Monday, July 28, 2014

What’s Kindle Unlimited All About?


Amazon recently launched a new service - Kindle Unlimited. Basically, it’s an all-you-can-read service for $9.99 a month. Think “Netflix for books.” It’s not the first - Oyster has been around much longer - but since it’s Amazon, it does bring credibility to the idea.

There are a couple things to consider with this new venture.

For one, there are no Big-5 Publishers participating. The titles are limited right now and consist entirely of small publisher and independent titles. In fact, according to Tech Crunch, “...most major publishers have been working hard to create and invest in other partners. Oyster Books, for example, is a beneficiary of this anti-Amazon sentiment while houses like Zola Books are funded by publishing insiders.”

Since it’s late to the party, and it has a limited title base, most subscribers of other services probably won’t switch.

It probably won’t drastically change the industry, either. Not everyone wants to rent their books rather than buy them. As Book Business Magazine stated, “Everyone didn't stop buying tracks on iTunes when Spotify took off, so don't look for any seismic shifts here either.”

Will “NetFlix for books” really take off? With eBooks free to download from one’s local library, not to mention all of the titles most people already possess on their devices, this might be just another option for readers.

Are you signing up for Unlimited or thinking of ditching your Oyster account?


Now available -

Double Negative
By C. Lee McKenzie

Sixteen-year-old Hutch McQueen is a smart kid who can barely read. He makes one bad choice after another, trying to find a way to escape his rotten life at home and at school. Each time he gets into more trouble.

Buy it at Evernight Teen




Be sure to check out Double Negative and other new releases at my other site, The Circle of Friends.

42 comments:

EnglishRose said...

Not having a Kindle-yet I wouldn't know what Amazon would be on about,
Have a good week.
Yvonne.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Thanks for letting me know about it. I knew I could count on you. I don't think I'll join unless the big publishers sign up and add their audio books. That's the only reason I'd be interested.

Mason Canyon said...

Not really a big e-reader fan, so this isn't for me. I could see it would be good for someone who loves to read, but doesn't want to fill up their reader with books they've already read. And, as you mentioned, there would be limitations on it concerning certain publishers.

Congratulations to Lee on her book release.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Natalie, the fact they don't have Big-5 books is major drawback.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

As slow as I read, it wouldn't be worth it.
Congratulations to Lee!

Jo said...

I've got over 500 books on my Kindle right now. Don't think I need any more. As for Netflix, I did my free month, watched a few films, then ran out of movies I wanted to watch.

I also still get library books. Canadian libraries don't have Kindle books yet.

Jemi Fraser said...

I've never heard of Oyster until now! :) I hadn't realized the big 5 weren't in - definitely a big, big factor. Thanks for the info - can always count on you!!!! :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I can borrow books from my library on my Kindle and also borrow 'regular' books from them as needed. As of right now I'd rather donate that money to my library than any of those services.

cleemckenzie said...

I don't think I'll sign up for unlimited Kindle books. I'd rather have a wider choice, first of all, and I already have trouble keeping up with the books I dearly want to read. I'd be under all kinds of pressure to read if I knew I was paying up front for unlimited numbers of books.

Thanks for hosting me today, Diane. It's so kind of you help me out on this launch!

Robin said...

I have more books on my kindle than I can read in the next year. I don't see myself jumping at this one.

Loni Townsend said...

Thanks for the info! I had joined, and then was disappointed when I couldn't find any of the titles I wanted to read. I probably won't continue use of the service.

Unknown said...

I have considered buying it but I think I'll wait until amazon can sort out the big-publishing issues.

Carol Kilgore said...

It's another avenue of distribution for Amazon, but not something I'm interested in as a reader. If I read faster and had more reading time, it could become an option.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Good to see you everywhere today, Lee. Love the post. I for one can't stop buying books. I love seeing them lined up on my shelves. Always will.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Jo, I think you have enough reading material.

Lee, I wouldn't want the pressure either. And you are very welcome.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I'm not signing up, because I don't have a Kindle, but it sounds like a great idea to me.

J.L. Campbell said...

I won't be signing up because if I did, I wouldn't have time to do anything else but read.

I like the cover of Lee's book. It's a good representation of the story.

