Glossary
Wide distribution
Wide distribution: Wide distribution, or “going wide”, means selling an ebook on all stores, Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, Barnes & Noble and your own site, instead of enrolling it exclusively in KDP Select. It trades Kindle Unlimited page reads for independence, library sales, and the right to sell or give the book away directly.
How authors go wide
- Direct uploads to KDP, Kobo Writing Life, Apple Books and Google Play, each with its own dashboard and payment.
- Aggregators such as Draft2Digital or PublishDrive: one upload, distribution to dozens of stores and libraries, for a cut of about 10%.
- Direct sales from your site through Gumroad, Payhip, Lemon Squeezy or Shopify, at 90% or more.
Wide versus exclusive, in short
Exclusive wins when the book lives on Kindle Unlimited binge reading: genre fiction, series. Wide wins for non-fiction, books tied to a business, books sold in countries where Kobo or Apple are strong (Canada, France, Japan), and any book you also want to give away as a lead magnet.
Practical notes
Use the same EPUB and cover everywhere. Keep prices consistent, because Amazon price-matches downward. Free on other stores can be used to make Amazon set the ebook free, a classic trick for the first book of a series.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go wide after KDP Select?
Yes, at the end of the current 90-day term, once auto-renewal is off.
Do aggregators own my book?
No. They distribute under a non-exclusive agreement you can end at any time.
Is selling on my own site allowed while on Amazon?
Yes, unless the ebook is in KDP Select.