for the explanation of the economics of publishing through Amazon
Hi Benjamin, I’m so glad you found me. I agree. As many male readers have pointed out, the ‘paranormal women’ thing can be misleading. I like to think about as the characters are paranormal women and not necessarily the readers 😀 And you’re the proof of what I was trying to explain in this blog post – thanks so much for enjoying the books.
Thanks for this information, Linzi. I got out of KU about a year ago based on some comments made by another author I follow. However, I admit that I’m missing it. I used it the way you do as a reader–to discover new authors. If I loved the book, I bought it. After this post, I will be renewing my KU subscription.
I absolutely love your books. I find them well-written, funny at times, engaging, and a joy to read. I’ve left one 5-star review, as LynS, but now I need to go back and leave similar reviews for the other books.
Thanks for the feedback Lyn. I’m delighted if it helped. Honestly It’s only what I wish I could have read before I made my ‘author decisions’. In the end I went with what I felt to be right as a reader and KU member. Because author or not … we’re all still readers 😀
I’m profoundly grateful for any and all reviews – I’ll do another post soon about why they’re so darn important (more things I didn’t know for years as a reader). Heartfelt thank you for any and all reviews.
Very interesting. I rejected KU as my hoarding tendency is wanting to own, I have thousands of pb. But the demise of the regular publishing industry has changed things. I’ve got a ton of kindle titles but it’s now getting too expensive to buy those too! One fairly famous author, her latest is 16.99 on kindle, the trade size on is 18, good grief! I’m down to a very few best loved that I purchase real. So I’m going to give KU another look. I guess I’m also old enough to not trust that something won’t happen and all the e stuff gets wiped out! Remember the ‘blue screen of death’? I guess that doesn’t happen that often anymore but I don’t trust North Korea and one emp and I’m back to real books! I want your pb’s safety on my shelves! Cheers
Honestly Kate, I feel your pain. The world price of wood pulp which makes book pages is no joke. I make almost nothing (far less than on the digital versions) on my PB – which is why I consider them a public service. But if you write six and eight hundred page books, then the wholesale cost to produce them is far more than I’d want to pay. It’s gone crazy since 2022.
I had a blue screen of death on a Kindle – well, OK, I dropped it in the bath so it was my own fault. But when I replaced it, all my books turned up on the new one the next day, even with their notes and bookmarks. Thank heavens for the ‘cloud’. It wouldn’t protect us in an apocalypse where, as you say, an EMP or NEMP brings the cloud down, but anything less, and I think we’re OK.
Hi there – a terrific explanation – and I love the combination of text and graphics.
Thanks Kelly 😀