1. The KU Lockdown
Eris Digital Media was built on the idea that authors need more and better choices when it comes to ways of delighting and surprising readers. Which is why one of the first questions we ask when on-boarding a new project is "Is this book in KU?" If your book is currently enrolled in KDP Select (Kindle Unlimited), you've agreed to Terms of Service that states, Amazon owns the exclusive digital rights to that "work." What does work mean? If you are telling that story, in a digital format (But only digital!) You cannot sell any version of that digital file—no matter how many artifacts or audio layers we add—anywhere else.
The Eris Standard: We do not believe in "loopholes." For many authors, Amazon represents the bulk of their revenue stream. Protecting your KDP account is our priority. If you are in Select, your Special Edition experience must wait until the end of your current 90-day enrollment period. We can work on the creation, but you would have to make sure to uncheck the 'enroll in KDP Select' box on the second screen past the 'Manage KDP Select'. That you can find on your Amazon book listing behind the three dots all the way to the right of the book listing. Once that is done then you would need to wait out the current 90 day period to release the Digital Special Edition.
The Amazon Trap: The above is true even if you are selling the Digital Special Edition on your own book store. When Amazon means exclusive, they are serious. I can't think of another business that asks vendors to sign exclusive contracts, that provide no promotion, and pay less for the privilege. But that is for another article. There is now an alternative to taking your book out of KU. The Reader's Visual Compendium. You can find out more about them in this video
2. The Sunsetting Strategy
The most powerful way to use a Digital Special Edition is as a "Series Reboot."
- The Cycle: Launch in KU to grab the high-volume "borrow" crowd. Even if it is fractions of a penny per page read, it still surfaces your book to the readers who are devouring your genre. Then the trick is to get them over to your site, through your back matter.
- The Pivot: Once the initial surge slows, "sunset" the book from Select. Typically this is after the first 90 days. Amazon's algorithm sees your book as old news at that point and stops giving it any kind of boost when it comes to showing it to readers, even in that genre. KU is all about the 'shiny object'.
- The Experience: Relaunch it on your own boutique storefront as an Archival Special Edition. This turns your backlist into a premium, high-margin asset that you own entirely. Amazon does allow links to an author's website in both front and back matter of a book. Once you launch your Digital Special Edition, include a link to it in the standard retailer edition so your true fans know how they can support you.
3. Why "Wide" Authors Win
If you are already "Wide" (published on Kobo, Apple, etc.), you are perfectly positioned. You can launch the top tier Digital Special Edition reader experience on your own site first as a premium offering, then release the "Standard" reflowable version to the retailers later. Just be sure to uncheck the KU box with the instructions above before you hit publish. Amazon knows authors are busy and burying that check box means most authors forget about it. You can reverse that process and launch everywhere at once, as long as you opt out of KU, and you can launch your Digital Special Edition at the same time.
Eris Digital Media gives authors options, when it comes to what they can offer on their websites. We want to do everything we can to protect your choices.
If you'd like to work with Eris Digital Media on a Digital Special Edition of your own, fill out the contact form below with some of the details of your work. I'll send you a 25-page framework to help you get started thinking about how to give your readers the immersive experience only you can give them.