Distributing your own paperbacks

[Piers]

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the rookie question, but I just want to make sure my understanding of things is correct...

I've recently published my first book on Kindle and am basking in the glow of having sold copies to at least 1% of my friends on Facebook. Unfortunately another 1% of my friends live in the Netherlands and want to get hold of my book in paperback but can't because KDP don't have distribution rights for the country.

This also seems to mean that they can't order physical copies from amazon.co.uk or amazon.de and have them sent to a Dutch address.

Annoying? Yes. Something I should have picked up on in my research while preparing the book? Yes, in particular as I live in Amsterdam myself. I'm assuming, however, that as long as I get an ISBN for the Netherlands, I'm well within my rights to print my own copies and sell them myself, both to individuals and to book shops.

Is this correct??

If that seemed like a good started for ten, I also have a couple of other questions:

1. I think that when I signed up to KDP I signed away my right to distribute ebook copies on any other platforms that distribute to the same territories as Amazon. Is this correct? I've just seen a lot of talk online of selling your ebook on multiple platforms and I'm getting confused.

2. If I want to distribute my own paperbacks in the UK or US (i.e. within countries which Amazon definitely does own distribution rights) am I ok to do so as long as I have the right ISBN?

Thanks so much in advance to anyone who replies. I'm trying to learn as much as I can online, but just need some independent confirmation that I'm not getting it all wrong.

Piers.

[Victoria]

It's strange a bit that you can't order your paperbacks. I'm living in Sweden, but sell on Amazon US /mostly, and I'm ordering my print books from UK, Germany, and also the US stores/pages. My ISBN is Swedish, of course. Never had any problems. Maybe you are having problems right now bcz of COVID situation?

1. If you r signing up for KDP - it means you can't sell or distribute your books (even via websites like booksprout, for reviews...). But its only for 3 months I think, check on KDP page, you'll see it. Unclick the box... wait till the date when you can distribute, sell your books. The date is mentioned there too.
2. yes.

[B.A.]

You can print your book wherever you want as long as you have your own ISBN. You do not need to be on Amazon exclusively for paperbacks. The only restriction is if you put your ebook in Kindle Unlimited. Then you are there for 90 days and are not allowed to sell the e-book only elsewhere. There are no restrictions on the paperback.

[E.A.]

Piers wrote: "Hi everyone,

Apologies for the rookie question, but I just want to make sure my understanding of things is correct...

I've recently published my first book on Kindle and am basking in the glow of..."
ISBNs are international. That means you don't have to get a different ISBN for each country you sell your book in. You can order your own paperbacks and sell them wherever you want, although you'll have to pay the shipping costs to get them to your customers.

[Piers]

Thanks a lot everyone, your replies are really helpful.

Just one other thing to check: there aren't any restrictions on pricing (relative to Amazon) if you also distribute paperbacks yourself, are there? So, for example, if you have your own website and want to run a promotion on your paperback that temporarily undercuts the price on Amazon, that wouldn't be a problem if Amazon somehow found out about it.

Again, I'm assuming not but good to confirm.

Thanks again.

[B.A.]

You can sell your books for whatever you want, even on Amazon. Paperbacks are not part of the Kindle Unlimited so you can do what you want with them. E-books in KU are limited to Amazon. That is an options. None of mine are in KU as I take my books wide and have gotten sales from other places.

[Henry]

As an Indie writer, do you accept most all Facebook friend requests so to help promo your book occasionally ? Does it help ?
Henry Duggan

[Eileen]

Henry wrote: "As an Indie writer, do you accept most all Facebook friend requests so to help promo your book occasionally ? Does it help ?
Henry Duggan"

Well, as a woman, I don't. There are a lot of scammers out there looking to prey on women. However, I write historical fiction and I am active in a number of groups that cover the era I write about. If the individual's profile is consistent with sharing that interest, I will usually accept that person's friend request. Even then, there are scammers, or those who have taken over that person's account somehow. When someone you just friended wants you to invest in Bitcoin or a sketchy real estate venture, tells you that you are the most beautiful woman he's ever seen, or some other such nonsense, just unfriend them. ASAP.

[B.A.]

Nope. You don't get sales on facebook by friending people. In fact, unless you are like Mark Dawson, you get less than 1% of your sales from FB, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

Social media is not where you will get book sales. You need that email list, fans who will help promoted the book, a budget to do some advertisement or going in person to where your readers gather.