If you’re a writer new to self publishing, it can be confusing when you’re suddenly faced with so many self publishing outlets. A lot of new writers get stuck right here, trying to figure out which of the self publishing platforms actually work for their needs. Reedsy has an article on the best publishing companies, but this article is about KDP Select.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) has been around since 2007 and gives writers a unique way to get their work published and listed on the Amazon marketplace, one of the most powerful booksellers in the world.
If you’re a writer with something to say, there are plenty of good reasons why you should choose Amazon KDP Select as your self publishing platform.
Here’s what I think about the pros and cons of KDP Select, and why it might be the right choice for publishing your next book.
Pro: KDP Select gives you instant access to thousands of readers.
KDP Select gives you instant access to thousands of readers through Amazon. This is exposure that almost no other self publishing company will give you right off the bat. You can also show your work through the Lending platform, which lets people borrow your Kindle book. This just increases the number of people who see your work.
Yes, KDP Select asks for exclusive rights to your work. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you consider the sheer amount of exposure that signing up can bring your work if you’re a new author or one looking to breathe new life into your writing.
Pro: KDP Select isn’t a hard platform to use.
Ten or twenty years ago, self publishing was much harder. You practically needed a degree in graphic design just to approach formatting for print. Today, things are easier. One of the best things about KDP Select is that it lets you format and upload the book directly to the platform. There are handy guides available that take you through every step of the publishing process from there.
If you have any questions or things you aren’t sure about (and plenty of authors new to self publishing do!), tech support is right there to ask. You’ll definitely find the answer in one of the handy guides.
Pro: KDP Select lets you control aspects like the cover.
KDP Select gives you total control over many parts of the publishing process. This is real power if you’re a self published author. Things like page size and cover art are all up to you when publishing through KDP Select. These are all things that your publisher would have controlled if you had opted to go through a traditional publishing house.
Pro: KDP Select offers publishing in both paperback and e-book varieties of your book.
KDP Select started out as exclusively for e-books, but later the system expanded to also include the publication of print books. Whether you want to see your book in print or featured on online platforms instead, the KDP Select system will let you do just that. This makes it one of the most flexible self publishing platforms for 2020, because it’s something a lot of other platforms just can’t give you.
Con: KDP Select asks for exclusive rights, but it’s not always a bad thing.
When you list your work through the KDP Select platform, you’re granting Amazon exclusive rights to that copy of the book while it’s listed. This sounds like a drawback for anyone who wants total control, but it’s actually a great way to get more people to see your work. It still ends up paying better when your work sells than many royalty contracts from a traditional outlet.