![kdp-amazon[1]](http://www.the-digital-reader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/kdp-amazon1.jpg)
Amazon put out a press release in the UK today that talks up the success a few authors are having in self-publishing their ebooks via Amazon KDP. They’re boasting about details like 15 of the top 100 best selling ebooks were self-published titles, and:
Since KDP launched on Amazon.co.uk, 61 KDP authors have sold over 50,000 copies of their books; 12 authors have sold in excess of 100,000 copies. With Amazon’s popular 70% royalty option KDP authors have the opportunity to make even more money from the books they sell – 50 authors have earned in excess of £50,000, and 11 of these have earned more than £100,000. Royalties earned through borrows from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library are not included in this figure and if included would make the earnings even higher.
While this is good news in that it is proof that success as a self-published author is possible, today I feel like injecting a little reality into the ebook hype. Here’s the pin which I hope will puncture the balloon:
Just because an author has that level of success doesn’t mean everyone will. Nor does it mean that the success can be achieved overnight, or without a lot of work.
To continue my point, just because Amazon only named 61 authors as being the cream of the crop does not mean that that those in legacy publishing can proclaim self-publishing a failure. The average author with a legacy publisher doesn’t exactly get to make a living on his writing, and given the current upheaval in publishing it seems quite likely that whatever job security an author used to have way back when is long gone.
I suppose some will think that obvious, and if you do then just please ignore me. I’m simply the guy riding in the same chariot as the conquering hero, whispering in his ear “thou art mortal”.
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Nah, I think it’s good that someone’s pointing it out. I also think the KDP success story is going to become an even-rarer bird.
It’s still a fun game to play, though.
You don’t understand the purpose of releases like this. It’s not to sucker writers in, it’s to scare the living shit out of the Big 6/4. Amazon is telling them they’re obsolete for a writer’s possible success (which is just as much as a long-shot with the Big 6/4 as it is with KDP).
Mike, while I agree that Amazon makes these announcements about KDP for reasons strategic as well as to attract authors, your second statement–comparing authors likely success via the Big 6/4 to that via KDP–can’t be true. There are roughly the same number of books self-pub’d on Kindle as their are published via ALL traditional trade publishing companies–and the success rate of traditional publishers is much, much better.
You could be correct (I don’t have any data), but that doesn’t change the fact that this announcement will scare some in the Big 6/4.
That’s for sure, at least for those with big genre fiction lists.
So, we can conveniently forget all the writers chasing the big pub dream but aren’t published? I think not. What is the ratio of unpublished to published writers in traditional publishing? 100 to 1? 1000 to 1?
You proved Mike’s point.
How can you possible estimate the number of unpublishing authors. What does that even mean?
>>>and the success rate of traditional publishers is much, much better
No. It’s not. You’re dreaming.
What do you base this on? I know (not dreaming) that there are 100s of thousands of books in print that sell over 10K per year out of approx. Does that really compare with success rate of self-pub.
I think it’s great that Amazon highlights that there’s an alternative to traditional publishing (whatever their ulterior motives might be!). Getting your work to a readership requires a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears and, in the end, there is no guarantee of success for an author pursuing either publishing path.
I don’t think you or Amazon are the bad guys here for having your say – their press release highlights KDP as a valid potential publishing solution for writers and your post highlights that self-publishing is not a magic ticket whereby anyone can become an overnight success.
While I agree that over 95% of all people who self publish on Amazon do not make any money at it. That is the same with legacy publishing. As well over 95% of manuscripts submitted by aspiring authors are rejected.
But if you are passionate about getting your story out there, it is irrelevant. With self publishing on Amazon, your book IS published. Even if only a few people purchase and enjoy it… you succeeded in sharing your story. This wouldn’t have been possible with legacy publishing if they rejected your manuscript.
When I self published my first book, I went into it knowing that most likely, I’d sell only five or ten copies of it to friends and family who feel obligated to buy a copy. Imagine my surprise when hundreds of copies sold in the first month and now heading into thousands.
I feel truly thankful that I could self publish and be one of the lucky few that are seeing financial success. But money isn’t everything. I’m just happy for the opportunity to share the stories bumping around in my head.
Long story short, if I can do it ANYONE can. If you have a story you want to share with the world, I encourage you to write it and self publish it. You literally have nothing to lose.