KDP and D2D Together?

[Tolkien]

I was wondering if anyone has ever used KDP [would they recommend it to a new indie author?] along with D2D. So has anyone made eBooks with D2D and paperback with KDP? Also can you do eBooks with D2D as well as Amazon?

 

[skip.knox]

I haven't done this but it's feasible. You just have to make sure you don't sign up for Kindle Select, because the terms of the agreement is that you can only publish at Amazon. The agreement lasts 90 days and you have to opt-in to continue.

When I did my first book I went with Select. It was simpler because I only had to look at one platform, learn one interface (and there is a learning curve, no matter what you do). When I finished my next book, I just stayed. Six years later, I'm still with Select and I'll probably stay with them through the series I'm currently writing. I have another book planned after the series; I am considering going wide (shorthand for publishing beyond Amazon) for that one.

If I do that, I'll probably go to Ingram Spark or something similar. Once you choose not to stay in Select, there's no reason to divide the pie. You can sell both forms (and audio as well) pretty much anywhere you wish, so you can sell books on Amazon *and* sell them through other services.

To put this briefly, the choices (imo) are: Amazon Select -or- Amazon *and* everywhere else. But don't listen to one source only on this topic.

If others have a different perspective, please pipe up!

 

[Tolkien]

I haven't done this but it's feasible. You just have to make sure you don't sign up for Kindle Select, because the terms of the agreement is that you can only publish at Amazon. The agreement lasts 90 days and you have to opt-in to continue.

When I did my first book I went with Select. It was simpler because I only had to look at one platform, learn one interface (and there is a learning curve, no matter what you do). When I finished my next book, I just stayed. Six years later, I'm still with Select and I'll probably stay with them through the series I'm currently writing. I have another book planned after the series; I am considering going wide (shorthand for publishing beyond Amazon) for that one.

If I do that, I'll probably go to Ingram Spark or something similar. Once you choose not to stay in Select, there's no reason to divide the pie. You can sell both forms (and audio as well) pretty much anywhere you wish, so you can sell books on Amazon *and* sell them through other services.

To put this briefly, the choices (imo) are: Amazon Select -or- Amazon *and* everywhere else. But don't listen to one source only on this topic.

If others have a different perspective, please pipe up!

Great post. So I can do select for the 90 days starting out, and than go the "everywhere else" avenue. So I could even do Banes and nobles and Amazon, just not select correct?

 

[skip.knox]

>So I can do select for the 90 days starting out, and than go the "everywhere else" avenue.
Yes

>So I could even do Banes and nobles and Amazon, just not select correct?
and yes.

 

[Tolkien]

>So I can do select for the 90 days starting out, and than go the "everywhere else" avenue.
Yes

>So I could even do Banes and nobles and Amazon, just not select correct?
and yes.

Sweet baby Jesus. Thanks for the help. BTW I meant Barnes and Nobles.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

If others have a different perspective, please pipe up!

Piping up.

We are exclusive to Amazon and plan to stay this way, mostly for Kindle Unlimited. Page reads pay, and we think it's worth it. There are a lot of readers in our genres - Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance - who won't read anything that's not in KU. Several years ago, we went wide with our second book. Not only were we left unimpressed with the quality of IS's paperbacks, there were very few sales outside of Amazon, and when we decided to rejoin Kindle Select it was not only a pain to get back in, Amazon still won't link our e-book to our paperback (which was printed by IS), so we take a hit in sales when readers can't find the format they want. IS put us in their catalogue and bookstores and libraries could order it, but few did even with a review in Publisher's Weekly - and then Amazon opened up to letting them order indy publications from them. (And then B&N offered to stalk indies, too, but I think it may have come too late for them. Still to be seen.) Research and decide carefully which is right for you.

 

[Tolkien]

Piping up.

We are exclusive to Amazon and plan to stay this way, mostly for Kindle Unlimited. Page reads pay, and we think it's worth it. There are a lot of readers in our genres - Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance - who won't read anything that's not in KU. Several years ago, we went wide with our second book. Not only were we left unimpressed with the quality of IS's paperbacks, there were very few sales outside of Amazon, and when we decided to rejoin Kindle Select it was not only a pain to get back in, Amazon still won't link our e-book to our paperback (which was printed by IS), so we take a hit in sales when readers can't find the format they want. IS put us in their catalogue and bookstores and libraries could order it, but few did even with a review in Publisher's Weekly - and then Amazon opened up to letting them order indy publications from them. (And then B&N offered to stalk indies, too, but I think it may have come too late for them. Still to be seen.) Research and decide carefully which is right for you.

But I would love to see my book in a hardback. i am surprised Amazon does not offer this.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

But I would love to see my book in a hardback. i am surprised Amazon does not offer this.

