Publishing
Kindle Unlimited is often discussed as if the only question is reach. That feels too neat.
For some books, exclusivity may help the right readers find them. For others, it just makes the book narrower than it needs to be, which is a different problem entirely. Visibility is not the same thing as suitability.
Indie publishing already asks writers to make enough decisions. This one is awkward because it sits between marketing and temperament, and the answer is rarely heroic. Sometimes the sensible choice is simply the one that does least damage to the book.
For some books, exclusivity may help the right readers find them. For others, it just makes the book narrower than it needs to be, which is a different problem entirely. Visibility is not the same thing as suitability.
Indie publishing already asks writers to make enough decisions. This one is awkward because it sits between marketing and temperament, and the answer is rarely heroic. Sometimes the sensible choice is simply the one that does least damage to the book.
Exclusivity gets talked about as if it were a moral choice, which is where the trouble starts. It’s usually a distribution decision with consequences, not a badge of seriousness.
Some books can sit happily in KU. Others lose more by being fenced off than they gain from the borrow pool. The awkward bit is that you often only know which camp you’re in after the book has already made its case.
Some books can sit happily in KU. Others lose more by being fenced off than they gain from the borrow pool. The awkward bit is that you often only know which camp you’re in after the book has already made its case.