Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Over Saturation: Hard to Stand Out
3. Low ROI: Where Do the Royalties Really Go?
4. Expensive Advertising: Draining Resources
5. Quality Concerns: Reputation Matters
6. No Real Support: You’re on Your Own
7. Devaluation of Work: Why Price Matters
8. Dependency on Amazon’s Ecosystem: Losing Creative Control
9. Difficulty in Building Brand Loyalty: Disconnect from Readers
10. Poor Long-Term Income Stability: Fluctuating Royalties
11. Algorithm Bias: The Battle for Visibility
12. Conclusion
Introduction
If you’re a fiction author considering publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you’re probably drawn to its seemingly easy access to a vast reader base. But hang on! Kindle Direct Publishing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially if you’re in this for the long haul and hoping to build a sustainable career. Let’s dive into some real reasons why KDP might not be the golden ticket it’s often painted to be.
1. Over Saturation: Hard to Stand Out
When it comes to Kindle Direct Publishing, two words jump out straight away: Over saturation. There are millions of books on Amazon. Yes, millions! With such an overwhelming number of titles, I’ll forgive you for wondering how on earth you’re going to stand out! Competing authors are pouring money into ads and promotional services, making it incredibly tough for new books to rank in search results. It’s like trying to stand out at a rock concert when you’re in the nosebleed seats—you’re barely seen.
Authors who want to gain visibility often end up spending thousands just to have a shot at reaching the top of Amazon’s listings. Without significant investment, your book risks getting buried, and no matter how brilliant it is, it might never see the light of day.
2. Low ROI: Where Do the Royalties Really Go?
Kindle Direct Publishing offers royalty options of 35% or 70%, which sound pretty great… until you factor in the costs. Marketing, cover design, editing, and formatting—all these essential services eat into that income. Many authors make only pennies per sale once these expenses are covered.
And let’s be real: the profits from each book sale on Amazon are rarely enough to make a living. You could end up shelling out more in marketing than you’ll ever make back in royalties. That makes the so-called benefits of Kindle Direct Publishing pretty questionable if you’re looking for real, sustainable income.
3. Expensive Advertising: Draining Resources
Amazon’s advertising system is set up similarly to Google Ads, where authors compete in a bidding war. With more authors advertising, the cost-per-click goes up. If you don’t have the budget to keep up, your ads won’t reach enough readers to justify the expense.
To add insult to injury, Amazon doesn’t guarantee sales, so you could end up spending big money for minimal results. For indie authors who are already working on a shoestring budget, this ad-driven visibility race can quickly turn into a financial drain.
4. Quality Concerns: Reputation Matters
Amazon’s ease of access has led to an inevitable quality-control issue. Many books are churned out quickly, sometimes ghostwritten or even created by AI, lacking real heart and quality. Because of this, readers can be skeptical of self-published books on Amazon, associating them with poor writing or rushed production.
This stigma can make it hard for indie authors to establish credibility. Despite your best efforts to create a professional, polished book, the flood of low-quality material can drown out the good stuff. Building trust with readers becomes twice as hard when they’re wary of Amazon’s self-published content.
5. No Real Support: You’re on Your Own
Amazon’s support for Kindle Direct Publishing users is notoriously minimal. If you run into technical issues, like file upload problems, KDP support might help… eventually. But if you need actual publishing advice or have questions about marketing strategies, you’re on your own.
There’s no one to help guide you through the ups and downs of the self-publishing journey. Many authors are left relying on forums or third-party services, which can be hit-or-miss. Self-publishing doesn’t mean you have to go it alone, but that’s often the reality with Kindle Direct Publishing.
6. Devaluation of Work: Why Price Matters
Pricing pressure on Amazon is intense. Readers have grown accustomed to dirt-cheap books, and Kindle Unlimited offers a massive library for a small monthly fee. As a result, authors feel pressured to price their work at $0.99 or $2.99, which devalues the effort poured into creating a novel.
Think about it—months, even years, of work get priced less than a cup of coffee. This model not only undermines an author’s income but sends a message to readers that books should be cheap. Authors are under-valuing themselves just to survive on KDP, which is not sustainable in the long run.
7. Dependency on Amazon’s Ecosystem: Losing Creative Control
When you publish on KDP, you’re essentially joining Amazon’s world. This means you’re subject to its terms and policies, which can change without notice. Algorithm updates, policy shifts, or even slight adjustments to KDP’s royalty structure can disrupt your income overnight.
Reliance on Kindle Direct Publishing can make you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster with no control over where the track will take you. You’re forced to conform to Amazon’s system, even if it’s at odds with what you envision for your work.
8. Difficulty in Building Brand Loyalty: Disconnect from Readers
Amazon owns the customer relationship. As an author, you don’t have direct access to your readers’ contact information, which makes building a fanbase challenging. There’s no easy way to foster loyalty, offer exclusive updates, or engage readers directly.
Instead of being loyal to you, readers become loyal to Amazon’s vast selection. Sure, they might pick up your book, but if another title catches their eye next time, they’ll jump ship. Building a loyal following becomes a Herculean task without the ability to directly connect with readers.
9. Poor Long-Term Income Stability: Fluctuating Royalties
Royalty payments can be unpredictable. Factors like seasonal dips in sales, sudden drops in visibility, or changes in Kindle Unlimited’s payout rates mean that income can fluctuate month to month. This inconsistency makes it nearly impossible to plan a steady career as a full-time writer on KDP alone.
Authors often have to supplement their income with other jobs or platforms, which detracts from their creative time. For many, Kindle Direct Publishing is a constant balancing act, not a stable income source.
10. Algorithm Bias: The Battle for Visibility
Amazon’s algorithm plays a major role in how books are displayed to readers, and it tends to favour new releases, highly reviewed titles, and books that are actively advertised. This means that without a steady stream of traffic and reviews, your book’s visibility fades fast.
For an indie author without a large marketing budget, this bias makes staying visible a constant uphill battle. The system itself is almost designed to force authors into paying for ads to remain relevant.
An Unlikely Solution:
The obvious alternative to Kindle Direct Publishing is Direct Self-Distribution. While there are other third party services you can use, focusing on your own Author Website could be far more valuable. If you’re confident that your story is good enough to sell itself, restricting its availability to your own website will help you to build a mailing list and a fan base to sell future publications too. If you don’t have an author website yet, there are things to consider before you get one. Check out my other article: What is an author website and 10 things you need to know
However, there is a far more powerful solution. This might sound counter-productive given the subject of this article, but, there is one publisher who can offer the best of both worlds when it comes to self-publishing and traditional publishing. For more information about this publisher Click Here and get in touch and I will send you more details.
So, is Kindle Direct Publishing for you?
The click and publish worldwide distribution platform may seem like a tempting option for new authors, but it comes with some serious downsides. From over saturation to pricing pressure and unstable income, KDP is far from the dream platform it might appear to be. Authors looking for a long-term career might find more stability, reader engagement, and creative freedom elsewhere.
