(Edit: Literally two minutes after posting this, they finally decided to formally let me know about the pricing changes via email. How kind. It’s been on a KDP banner for at least two days. They still beat around the bush some, but at least were more forthcoming about reasoning and giving a few actual numbers. Doesn’t help the situation, but transparency is important!)
So, this year has kind of … been unpleasant in a lot of ways for Indie writers, especially those aligned in any way with The-Big-A-Little-zon. From Boycotts of KU, to drops in royalties, we really can’t seem to win.
A recent announcement, casually toppered on the KDP website, indicated that paperback books of certain price points (“for example, books under $9.99”) would receive royalty decreases from 60% to 50%. As such, books under certain price points (“for example, books under $9.99”) will no longer receive royalties.
“As a result, you’ll have books earning zero royalties after this change.”
Can I, first off, tell you how much the casual language of “(for example, books under $9.99)” pissed me off? If you’re going to take money from me, at least have the gall and audacity to be up front about it. Tell me exactly, without question or jaunty little phrases, what you’re doing. Don’t make me guess about it, or beat around the bush. Authors were already forced to change prices last year. Now we have an entire price of books that will no longer earn out?
They aren’t friends with us, and they keep finding ways to let us know.
All that being said, paperback copies of Bad Mood Boogaloo, Tales of Wayfaring Worlds Volume One, and Wayward Poetry will be delisted soon.
I refuse to keep upping prices against my readers for a corporation who continuously reports record-breaking profits.
And I get it: everything is getting more expensive. It’s a capitalistic hellhole and we’re all just floating in the debris-filled cesspool, trying not to drown. But corporations don’t earn my fancy, love, and this particular one just put out its Q1 earnings for 2025.
It’s over a hundred billion for quarter one.
All of that is to say that if you’d like a paperback of those titles, get them ASAP!
Now, a few notes:
- ebooks are not currently affected! They’re still far and wide through every retailer out there. (The Tales of Wayfaring Worlds e-books are To Forge Anew and Lay to Rest.)
- larger form titles (Fantasy, Fiction) are unaffected… for now.
Support your authors, my friends, because those folks sure as hell ain’t.
Melody K. Writes Words 
Just getting into the indie author scene with my book and literally 2 weeks later got an email about this change. Discouraging. 😦