They do. It's still a little quirky and our third book is too long for the format, but it's improving every year.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

These are our three babies. Book 3, Beneath a Stone Sky, could kill a man. lol And sorry for the sideways pic. Scribes hates me, sometimes.

 

[Tolkien]

They do. It's still a little quirky and our third book is too long for the format, but it's improving every year.

Really? that was not what i have been told. Fantastic. I guess i shall know for sure in a few months.

 

[Tolkien]

These are our three babies. Book 3, Beneath a Stone Sky, could kill a man. lol And sorry for the sideways pic. Scribes hates me, sometimes.

View attachment 3108

Very nice indeed.

 

[pmmg]

These are our three babies. Book 3, Beneath a Stone Sky, could kill a man. lol And sorry for the sideways pic. Scribes hates me, sometimes.

View attachment 3108

Who cares if it could kill a man Still very nice to have one on the desk.

 

[Prince of Spires]

I publish wide, and I use both Amazon and D2D.

It's easy to set up. As others mentioned, the main thing is KDP select, which makes your ebook exclusive to Amazon. Note, just the ebook, not any other format. It's a checkbox when uploading your ebook on Amazon. As long as you don't check that you're good to go if you want to publish outside Amazon (i.e. go wide).

Technically speaking, you could go Amazon exclusive for 90 days and then go wide, but I wouldn't advise it. Amazon prime readers and wide readers are very different audiences (which are about the same size), pick one or the other and go with it. You can always switch, just know that you will lose that part of your audience.

What many wide authors do is to go direct with Amazon, and use D2D for the rest (you can even go direct with the other big retailers like Barnes and Noble and Kobo and only use D2D for the small ones). It's a way to maximise royalties while minimizing the hassle. It's also easy to do. A few things to consider:
- ISBN's. Both platforms offer free ISBN's. You can use those, just note that they can only be used on that platform. So if you do, then you'll have two ISBN's for your book. Not a big deal of course (though it will list Amazon and D2D as the publisher). Alternatively, you can purchase your own and use those. It's an extra expense, just not a big one.
- When uploading your book on D2D, you can select which platforms you publish to. Just uncheck Amazon, and it won't publish there.
- Amazon paperbacks: if you want them available everywhere, just check the "use expanded distribution" checkbox when uploading your book. This makes them push it to the Ingram Catalogue, which lets all bookstores order them if they want.
- Amazon hardcover: they offer the option. I've done a hardcover via them. It might be that the program is still in beta, which would mean it's not available for everyone, but I don't know. Their customer service might know, and if it is, they might let you in. Just know that they only offer a printed cover hardcover. If you want anything fancier (like a dust jacket) you have to go through Ingram Spark directly.

For beginning authors I do think going Amazon exclusive might be a good idea. As A. E. Lowan mentions, page-reads are real, and they're often easier to get than selling a book. It also concentrates all marketing efforts on one platform, which can make ads more profitable. And with all sales on 1 platform your rank will be better than if you spread those.

That said, I'm a beginning author and I don't follow that advise because I don't like exclusivity and beig tied to one platform. So make of that what you will.

 

[Tolkien]

I publish wide, and I use both Amazon and D2D.

It's easy to set up. As others mentioned, the main thing is KDP select, which makes your ebook exclusive to Amazon. Note, just the ebook, not any other format. It's a checkbox when uploading your ebook on Amazon. As long as you don't check that you're good to go if you want to publish outside Amazon (i.e. go wide).

Technically speaking, you could go Amazon exclusive for 90 days and then go wide, but I wouldn't advise it. Amazon prime readers and wide readers are very different audiences (which are about the same size), pick one or the other and go with it. You can always switch, just know that you will lose that part of your audience.

What many wide authors do is to go direct with Amazon, and use D2D for the rest (you can even go direct with the other big retailers like Barnes and Noble and Kobo and only use D2D for the small ones). It's a way to maximise royalties while minimizing the hassle. It's also easy to do. A few things to consider:
- ISBN's. Both platforms offer free ISBN's. You can use those, just note that they can only be used on that platform. So if you do, then you'll have two ISBN's for your book. Not a big deal of course (though it will list Amazon and D2D as the publisher). Alternatively, you can purchase your own and use those. It's an extra expense, just not a big one.
- When uploading your book on D2D, you can select which platforms you publish to. Just uncheck Amazon, and it won't publish there.
- Amazon paperbacks: if you want them available everywhere, just check the "use expanded distribution" checkbox when uploading your book. This makes them push it to the Ingram Catalogue, which lets all bookstores order them if they want.
- Amazon hardcover: they offer the option. I've done a hardcover via them. It might be that the program is still in beta, which would mean it's not available for everyone, but I don't know. Their customer service might know, and if it is, they might let you in. Just know that they only offer a printed cover hardcover. If you want anything fancier (like a dust jacket) you have to go through Ingram Spark directly.

