Brandon Sanderson vs Audible

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Perhaps you are actually selling only through KU and you are looking to reduce competition there.

That's an interesting idea, but some research (search titles or look at links on my website) will show it's a false proposal

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Quoth

That's an interesting idea, but some research (search titles or look at links on my website) will show it's a false proposal

Ah, that proves it! Just look at all of the effort you have gone through in order to throw us off the trail!

[DuskyRose]

Originally Posted by Quoth

If I was devious I'd promote KU (i.e. Authors using KDP Select instead of KDP) so as to have less competition on Apple, Kobo, Barnes&Nobel etc.

Well, I'm certainly not in that game, since I've never written anything I wanted to sell. But I *do* hang around a lot of author's sites, and many of them come from writing fanfic to scrubbing it and then selling it as Original. So I've seen the discussions.

The fact is that some authors seem very happy with KU, and some aren't and then leave it. They're all trying to sell their works, and Amazon KU is just another way to do so that may or may not fit individual authors.

The program just doesn't seem to be the Boogey-Man you're trying to portray it as. Like everything else an author does, they need to evaluate it for themselves. In some cases, it may be their best bet.

<shrugs> No one's holding a gun to their heads. Better to have the option than not.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Eric James Stone took a trunk novel from years ago, polished it up, and turned it into a serial to release on Kindle Vella about a year ago. After that, he made it available for regular purchase on Kindle for a number of months. Then a month ago he put it in Kindle Unlimited…and he has already made more money on it in KU than he did in KV or regular Kindle.

We would never put a Brandon Sanderson book on KU because of the exclusivity, and because of Amazon’s really weird money-bucket-sharing thing. But for some writers it absolutely makes more money than other methods.

And there are quite a few people who only read on Kindle Unlimited.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Peter Ahlstrom

We would never put a Brandon Sanderson book on KU because of the exclusivity, and because of Amazon’s really weird money-bucket-sharing thing. But for some writers it absolutely makes more money than other methods.

I would bet Sanderson could get out of the exclusivity deal. The Harry Potter books are in KU and are widely available elsewhere. Amazon is hungry for 'legit' (popular, mainstream) books to be available in Kindle Unlimited.

[Quoth]

The big publishers (NOT same thing as successful authors) don't use KDP or KDP Select. They can be on KU non-exclusively. Rowlings is not independent, but with a major publisher.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Quoth

The big publishers (NOT same thing as successful authors) don't use KDP or KDP Select. They can be on KU non-exclusively. Rowlings is not independent, but with a major publisher.

Rowling's Harry Potter ebooks are put out by Pottermore Publishing. So a very similar situation to what would happen with Brandon Sanderson (assuming we are talking about those Patreon novels that are not yet being published by a major publisher).

Honestly, do you think if Stephen King or John Grisham decided they wanted to put out an independently published novel (say, SK finally decided to wrap up The Plant) and wanted to offer it as part of KU, Amazon would demand exclusivity or turn the book down?

[Quoth]

Didn't realise Rowling had her own publishing company. Used to be with a publisher.

But I agree one rule for ordinary folk and another for others. But really KDP select and exclusivity on any retail content should not exist.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But really KDP select and exclusivity on any retail content should not exist.

Because you don't like it is not a good enough reason for it to not exist. Use it or don't. There is no inherent right to have Amazon sell your book. So there is no inherent right to force Amazon to drop the exclusivity clause. You chose not to use it. Why would you seek to take that same choice away from others?

[Quoth]

You are conflating two completely different things.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Quoth

You are conflating two completely different things.

You think Amazon's exclusivity clause should not exist. Yet no one is forced into it. You (and many like you) have chosen not to use it. Yet you (and others) won't be satisfied until the choice to voluntarily sell your books exclusively through Amazon does not exist.

What have I conflated?

[Quoth]

Anyone selling books voluntarily on Amazon can sell them exclusively on Amazon. You don't need KDP Select or KU.

It's not about me, my books, or any Author's choices. It's about a company that dominates English Language ebook market taking away choice from consumers of small publishers and less popular authors.

Eventually the US FTC and the EU will intervene. I'm not telling Amazon or anyone else what to do.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Quoth

It's not about me, my books, or any Author's choices. It's about a company that dominates English Language ebook market taking away choice from consumers of small publishers and less popular authors.

But that IS about you. Just like I said it was.

Originally Posted by Quoth

Eventually the US FTC and the EU will intervene. I'm not telling Amazon or anyone else what to do.

Bet? The EU? Maybe. The US AND the EU? Nah. Wishful thinking.

And on the offchance they were forced to drop the exclusivity clause by meddling governments, they'd probably just drop KU altogether. And wouldn't all the independent authors just love that?

[Quoth]

You are conflating KU and exclusivity. It's still advantageous to Amazon and people that read lots on KU to have KU. It's a subscription service.

I can't understand why you are defending a restrictive trade practice. USA FTC does intervene.

Or do you think no consumers should have any Government mandated protection and large corporations should make their own rules?

You can keep claiming it's about me, but that's hogwash because the KU subscription titles are available to anyone without KU able to buy from Amazon and read the content. I buy more ebooks from Amazon than elsewhere, and have real Kindles, thus the exclusivity clause has no effect on me. It does affect consumers that for whatever reason can't use Amazon, even people that returned too many junk items and got banned.

Do you buy books elsewhere or sell ebooks or paper books?

The big publishers are not exclusive on KU.

There is no evidence any author would be disadvantaged if KU continued as is without the KDP Select "exclusive" clause. The only disadvantage would be to Amazon's attempt to build a monoploy.

Have you studied economics, marketing, trade and consumer protection?

[John F]

Quoth, how do you feel about publishers restricting authors on who they can use as a publisher?