Yesterday, I published an article titled “We Need a Hero” about the recent changes to Amazon’s KDP Select and KU programs. The response was a bit different than I expected, but that’s part of the beauty of online writing- we never know when dissenting arguments might crop up. Here at Many Kind Regards, we pride ourselves on listening to our readers, trying to understand where they are coming from, and why. As the Editor-In-Chief of Many Kind Regards, that responsibility is even greater for me. One of the most important parts of my job is to be an example to our writing community, and so, today I sat down and read every comment on the article, as well as every comment I could find on other websites where it was shared. What I came away with was, surprise surprise, a better understanding of our readers. Though some of the comments on other pages were insulting and hurtful, I still gained a better understanding of the opposing position.

Dear J.K. Rowling,

We need a hero.

I’m sure you’ve seen by now the announcement from Amazon regarding its royalty payments to authors who take part in their Kindle Direct Program. But, just in case you haven’t, allow me to briefly fill you in.

The Kindle Direct Program, or KDP, is a self-publishing service offered by Amazon. Independent writers who are still in the process of finding an agent utilize it to publish their writings as a means of getting more eyes on their work. Amazon has recently announced that it will stop paying these writers for their work. Rather, writers who have opted in to a program that Amazon promises will “earn higher royalties,” “maximize your book’s sales potential,” and “reach a new audience” will actually only be paid for what Amazon determines the reader has read, despite Amazon’s own promise on their KDP FAQ that “you'll continue to earn royalties from those sales like you do today.”