For beginning authors I do think going Amazon exclusive might be a good idea. As A. E. Lowan mentions, page-reads are real, and they're often easier to get than selling a book. It also concentrates all marketing efforts on one platform, which can make ads more profitable. And with all sales on 1 platform your rank will be better than if you spread those.

That said, I'm a beginning author and I don't follow that advise because I don't like exclusivity and beig tied to one platform. So make of that what you will.

Thanks for all the great info. Right now i think I will do amazon select to start and see how that goes if i am happy with it, i might stay. If not I will do D2D or Barnes and nobles as well after the 90 day trial.

I do have a desire for a high quality hardcover and that is part of why I wish to do Barnes and Nobels.

Thanks for the advice and opinions.

 

[Tolkien]

I publish wide, and I use both Amazon and D2D.

It's easy to set up. As others mentioned, the main thing is KDP select, which makes your ebook exclusive to Amazon. Note, just the ebook, not any other format. It's a checkbox when uploading your ebook on Amazon. As long as you don't check that you're good to go if you want to publish outside Amazon (i.e. go wide).

Technically speaking, you could go Amazon exclusive for 90 days and then go wide, but I wouldn't advise it. Amazon prime readers and wide readers are very different audiences (which are about the same size), pick one or the other and go with it. You can always switch, just know that you will lose that part of your audience.

What many wide authors do is to go direct with Amazon, and use D2D for the rest (you can even go direct with the other big retailers like Barnes and Noble and Kobo and only use D2D for the small ones). It's a way to maximise royalties while minimizing the hassle. It's also easy to do. A few things to consider:
- ISBN's. Both platforms offer free ISBN's. You can use those, just note that they can only be used on that platform. So if you do, then you'll have two ISBN's for your book. Not a big deal of course (though it will list Amazon and D2D as the publisher). Alternatively, you can purchase your own and use those. It's an extra expense, just not a big one.
- When uploading your book on D2D, you can select which platforms you publish to. Just uncheck Amazon, and it won't publish there.
- Amazon paperbacks: if you want them available everywhere, just check the "use expanded distribution" checkbox when uploading your book. This makes them push it to the Ingram Catalogue, which lets all bookstores order them if they want.
- Amazon hardcover: they offer the option. I've done a hardcover via them. It might be that the program is still in beta, which would mean it's not available for everyone, but I don't know. Their customer service might know, and if it is, they might let you in. Just know that they only offer a printed cover hardcover. If you want anything fancier (like a dust jacket) you have to go through Ingram Spark directly.

For beginning authors I do think going Amazon exclusive might be a good idea. As A. E. Lowan mentions, page-reads are real, and they're often easier to get than selling a book. It also concentrates all marketing efforts on one platform, which can make ads more profitable. And with all sales on 1 platform your rank will be better than if you spread those.

That said, I'm a beginning author and I don't follow that advise because I don't like exclusivity and beig tied to one platform. So make of that what you will.

I Missed something here. Question, so I could do Amazon select for ebook but also publish Barnes and Nobles press for hardcover and paperback? I could also choose "wide distribution" on amazon who could then sell paperback version on ingram?

 

[Prince of Spires]

yes. If you go with KDP select then only you ebook is exclusive to Amazon. Enrolling in KDP Select makes your book available for borrowing with Amazon Prime, and you get paid for page-reads.

Your paperback and hardcover can still be sold in other stores, in any way you like.

If you chose wide distribution for your paperback on Amazon then Amazon will place it in the Ingram Spark Database, which is used by most bookstores to order books. Note, they can order them, there is no guarantee they actually will do so. Most online bookstores will show them so you can order them. For example, this book from me is published wide using Amazon's expanded distribution:



As you can see, it just looks like any other paperback, with no indication of who prints it.

As for hardcover. At the moment I think if you do a hardcover via Amazon then it can only be purchased on Amazon. They don't have an expanded distribution option for that just yet. I think the only way to get a hardcover distributed wide is to go through Ingram Spark.

 

[Tolkien]

yes. If you go with KDP select then only you ebook is exclusive to Amazon. Enrolling in KDP Select makes your book available for borrowing with Amazon Prime, and you get paid for page-reads.

Your paperback and hardcover can still be sold in other stores, in any way you like.

If you chose wide distribution for your paperback on Amazon then Amazon will place it in the Ingram Spark Database, which is used by most bookstores to order books. Note, they can order them, there is no guarantee they actually will do so. Most online bookstores will show them so you can order them. For example, this book from me is published wide using Amazon's expanded distribution:

View attachment 3109

As you can see, it just looks like any other paperback, with no indication of who prints it.

As for hardcover. At the moment I think if you do a hardcover via Amazon then it can only be purchased on Amazon. They don't have an expanded distribution option for that just yet. I think the only way to get a hardcover distributed wide is to go through Ingram Spark.

Thank you for all the help.