If you publish on Amazon KDP, can you publish elsewhere?

If you publish on Amazon KDP, you can absolutely publish elsewhere! In fact, many authors who publish on Amazon KDP also publish through other channels, like Smashwords, Draft2Digital, and even directly with certain retailers. The only exceptions to that are if you enroll your book in KDP Select and/or if you use one of their free ISBN numbers.

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KDP Select

KDP Select is a program that allows authors to make their books available to Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading customers, as well as receive promotional benefits and earn royalties. Enrolling in KDP Select gives you access to a variety of tools and resources to help you promote your book and reach more readers. When you enroll in KDP Select, your book is automatically included in Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading. Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service that gives readers unlimited access to over a million Kindle books, including hundreds of thousands of titles that are exclusive to Kindle Unlimited. Prime Reading is a benefit of Amazon Prime that lets Prime members read for free with no due dates from a selection of more than a thousand books, magazines, comics, Kindle Singles, and more.

When you enroll your book in the KDP Select Promotional program, you must agree that your book is exclusively only on Amazon.

Pros of Using KDP Select

There are many pros of using KDP select when publishing your book. One of the biggest benefits is the exposure your book will receive. When you enroll in KDP select, your book is automatically included in the Kindle Unlimited program which allows Kindle Unlimited members to borrow your book for free. This can lead to an increase in sales and royalties. Additionally, you can earn money from the Kindle Direct Publishing Select Global Fund. Each time your book is borrowed, you earn a share of the fund which is divided among all participating authors. This can provide a nice boost to your earnings. Finally, KDP select can help you reach new readers through the Kindle First program. Each month, Amazon selects a small group of enrolled titles to feature in the Kindle First program. This can help you reach new readers who may not have discovered your book otherwise.

Cons of Using KDP Select

There are a few drawbacks to using KDP Select that authors should be aware of before enrolling their books. First, KDP Select requires exclusivity, which means your book can only be sold on Amazon and cannot be distributed through other channels like iBooks or Barnes & Noble. This can limit your book’s reach and potential sales. Additionally, KDP Select books are often priced at $2.99 or less, which can devalue your work in the eyes of some readers. Finally, KDP Select books are not eligible for certain marketing programs, like Amazon’s Vine review program, which can make it difficult to get your book noticed by potential readers.

A Free ISBN From Amazon

When you use a free ISBN from Amazon, your book will be listed as an Amazon exclusive. This means that your book will only be available for purchase on Amazon.com and will not be eligible for distribution through other channels, such as bookstores or libraries. Additionally, your book will be subject to Amazon’s standard 70% royalty rate. If you are looking to publish your book through other channels or receive a higher royalty rate, you will need to purchase your own ISBN.

First, when you publish on Amazon KDP, you are agreeing to their terms and conditions, which state that you will not publish the same book elsewhere during the KDP Select exclusive period. So, if you want to publish on another platform, you’ll need to wait until that exclusive period is up. Additionally, when you publish on Amazon KDP, they will create a unique ISBN for your book. If you want to use that same ISBN on another platform, you’ll need to purchase it from them.

Finally, it’s important to keep track of your sales and royalties, as you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most out of each platform. But other than that, there’s no reason you can’t publish on multiple platforms!