KDP
Select is one of the Big Self Publishing Platforms out there. If you
are thinking about self publishing your novel or story, it’s likely
that you’ve already heard of KDP Select and other platforms like
Reedsy or Lulu.
But
why can they be better for your needs than choosing a contract with a
traditional publishing house? Platforms like KDP Select offers many
benefits for self published writers that traditional publishers
simply don’t.
While
traditional publishing contracts are fine for thousands of writers
and might still remain an aspect of your writing career now, here are
some of the benefits of KDP Select compared to what traditional
publishers have to offer.
Traditional
Publishing is a LOT of Waiting
The
process from manuscript to published book can take years when we’re
talking about traditional publishing. It can even take decades when
we account for all the times where an excellent manuscript might be
rejected by several publishing houses in a row.
Some traditional publishers can even take as long as a year before they let you know whether or not they’re willing to publish your manuscript at all. And that’s not including all the time it takes to format, read through, proofread and finally print and promote.
For
some writers, the cons of traditional publishing far outweigh what
they’re able to get from it.
More
writers choose self publishing through platforms like KDP Select
because it’s easier, faster and gives them instant access to their
market of readers.
Traditional
Publishing Sometimes Requires an Agent
An
increasing number of publishers – especially larger ones – aren’t
willing to consider submissions that have been sent without an agent.
This presents a huge problem for many first-time and emerging authors
who don’t have an agent yet, and don’t have the background in the
industry to just hook up with one overnight.
Self
publishing your manuscript through platforms like KDP Select doesn’t
require an agent – and you can do it when you’re ready as a writer.
Traditional
Publishing Has Set Promotional Schedules
Traditional
publishers have set promotional schedules for new books. This means
that they will do a huge amount of promotion at the start of the
process to boost sales, and then gradually less the longer the book
has been on the shelves.
As
a traditionally published writer, this means that the sales of your
book will decline – and once this happens, you’re usually not
getting any help from your publisher to release or promote this book
again.
Whoops.
Self
publishing through platforms like KDP Select won’t carry this
restriction – and won’t limit you as much in terms of how you can
promote your work. There’s no need to stick to a larger publisher
telling you which books are “good” for promotion right now: You
decide, and you showcase the work to your readers that they want to
see
Traditional
Publishing Pays Eventually… Self Publishing Pays Sooner
Traditional
publishers usually issue their royalty statements throughout the year
– quarterly being one of the most common. During this time, writers
are promised a fraction of the profits for the books that have sold
during this period – and once you’ve been paid an advance (assuming
you’re paid one at all), this fraction isn’t as much as you would
think.
Books
that have been in publication for a while (or had a slow release)
will earn you a few cents every few months. That’s not ideal, is it?
Using platforms like KDP Select to publish your writing gives you easier access to royalties you’ve earned from your work (and you’ll earn a larger percentage).