How Independent Are Indie Authors?

KDP, Creative Freedom & Why Direct Support Matters for Black Indie Authors

Okay so, there’s been some stuff going on with Black indie authors work being pulled from KDP for various reasons. And I’m focusing on Black authors here, because that’s the community I’m in and what I’ve personally seen being discussed. I haven’t seen anybody else speak up about their work being taken down or anything.

But seeing these conversations, got me thinking of something bigger. What does it actually mean to be an independent author?

Because yes, indie authors own their work and have creative control (to a certain extent), but if Amazon is where you sell your books, how independent are you really?

And that’s no shade to anyone selling their books on there because I’M GOING TO SUPPORT ANYWHERE YOU AT. Because I get it, Amazon makes sense for readers and authors. Amazing handles the logistics for the authors and it’s convenient for me as the consumer.

But what would it look like for an indie author to be fully independent? To own the work and be fully in control. Is that actually realistic?

So what’s KDP?

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s self-publishing platform. It allows authors to upload their own books and sell them as ebooks, paperbacks and hardcover through Amazon.

The author still owns their work and publishing rights to whatever they upload. They choose the book prices (with Amazon guidance), formats and where they have the rights to distribute it.

But, owning your work and controlling it two different things.

When you publish through KDP, you’re agreeing to Amazon’s terms and content guidelines. Amazon can reject and remove a book that doesn’t meet their guidelines okay.

It’s basically like those independent music artists who don’t wanna sign to a label because they don’t want to be at their mercy!

Recently, April Nicole, an independent author, had her work removed from KDP. She published a book called “Quiet on the Creep” which is about two men in a complicated friendship that turns into a down-low situationship. THE BOOK IS GOOD OKAY. It’s lowkey giving thriller because the Quasi and Dorian are literally obsessed with each other. You should literally check it out if you haven’t already. Anyway, there were some images featured in the ebook that were related to the story but they were…risqué lol. So her book was up for awhile and literally a viral sensation (on my timeline anyway lmao) and then it got taken down.

Okay granted, she DID violate the guidelines with her nude images lol. BUT my point in even bringing that up is because with her own website, she can sell whatever the hell she wants! Which she did make it available on her website (it still is) and she put the clean version back on Amazon. That’s a good pivot, but the perfect example of why having your own platform matters.

So what does being fully independent look like?

So can an indie author really cut out Amazon? Technically yes.

An author can absolutely have their own website and sell ebooks directly to readers. Using sites like Payhip. For physical books, there are print-on-demand and fulfillment companies that can connect directly to an author’s website. OR, the author can order their own amount of copies from the print-on-demand service and sell them. Basically you become Amazon lol.

But Amazon make its easier.

With KDP, the author doesn’t pay upfront for all these copies, hoping to make sells. Amazon prints a copy when somebody orders it, ships it and subtracts the printing cost from the author’s royalties. The author doesn’t have to hold any inventory. Huge convenience.

But the money of it all gets me. You sell your book for $9.99 and have to split that with Amazon?! ORRRR you have it on your own website and that whole $9.99 is yours. One gallon of gas for your vehicle lmaoooo. But of course there’s the thing with making sure you price the book correctly to get a profit after you buy your copies to sell.

But I think the biggest thing for indie authors is access.

Amazon got us all in chokehold. We always on the site, information saved, books easy to find, it’s quick and easy. And the Kindle Unlimited subscription gives you the ability to read an unlimited about of ebooks for FREE.

With an author’s website, I gotta find the website, I gotta input my information on this website I’m never on lol. And Im not speaking for me really. I don’t mind. This is just general feedback from other readers. It’s just inconvenient to go outta their way to buy direct. And I can see that in some cases because authors barely have the link on front street. So I get both sides. But imagine the casual reader. That reader who sometimes buys books here and there. Are they going to go out of their way to find your book to buy it?

Fully independent and no Suge Knight situation is possible but it transfers more responsibility from Amazon to the authors.

So what y’all gonna do? To be fully independent, they need FULL SUPPORT.

Im on the side of authors being fully independent and selling directly. I like when I buy a $20 book directly from the author because I feel like I bought them a pizza lol. I love seeing the fruits of my labor lol. I also like the cute packaging and stuff when ordering from them too. They always have the cutest swag.

But with asking indie authors to be less dependent on Amazon, as readers we gotta be less dependent too! Check to see if that author has a website before you go to Amazon!

An author can build a website, sell their own books, print them too, be independent af but it only works if we show up too.

So be honest, if your favorite author stopped selling on Amazon RIGHT NOW, would you buy from their website?

Okay, noted. 🩷