Stephen Drivick's Blog - Posts Tagged "amazon-kindle-unlimited"
Dang It, Amazon - Musings on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon has made another move.
First, it was an e reader that changed how we read (and purchase) books. Then they came out with the Kindle Fire, a tablet that made Apple sweat a little. Just this year, they added a device to stream data to television, and a actual smart phone!
No way around it, Amazon is trying to rule the world. I, for one, welcome our new overlords from Seattle. :)
A few years ago, they added Kindle Direct Publishing and turned the book business upside down. It's hard to grasp the power this gave to potential authors ...like yours truly, for instance. Now anyone could type a few words, make it into a book, and publish for the world to see and critique. People will pay to read your work. The publishing world hasn't been the same since.
Then, they went one better. Amazon created the Select program and let Prime members borrow your book for free. You still get paid though, because Amazon will give you a portion of a pool of money that they put up in the program. Many authors became Kindle millionaires almost overnight.
Now they've done it again, and it's sending the same shock waves across the interwebs.
Amazon has a new program called Kindle Unlimited. You pay a small monthly fee, and you can check out a lot of books to read. The authors who enroll in the program get a portion of money put up by Amazon. It's similar to Scribd and Oyster, but Amazon is putting its sizable muscle to good use boosting the program. This new program has stirred up so much emotion, #KindleUnlimited trended on Twitter for a short time.
Sounds good, but there's a catch. Authors must be exclusive to Amazon. That means no listings for NOOK, Kobo, Apple, DriveThruFiction, etc. And if you think you can sneak it by the mighty 'Zon, you can't. They'll find out, and send you a friendly email.
So, how do I feel about the program? Like anything Amazon does, it's not going into this half-ass. They are putting their considerable monetary and marketing muscle it, and they're really trying hard to woo authors. I have no doubt Kindle Unlimited is going to be a rousing success ...for authors and readers.
I've done okay with Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. Eighty percent of my book sales come from the Kindle bookstore. CreateSpace, Amazon's paperback division, is also good for 3 or 4 sales a month as well. And I can't lie, sales are a little slow in the other bookstores. It would be nice to simplify, concentrate efforts on one bookstore, and get a little more exposure.
Will Sometimes We Ran go into Kindle Unlimited? Still trying to decide. I'm not a big fan of exclusivity. I hate to think of someone in the NOOK, Kobo, or Apple world not being able to read my work if they want. Many authors have told me that if a fan wants to read your book, they find a way.
A little exposure might be good, and my non-Amazon sales are flat anyway. The whole thing about selling books is that readers have to see you among all the books out there in the world. Amazon does a good job with programs that get people reading your book. The more you are seen, the more copies you might sell, then you get a higher ranking, and it goes on from there. Write a good story, (I think I did that part right) and you could become a Kindle bestseller.
Very tempting.
It might be worth a try. Maybe I'll just put the first book in and see what happens. If it goes well, the second book can join the first. It's a three month commitment, so it takes a while to see if it works or not. If neither book catches fire, I can republish on the other platforms. So, I might give it a try next month.
Or maybe I'll change my mind again. Or maybe Amazon will take over the Earth, and the decision will be made for me.:)
First, it was an e reader that changed how we read (and purchase) books. Then they came out with the Kindle Fire, a tablet that made Apple sweat a little. Just this year, they added a device to stream data to television, and a actual smart phone!
No way around it, Amazon is trying to rule the world. I, for one, welcome our new overlords from Seattle. :)
A few years ago, they added Kindle Direct Publishing and turned the book business upside down. It's hard to grasp the power this gave to potential authors ...like yours truly, for instance. Now anyone could type a few words, make it into a book, and publish for the world to see and critique. People will pay to read your work. The publishing world hasn't been the same since.
Then, they went one better. Amazon created the Select program and let Prime members borrow your book for free. You still get paid though, because Amazon will give you a portion of a pool of money that they put up in the program. Many authors became Kindle millionaires almost overnight.
Now they've done it again, and it's sending the same shock waves across the interwebs.
Amazon has a new program called Kindle Unlimited. You pay a small monthly fee, and you can check out a lot of books to read. The authors who enroll in the program get a portion of money put up by Amazon. It's similar to Scribd and Oyster, but Amazon is putting its sizable muscle to good use boosting the program. This new program has stirred up so much emotion, #KindleUnlimited trended on Twitter for a short time.
Sounds good, but there's a catch. Authors must be exclusive to Amazon. That means no listings for NOOK, Kobo, Apple, DriveThruFiction, etc. And if you think you can sneak it by the mighty 'Zon, you can't. They'll find out, and send you a friendly email.
So, how do I feel about the program? Like anything Amazon does, it's not going into this half-ass. They are putting their considerable monetary and marketing muscle it, and they're really trying hard to woo authors. I have no doubt Kindle Unlimited is going to be a rousing success ...for authors and readers.
I've done okay with Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. Eighty percent of my book sales come from the Kindle bookstore. CreateSpace, Amazon's paperback division, is also good for 3 or 4 sales a month as well. And I can't lie, sales are a little slow in the other bookstores. It would be nice to simplify, concentrate efforts on one bookstore, and get a little more exposure.
Will Sometimes We Ran go into Kindle Unlimited? Still trying to decide. I'm not a big fan of exclusivity. I hate to think of someone in the NOOK, Kobo, or Apple world not being able to read my work if they want. Many authors have told me that if a fan wants to read your book, they find a way.
A little exposure might be good, and my non-Amazon sales are flat anyway. The whole thing about selling books is that readers have to see you among all the books out there in the world. Amazon does a good job with programs that get people reading your book. The more you are seen, the more copies you might sell, then you get a higher ranking, and it goes on from there. Write a good story, (I think I did that part right) and you could become a Kindle bestseller.
Very tempting.
It might be worth a try. Maybe I'll just put the first book in and see what happens. If it goes well, the second book can join the first. It's a three month commitment, so it takes a while to see if it works or not. If neither book catches fire, I can republish on the other platforms. So, I might give it a try next month.
Or maybe I'll change my mind again. Or maybe Amazon will take over the Earth, and the decision will be made for me.:)
