Should Authors Go Exclusive with Amazon?

Are you an author publishing a book and trying to decide whether to sign up for Amazon’s KDP Select program? There are some big advantages to going exclusive, but it does come at a cost. In this video, author Julie Broad explains the good and the bad of going exclusive, and why she chose not to.

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Transcript of Should Authors Go Exclusive with Amazon video:

Have you faced that scary question of whether you're going to go exclusive?
Means no more selling around till death do us part when it comes to you and Amazon
If you're drawn to figure it out, stick around I've got some thoughts on it for you.

But first before I get into why you don't want to do it - why would you want to enroll in a program like KDP select?

You will earn higher royalties, you're going to earn seventy percent versus thirty-five percent if you don't go into KDP Select.

You're going to earn your share of KDP Select global fund when customers read your book from Kindle unlimited and the Kindles owners the kindle owners lending library.

You also get to choose between two fantastic promotional opportunities: the Kindle countdown deals which is a time-bound promotional discount for your book or the free book promotion where readers worldwide can get your book for free.

When you enroll your book into KDP Select, you're committing to only sell the e-version of your book through Amazon let me just show you a quick comparison of KDP Select which is a
kindle program or just selling your book through Kindle alone.

So as you can see Kindle KDP Select has a pricing restriction you can only sell your book
for no more than 9.99 if you put it through Kindle you can choose the price.

KDP select your exclusive with Kindle no exclusivity so you can offer through other channels including your website KDP select gives you access to the promos which I talked about the
countdown deals and the three cross which you don't have access to you through Kindle there's a seventy percent royalty through KDP select verses eight thirty five percent royalty through Kindle only.

Overall it doesn't sound that bad, but for me here's the reason the single biggest reason I didn't do it:

Number one was exclusivity. I really wanted the option to be able to give it away and to sell it through other channels other than just Amazon.

But the bigger issue was the pricing now here's the thing: I'm a non-fiction author, my books contain thousands of dollars of knowledge these are books jammed with stuff that I have put into workshops that I've sold for over a thousand dollars for a weekend workshops so this is already a bargain.

If you pay twenty bucks or 25 bucks for my book to get thousands of dollars worth of experience and expertise that can save you money and make you money and save you time and hassle, it's already a steal of a deal.

As I noted in another video I did a three year sales tally for my first book more than cash flow and only fourteen percent of the books sold through bookstores and Amazon were sold in a digital format. This means that my physical book pricing is actually really important.

I think the book is already super cheap for what you're getting inside of the pages and as a result I'm not willing to then say my ebook is worth half as much as my printed book because
of the paper it's printed on but wait Julie I took this course or I hired this done for you publishing company and they are requiring me to go through KTP slip because they want me to do the pre sales or the countdown promo.

So overall should you go exclusive the answer is it depends. For me the choice was clear there's tremendous value in my books and it was important to me that my books be priced
like the other books in my category the traditionally published books that I was competing directly with and those books are not discounted at 2.99 or 5.99 or even 9.99 they're selling for twenty dollars $22 $25 and the e-versions are selling for eighteen ninety-nine 19.99 and that ultimately who I want to be compared with.

That's where the value of my book lies and frankly I was just not going to price it no matter what other options were available but again it depends on your goal so do what's right for you.

Know the choices you're making and why you're making them and I wish you all the best of success with your book got

[BookLaunchers]

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[starmocha]

I just released my 1st book, non-fiction. This video confirmed that my research and knowledge is worth more than $4.99 for the ebook. Thanks!

[kangaroobooks]

Julie, I am glad I connected with your video. I have written a book, and was confronted with the KDP mystery. Confusion is not my forte. You provided me with the clarity I really needed. I am looking forward to knowing more from you..in the meantime, I wish you the best.

[refugefilms]

Excellent info! Too much pressure to go free these days. Not a great business model.

[bigphilly]

You don't have to be in KDP Select to get 70% royalty. You get 70% provided your book is priced at least $2.99.

[jean_mollycutpurse_winchester]

I’m quite upset at the moment. I have 68 novels with Amazon: KDP and are used to earn 2 to £3000 a month. Now I’m earning £25. I really don’t know what’s going on but I’m seriously considering taking my books, all of them, off KDP. Thank you for your video. I have subscribed.

[tmacgeezy]

Great video. I recently purchased my book Lost in My World by Terrance Mcadoo. It talks about me being in a dysfunctional relationship and family issues which we ALL can relate. My book is to express the bad decisions I made so others want follow in the same foot steps.

[williamribardo]

From what has been taught if a plan is going to fail then the author will have to describe the plan. In other words if you plan on using Kindel exclusivity then we will be able to research an theory on which we decide to do. BookLaunchers others will explain
the options of exclusivity plan as a plan or not a plan. Good explanation on these differences.

[ZorbaPress]

Excellent video overall, thank you. But there is a big mistake: Yes we can get 70 percent if we do not enroll in KDP select -- but we cannot get the 70 percent from sales to these countries: Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico. ... Stop the video at 1:01 and you will see this clearly.

[MrGeneCountertopCreations]

Love the idea of not discounting your experience, finally someone agrees with me..friends keeping thinking my goal is to be Number one seller on amazon which in reality would still have me basically paying my own money for that title..its like what am i gonna do with that title put it in my instagram status?? LOL I want to be compensated for value..thanks again..ok back to watching ur complete palylist😃

[TheShaunHayes]

Julie thank you for another wonderful video. I learn something every time I watch one for which I am very grateful.

[TheShaunHayes]

Another wonderful video. I have learned so much from your video series I am forever grateful. Thank you Julie.

[lauriefreedle]

I read that KDP Select allows you to opt out every 90 days. Why not start that way, then get out if its' not working for you?

[AprilBraswell]

Hi Julie, "Already a steal of a deal." LIKE 183, my friend. Excellent points. Great to know about the price limitation especially. And yes, absolutely great points about determining my goals for the ebooks in advance of publishing them over in the world of Kindle. Have an awesome day, as ever. Cheers and blessings, April

[bigphilly]

But, yes, I agree it's better not to be exclusive. Go wide.

[MYSTOCKTIPS]

Actually, going on two years later there has been an explosion on E-book, due to the price slashing. Why book form is ideal, ebooks are moving ahead quite quickly.

[robertwoodstock]

Hi Julie. Thank you for your information. I try and gather as much data as possible since I published my first collection of short horror stories on Amazon Kindle ebooks. Great stuff!

[kopluss]

beautiful information, thanks for the knowledge .

[williamribardo]

Hi, this is Bill from Bill's Book Club.
With Kindle Direct Publishing Select the exclusitivity allows you to have any price.

[geofflawson]

Hi Julie, thanks for the opinions. Regards, Geoffrey