With an exhilarating sense of adventure, I have made a
momentous decision in my writing career—to venture beyond the confines of
Kindle Unlimited exclusivity and embrace the vast world of readership. As a
science fiction romance author, Kindle Unlimited has been instrumental in
cultivating my audience, but I’m now ready to unlock a whole new realm of
possibilities by going "wide." The path ahead holds immense promise
and exciting advantages that I am eager to explore, ones that I simply can’t
realize if I remain confined to a single platform.
Join me as I delve into the reasons driving this bold move,
and witness the incredible opportunities that lie ahead on this literary
odyssey.
Enhanced Visibility and Reach
While Amazon Kindle Unlimited offers a massive user base,
the platform is saturated with a plethora of titles, making it challenging for
any writer to stand out. By branching out to other online sites, I can tap into
different readerships, increasing visibility and reach.
Platforms like Kobo, Nook, and Apple Books provide access to
a diverse global audience that may not be active on Kindle Unlimited. These
platforms have their own loyal readerships, that will enable me to connect with
a wider demographic. Expanding this way can lead to increased discoverability
and help build a dedicated fan base outside of Amazon's ecosystem.
Diversification of Income
While Amazon Kindle Unlimited provides a subscription-based
model that compensates authors based on page reads, things have changed there. In
an article by Dan
Holloway from Alliance of Independent Authors in February of this year
states “Kindle Unlimited raises UK subscriptions price by nearly
20%”. Will that increase in revenue be shared to the writers?
Dan continues: “… payments from the 2014 launch to now. In that time, the
payout per page read has dropped 23% from .58 of a cent to .43 of a cent.” He
further explains, “And authors shouldn’t expect to see any benefit. Indeed, any
increase in payout per page may be the result of fewer overall page views if
subscriber numbers go down.”
Are per page reads a better income generator
than selling an entire book? In an article in The Indie Life,
John Coon explains his experience:
“I tested out one of my stories, In
Hell’s Shadow,
on Kindle Unlimited for three years before finally pulling it from KU at the
end of March 2023. During that time, my story earned 454 total page reads. The
revenue generated from that 3-year KU stint equaled less than 10 sales.
Ironically, In Hell’s Shadow sold 62 copies outside of Kindle Unlimited
during the same 3-year period. I’ve experienced considerable success going wide
with all my other novels and short stories, gaining steady sales with a variety
of other retailers over the past five years.”
Another advantage of diversifying my distribution channels is
the multitude of options I can explore to get my books in front of a world-wide
audience. Such as direct sales, individual e-book purchases, and even
print-on-demand services.
To do that all I need is an author website (done!) or utilizing
platforms like Smashwords or Draft2Digital (which is what I use) that allows me
to sell books directly to readers. This not only offers greater control over
pricing and marketing strategies but also enables me to retain a higher
percentage of earnings. Additionally, expanding into print-on-demand services
like IngramSpark or Lulu could grant opportunities for physical book sales,
appealing to readers who prefer the experience of a printed novel.
Access to New Marketing Channels
While Kindle Unlimited provides promotional tools like
Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Book Promotions, other platforms offer unique
marketing strategies as well. Many online sites have dedicated newsletters,
blogs, and author spotlights to help writers gain exposure to a broader
audience. My goal this year is to explore what these other platforms offer.
By joining multiple platforms, I can take part in
cross-promotions, guest blogging, or exclusive interviews, leveraging the
promotional power of different communities. Engaging with new readers through
social media platforms, forums, and mailing lists associated with these sites
can generate valuable word-of-mouth buzz.
Let’s not forget to mention BookBub prefers a “wide” author
in their Feature Deal promotions.
But the main reason to branch out is this: If my career lies
in the hands of only one platform, what happens if they kick me out? Or, God
forbid, Amazon decides to dump authors all together? Back when Amazon started,
it was with books. Amazon worked hand in hand with their authors to build their
reach. Now authors are just a small cog in their gigantic wheel.
Relying on one stream of income also leaves me vulnerable to
the whim of that platform, limits growth to a wider audience and comes with a
total lack of flexibility. I am an independent author for a reason… these are
my stories and I don’t appreciate anyone telling me what I can or can’t do with
them.
Building a Brand Beyond Amazon
While Amazon is undeniably a dominant force in the
publishing industry, solely relying on its platform can limit the visibility of
my author's brand. By expanding to other online sites, I have the chance to
extend my reach and enhance my professional credibility and brand to those
who’ve I’ve never touched before.
At the same time, I’m hoping it will open other opportunities,
such as speaking engagements, guest appearances, and invitations to participate
in industry events. It has a good chance to help raise my profile and attract
new readers and publishing opportunities.
Conclusion
While Amazon Kindle Unlimited undoubtedly offers advantages
for all writers, venturing beyond this platform can unlock a plethora of
benefits. I’ve published with Amazon for five years exclusively, hoping it
would give me the chance to realize my dream of quitting a full-time job and
making a living by my writing. In all that time, my sales and reads have remained
stagnant. Time’s a wastin’ and staying with them doesn’t look my dream is going
to happen there anytime soon.
So, I think I’ll take Albert Einstein’s advice. “The
definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting
different results.”
Who am I to argue with a world renown genius?
1 comment:
Thanks for the info from your experiences, Keri. I've never gone exclusively with Amazon because it's such a huge behemoth. Though the majority of my sales are through Amazon, they are nicely padded by other channels. It's too easy to get lost in their vast list.
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