KDP Select Versus Wide Distribution? Best to Try Both
If you’ve been following my newsletter (subscribe here) the last month or so, you know that I have been evaluating my options with regard to Amazon’s KDP Select Program, and wide distribution through platforms like Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and so many others. I sent a survey to my readers asking them which platform they preferred. Of course, they were divided right down the middle. So, I am making a change, shifting some of my books from Kindle Unlimited to wide distribution. This is a big risk for me, since most of my sales today are in fact on KU.
That led me to wonder, if I look at it dispassionately, what are the pros and cons of KU vs wide?
Because, let’s be honest, which an author chooses can shape their career, and most authors I know agonize over this decision at one time or another in their career. To help reduce the distress, here is my list of the pros and cons of each choice, to help you make an informed decision.
🟦 Let’s Start with KDP Select
KDP Select is Amazon’s exclusive program for eBooks. The key word in that sentence being exclusive. By enrolling, an author is committing to distributing their digital book only on Amazon for 90-days. Every 90-days they are asked to recommit or renew and Amazon defaults to having an author auto-renew, forcing them to remember to opt out. Amazon is very strict about their exclusivity rules, but the rewards are worth it to authors who go this route.
During that period, the writer gets access to some terrific promotional tools as well as Amazon’s subscription service, Kindle Unlimited (KU). And without a doubt, Amazon remains the biggest retailer for books in the world.
✅ Included during the 90-day Enrollment Period:
- Access to Kindle Unlimited: This is critical, since many readers purchase a Kindle Unlimited Subscription and books can earn royalties through pages read by KU subscribers.
- Promotional Tools: Including Kindle Countdown Deals and up to 5 days of free book promotions.
- Increased Visibility: Amazon often boosts KU books in its rankings and recommendations.
- Simplicity: Managing one platform can be easier than handling several, especially for new and busy authors.
❌ Disadvantages to being in KDP Select:
- Exclusivity Clause: You cannot sell your eBook anywhere else—not even on your own website. You cannot even give your book away for free in a promotion, or as a reader magnet.
- Dependence on Amazon: If Amazon changes its policies, your revenue could be impacted.
- No Presence on Other Major Retailers: You miss out on audiences who read on non-Kindle platforms, although admittedly, Amazon has the lion’s share of the market presently.
🟩 Should You Consider Going Wide?
When we use the term ‘wide distribution’ we are talking about an author offering their book across multiple platforms such as Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, or libraries as well as direct sales from your own website.
✅ The Pros of Going Wide:
- Diverse Income Streams: Reduce risk that comes with relying on a single platform, Amazon. There has been some backlash against large corporations, including Amazon, and going wide helps manage your books in that political climate.
- Reach Global Markets: Kobo is big in Canada and parts of Europe; Apple Books has a strong iOS user base, going wide reaches those audiences.
- Control and Branding: Going wide allows an author to sell directly, build an email list, and create a consistent reader experience, while better retaining control over their books
- Access to Library Markets: Libraries can be a steady source of revenue through digital lending, but an author must be off KU to access libraries.
❌ But there are disadvantages too:
- More Complexity: You’ll need to manage multiple platforms or use an aggregator like Draft2Digital, which means handling more pricing, promotions and such
- Less Instant Visibility: Unlike Amazon, other platforms don’t offer the same level of organic traffic or KU perks.
- Slower Growth: It can take longer to build an audience wide, especially without Amazon’s algorithmic support.
⚖️ So How do You Choose Which is Right for You?
The short answer is that you need to look at your own goals, your own abilities and decide what is best for you. Some short answers:
| Goal | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Maximize short-term revenue | KDP Select |
| Build a long-term author brand | Wide |
| Simplify publishing & test waters | KDP Select |
| Reach global + non-Amazon readers | Wide |
| Tap into Kindle Unlimited | KDP Select |
| Retain full publishing control | Wide |
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. KDP Select can offer explosive exposure and convenience, while going wide lays the groundwork for long-term success and independence. Consider your priorities—speed vs. sustainability, reach vs. simplicity—and don’t be afraid to pivot as your career evolves.
Pro Tip: Start with one book in KDP Select while planning your series or backlist for wide distribution. That way, you can test the waters without missing out on either opportunity.
🔄 I Chose KDP Select AND Wide. Here’s Why
Some authors, including me, use a hybrid approach—starting with KDP Select to build momentum, then going wide after gaining reviews and visibility, or going between the two regularly, or putting some of their books in KU but releasing others wide.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. KDP Select can offer explosive exposure and convenience, while going wide lays the groundwork for long-term success and independence.
I considered my readers and my priorities and decided to do a pivot, to take a chance. I am taking my backlist, my Beguiling Bachelor series wide, and leaving my All’s Crazy in Love series, which is current and still in the works, on KU.
By going wide with the Bachelors, I get to announce their release, almost like a new launch, and potentially reach a new audience. I am able to run a test of sorts, and I can always pivot back to KU down the road.
That’s the nice thing about this choice—it’s not carved in stone.
Pro Tip: Start with one book in KDP Select while planning your series or backlist for wide distribution. That way, you can test the waters without missing out on either opportunity