J E Oneil said...

I don't think it will work. With no big publishers in there, a lot of casual readers won't see any titles they recognize. Plus you'll have to be a pretty good reader to justify the 9.99 a month.

Anonymous said...

It's an extra service, but not a game-changer yet.

Lynda Dietz said...

I find myself wondering what this might mean to the indie author and his/her profits. Would this help them in the long run or lessen their earnings?

As with anything, though, I can't see people completely ditching one option for the new one. Look how many people still don't have ereaders. And how many people (like me) don't have the time to watch enough movies to make Netflix worthwhile (though I wish I could). I'll be watching with curiosity to see how it all plays out.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I'd rather visit the local library.. or buy my books.

Cathrina Constantine said...

I'd be throwing away my money on Kindle Unlimited. Congrats to Lee!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Diane. Thanks for sharing about this. Hadn't heard of Oyster and don't think I'll sign up for the Amazon Unlimited. I'm just wondering what benefits authors will get from this? Yes, they will get their name out there, but financially how will it benefit them? I'm wondering if they will get paid the same as if the book were bought or will it cut into their profits?

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks for explaining the new service, Diane. I wouldn't have time to read so many books, but I do enjoy the Kindle app on my iPad.

Mary Montague Sikes

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Joy, that's how I feel.

JE, especially with so many books $2.99 or less.

Susanne, I believe as long as someone reads at least 10% of a book, they get paid about $2.00.

Jay Noel said...

My TBR pile is way to big to sign up for such a service. So I'm not a good fit for this service.

Karen Lange said...

I'd heard of it but wasn't sure what it was so I appreciate the info. There'd have to be enough books I was interested in to make it worth it. I like the idea; it could work for my husband and me sometime in the future since we both read a lot.

Denise Covey said...

Like all new things Amazon does, at first it's treated with suspicion then finally embraced. I prefer buying my own books and deleting my bad choices.

Denise

Anonymous said...

I have too many books on my Kindle right now. Also, since I'm a Prime member I get to buy an Amazon published book for free once per month, and I also borrow a book a month.

Mark Means said...

I like e-readers and love my Kindle Fire, but I don't think this is the service for me. Great idea, just not my cup of tea.

H. R. Sinclair said...

The big publishers don't participate in my local public library e-lending program either.

M Pax said...

I'm a Nookie, so I won't use the service. And I sell on other sites, so won't opt in. Some people claim it has an effect on sales, but I don't think so. I think July just sort of stinks.

Bish Denham said...

I have so many books to read already, both on my Kindle, through my library, and those I buy as a used bookstore, I don't think I'll be "buying" into this program.

klahanie said...

Hi Diane,

I try to avoid using Amazon UK. It's a moral thing that I mentioned before.

It's delightful to note the amazing Lee and her book featured here on your informative site, Diane. All the very best to Lee.

Gary

Michelle Wallace said...

I do have a Kindle.
Having said that, it makes me think, I won't be ditching my paperbacks anytime soon...

Anonymous said...

I won't be signing up for KU, but I've already noticed an upswing in borrows of my reprints that are still locked in KDP Select. When a 99-cent title rakes in $2.00 per download instead of $0.35, I call that a win.

Chrys Fey said...

Thank you for this! The other day I actually tried using Google for more information on this because I kept seeing on Amazon that you can read books for free with it. Sadly, I can't afford it right now. Darn!

Sherry Ellis said...

I'm not sure I'd go for the book rental program. You'd have to read a lot to make it worthwhile, and it really doesn't allow you to re-read books without paying, again.

Sherry Ellis said...

I'm not sure I'd go for the book rental program. You'd have to read a lot to make it worthwhile, and it really doesn't allow you to re-read books without paying, again.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane - I wouldn't rent a book or commit myself to a monthly expense - I'd rather have choices.

Interesting how things are developing in the industry though - thanks for the update ...

Cheers Hilary

LD Masterson said...

I'm still a die-hard paper over e-book person so this holds minimal interest for me.

Jai Joshi said...

I was wondering what the whole Kindle Unlimited talk was all about. Haven't had time to do any research on it and understand what was going on. Thanks for this concise explanation!

Jai x