Kindle Upload Options Explained

While uploading your kindle file is not difficult, understanding the options can be. Most of the time, authors aren’t even aware of these options until they go to upload their file. Then the panic sets in. KDP Select, Royalty options, Matchbook, Book Lending, DRM Protection: what does it all mean?

DRM (Digital Restriction Management)

In short, this keeps the honest people honest. It puts an extra layer of protection on your file to prevent people from being able to share it. But there are ways around it, and it can be a hassle to your readers who don’t want to have to purchase a copy for each of their devices. Personally, I’m a “no DRM”er because of the inconvenience it can cause your readers, but you will find the publishing community is about evenly split on this issue.

Enroll in KDP Select

KDP Select is a marketing strategy. If you select this option, the digital version of your book can not be hosted on any other site, including your own. There is a 90-day enrollment period. You can still sell the physical book through any venue of your choice. KDP Select is only focusing on the digital content.

Territories

This is pretty straight-forward. Usually you will want your book available in all territories, but if not, you can select which individual territories you want it in.

KDP Pricing Support

Here you have two options: 35% royalty or 70% royalty.

If you choose the 35% royalty option, then your book can be priced between $.99 and $200 and you are not charged delivery fees.

If you choose the 70% royalty option, then your book has to be priced between $2.99 and $9.99 and you are charged $.15 per MB for delivery fees. An average book will be around 1 – 3 MB. Image count increases your file size. It does undergo compression when it’s uploaded, so check the KDP screen for the actual MB it will be billed at.

Enroll in Kindle Matchbook

For customers who buy the print version of your book, you have the option to either give them the Kindle version for free, $.99, $1.99, or $2.99.

Allow Book Lending

This allows your customer to share the files out to another Kindle-user. It can only be loaned out once for 14 days. The files are not accessible on the original customer’s device while the files are loaned out.

Book Lending is required if you select the 70% royalty rate.