Is your audiobook already in Kindle+?


THIS ISSUE

Your audiobook may already be in Kindle+

On October 22, Amazon renamed Kindle Unlimited to Kindle+ and added audiobooks for subscribers in the US. Subscribers can now read a book, listen to it or do both at no extra cost. Listening is paid the same way reading is now, by page, out of the KDP Select Global Fund, and KDP says it's adding money to that fund to cover listening.

Some audiobooks went in with no new action from their authors. If you made an audiobook with KDP's virtual voice and its ebook is enrolled in KDP Select, that audiobook is now in Kindle+ and in the Audible Plus catalog. KDP's help page says you can take it out by unpublishing the audiobook or by taking the ebook out of KDP Select, and taking the ebook out only takes effect at the end of its current 90-day period.

An audiobook made through ACX has to be enrolled from your KDP Bookshelf, and for now it qualifies only when the ebook is live and enrolled in KDP Select, the audiobook has exclusive distribution through Audible, Read & Listen (also called Whispersync for Voice) is turned on, and the audiobook was produced on a Pay for Production deal. Royalty Share and Royalty Share Plus titles aren't eligible, and KDP says it's exploring how to change that.

Every one of those routes runs through KDP Select, and KDP Select comes with a condition on the ebook. KDP's help page says that during each 90-day enrollment period, the Kindle ebook can only be distributed through KDP and public libraries, while print, video and other formats can still be distributed elsewhere. A virtual voice audiobook has to stay exclusive for the same period. Enrolling an ACX audiobook adds no new KDP exclusivity to the audiobook, and your existing ACX distribution terms remain the same.

Make a list of every place you sell or give away an ebook or other digital edition of your book outside Amazon. That includes your website, your online shop, the welcome email for your list and the folder you send to new clients. Then read KDP Select's terms to see which of those KDP treats as the Kindle ebook before you enroll anything.

Enrollment also renews itself. Every ebook and audiobook in KDP Select renews automatically unless you turn that off. KDP's help page says you have three days from the start of your enrollment period to cancel; after that, you have to contact KDP.

If your ebook has an ACX audiobook enrolled in KDP Select, check before you change anything in the ebook's text. KDP's help page says that if you edit your ebook so that it no longer matches your audiobook, the audiobook becomes ineligible and the headphone badge comes off your detail page. To get it back, update the files until the ebook and audiobook are in sync again.

Co-authored ACX audiobooks have one more rule. Only the rights holder's ACX account can be linked to the KDP account that holds the ebook.

CHECK THESE IN YOUR KDP BOOKSHELF

1. Is your ebook enrolled in KDP Select, and when does the current 90-day period end?

2. Is there an audiobook attached to it, and was it made with virtual voice or through ACX?

3. Is an ebook or other digital edition of your book sold or given away anywhere outside Amazon?


FROM THE INDUSTRY

If your website runs on WordPress, check your PHP version

WordPress reported on October 21 that the PHP project fixed two critical security vulnerabilities and encouraged site owners to update PHP immediately. The problem is in PHP itself, so it affects any server hosting a PHP application, and no WordPress update is planned. You can see which version your site runs under Tools, then Site Health, then Info, then Server. Your web host may already be updating PHP, but check with them anyway. Versions older than 8.2 no longer get security updates from the PHP project. WordPress​

IF YOU WANT A SECOND PAIR OF EYES

The Amazon Listing Audit

While you're in your KDP Bookshelf, look at the listing itself too. The Amazon Listing Audit is $197. We go through your live listing by hand and send a recorded walkthrough with a one-page summary of the fixes in priority order, covering your description, categories and keywords, author bio and back matter.

It's delivered within 48 business hours of payment and of receiving your book file and intake answers.

Best regards,

Elizabeth


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The Author Desk by The Book Marketing Source

The Author Desk is a free newsletter for nonfiction business authors, including coaches, consultants, speakers and fractional executives who want their book to bring in clients. Every 7 to 14 days, Elizabeth Javor takes one thing she checks on every book that comes to her desk and shows you how to check it on your own. She has worked in publishing and book marketing since 2007.

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