I'm still not sure how I feel about the new audiobook royalty changes. Technically, I don't have to enroll my titles right now. I could wait until the end of the year and make a decision later. On the other hand, if you choose to opt out completely, it appears that you'd need to remove your audiobooks from Audible altogether. Rather than making a decision based on emotion or speculation, I've decided to run a test. I enrolled five of my lower-performing audiobooks into the new program. These are titles that haven't generated a significant number of sales or listens, so I feel comfortable using them as a test group while protecting the books that are already performing well. My thinking is simple: if these audiobooks become available through the all-you-can-listen membership, they may get exposure from listeners who otherwise never would have discovered them. More listeners could potentially mean more engagement, more reviews, and hopefully more revenue. Over the next few months, I'll be tracking downloads, listens, and earnings to see what actually happens. If the results are positive, I may consider enrolling additional titles. If not, I'll be glad I tested with my underperformers first instead of risking books that are already selling. For now, I'm taking a "measure first, decide later" approach. 👉 Are any of you planning to enroll your audiobooks, opt out, or wait and see what happens?

Welcome to all the new members joining the community! If you're just getting started with self-publishing and want a step-by-step path to getting your book completed and listed on Amazon, unlocking the classroom will give you access to the full training library. Membership is only $40/month and includes the tools, lessons, and guidance to help you move from idea to published author. If you're looking for a deeper level of support, accountability, and strategy, the VIP Program is designed for serious action-takers who want personalized guidance throughout the process. VIP is $997 for the year and includes advanced training, ongoing accountability, and 6 one-on-one calls to help you stay on track and build momentum faster. ✨👉 LEVEL UP HERE✨✨ @Meera Gopal - Hi, I'm Meera, ex-physician turned multidimensional healer. I heal people at their core so they can return to and embrace their authentic selves. @Alicia Smith - Helping young moms navigate with challenges while empowering them to pursue their dreams with confidence, balance, and support. ❤️ (Referred by @Valarie Smith ) @Ian Bosler - I help coaches to unlock an additional $250 - $500k pa. I do this by leveraging their expertise to create passive income. @Huanxin Chen - Business intelligence expert and KDP creator building elegant digital brands around wellness, discipline, and timeless living with bold vision daily!! @Michael Whisenant - New Author seeking advice to learn from those who have already succeeded or working towards similar goals @Rakesh Singla - Meditation Coach @Eva Blomert - Empath ❤️ AI enthusiast ✨ Writer 🌿 Founder of Healer Empaths — protect your energy & belong with souls who truly understand ❤️ (Referred by @Vanessa Delich )

I'm curious to get a read of the room and learn a little more about what everyone here is working toward. What is your main goal with your book? 📚 Is your goal to support or grow your business? 💰 Is your goal to create an additional stream of income? 🧠 Is your goal to get your thoughts, knowledge, or story out into the world? 🏆 Is your goal to build authority or become known for something? ❤️ Is it something more personal? ✨ Or is your goal something completely different? There’s no right or wrong answer here. Everyone comes into self-publishing for different reasons, and I always think it’s interesting to see what’s driving people. Drop your goal below 👇 I’d love to see what everyone is building.

You usually hear me talk about all the things I love about self-publishing and the advantages it has — especially how it can save you money compared to hiring a publisher and how you can move much faster than going the traditional publishing route. But today I wanted to switch things up and share 3 things I don’t love about self-publishing through Amazon KDP. 👀 1. Printing in Color is EXPENSIVE 🎨 If you're creating a cookbook, children's book, photo book, workbook with lots of graphics, or anything with color pages, costs can climb fast. The longer your book gets, the more expensive it becomes to print, and that means either: • You raise your retail price • You accept lower royalties • Or both 😩 I've played around with the KDP pricing calculator before, and it becomes pretty eye-opening when you start adding page counts. A color book that sounds amazing in theory can quickly become difficult to price competitively. 2. KDP Select Comes with Limitations 📚 Now don't get me wrong... I actually like KDP Select because of the perks. You can run Free Book Promotions, Kindle Countdown Deals, and your ebook can also be included in Kindle Unlimited where you get paid based on pages read. BUT... The tradeoff is exclusivity. If you're enrolled in KDP Select, your ebook can't be available digitally anywhere else while you're enrolled. That means no: ❌ Apple Books ❌ Google Play Books ❌ Kobo ❌ Barnes & Noble Press ❌ Selling the ebook on your own website Your paperback and hardcover can still be sold elsewhere, but your ebook is restricted. 3. You Don't Own the Customer Relationship 👥 This one is probably my biggest annoyance. Amazon never tells you who bought your book. You don't get their email address. You don't get their contact information. Y ou can't follow up with them later and say: "Hey, I released another book!" This is exactly why it's so important to create ways to bring readers into your ecosystem. Things like: ✔ QR codes inside your books ✔ Bonus resources

Close your eyes and picture yourself walking into a busy author conference. You can hear conversations happening around you, people laughing, books being flipped through, and excitement in the air. You see rows of tables, banners, and other authors sharing their stories. Now notice yourself standing confidently in that space. You are smiling because today is different. In your hands, you're holding your book. Not an idea. Not a future goal. A real published book with your name on it. Feel the weight of it in your hands. Look at the cover details, the colors, the title, and your name printed on it. Run your fingers across the cover and realize, 'I actually did this.' Picture someone walking toward you and saying, 'Wait... you're the author of that book? I've heard about it.' Feel that moment. Feel the pride, excitement, and gratitude. Imagine taking photos holding your book, talking with readers, signing copies, and sharing why you wrote it. Notice how confident you feel because you didn't just think about becoming an author... you became one. Stay in that moment for a few seconds and ask yourself: (WRITE YOUR ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS!) ➡️ What does this version of me believe? ➡️ How does this version of me show up? ➡️ What actions did I take to get here?