A Change to the KU vs Wide Debate

It’s important to understand exactly what is meant by the KU vs Wide debate. When deciding to self-publish for the first time, an important factor is who to publish with. Many of us will immediately think of Amazon, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the right choice.  
Kindle Unlimited (KU) is Amazon’s exclusivity programme for eBook publishing. It’s a subscription service for readers that offers unlimited access to all KU books for a monthly fee. Signing up to it as an author means agreeing not to publish your eBook anywhere but with Amazon. Conversely, if you decide to publish wide you can publish everywhere--which can include Amazon, but without the specific perks associated with KU exclusivity.  
Sounds a little confusing? Below, we’ve listed the pros and cons of both publishing routes. This is designed to help you feel confident that you’re making an informed decision that best suits your current needs and your long-term hopes as an indie author. 

Kindle Unlimited – focus on the algorithms and reap short-term rewards.
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PROS: 

1. Potential sales: when your eBook is signed up with KU, every ‘borrow’ counts as a sale. As you are ‘free’ to KU subscribers, it is more likely they will take a gamble on an unknown author when they don’t have to pay upfront additional costs. (Note: you aren’t paid per book, but per page read). 
2. Easy revenue: it’s often easier to earn more in royalties on KU than on other platforms, making it appealing to first-time self-published authors. 
3. Uniquely you: many niche genres will perform better on the KU platform. Services like Publisher Rocket can help you identify where your book might sit, and how much competition it might face on KU vs Wide. 
4. Marketing tools: access to a wider range of promotional tools as part of your agreement with KU.  
   
   

CONS: 

1. Little fish, big pond: committing to just one outlet for your eBook really means you’re putting all your eggs in one basket, and potentially not reaching your ideal audience. 
2. Easy target: Amazon is occasionally vulnerable to bugs and shutdowns. If this happens, you won’t be able to earn any revenue until that glitch is fixed. 
3. Lack of personal touch: Amazon’s size means that if you face issues or complications, it can be particularly difficult to resolve these quickly—worth bearing in mind when you’re making that final decision. 
   
   

Wide – slowly build your fan-base and commit to long-term revenue.
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PROS: 

1. Cast your net wide: access all other publishers! This can mean a less competitive market for your book, and potential to make your book globally relevant (Amazon doesn’t have the same presence everywhere). 
2. Freedom: market and sell from your own website, meaning more revenue goes directly to you!  
3. Numbers aren’t everything: it’s not about how many books you publish (which impacts your presence on KU--algorithms are everything), it’s about what you publish, and who you want to read your books. 
4. Variety is the spice of life: more varied income streams mean less risk of fallow months. 
5. Enjoy the learning curve: try different book promotions and find out what is the best fit for you (for example the very popular BookBub deals).  
   
   

CONS:  

1. Visibility: It’s harder to get seen, which is a bigger opportunity for those in KU. Remember other platforms, like Kickstarter, can help you. 
2. Profit pinch: it’s harder to make adverts profitable without the huge audience that already follow Amazon. 
3. Wide is work: there’s no two ways about it, going wide is the long game. But for many, the rewards are totally worth it. 
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Many independent publishers will offer their services to help you with both the pros and cons of all these steps in the process too. At Rowanvale Books we have dedicated staff to offer advice on everything from pre- to post-publication, so do your research and you’ll find there is support out there for you, whichever route you take!