Authors can’t make people read their books after they buy them — all they can do is work hard to make sure their books get bought. They have no control over what happens after the purchase.

That used to be okay, but not anymore. Amazon is changing that for some authors with new terms for the Kindle Unlimited payment policy.

In a letter sent to authors enrolled in the KDP Select e-book publishing program, Amazon said, “Beginning July 1, 2015, we’ll switch from paying Kindle Unlimited (KU) and Kindle Owners’ Lending Library (KOLL) royalties based on qualified borrows, to paying based on the number of pages read.”

You read that correctly. Now KDP Select authors with books in the Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owners’ Lending Library will have to care about whether book buyers actually do read their books.

Payment for pages read

When the KU program was introduced, authors were told that borrowers had to read at least 10 percent of the book for authors to be paid (see “Attention book lovers: Read at least 10% of your Kindle Unlimited books“).

The new model bases author payments on the number of pages read. Authors of long books that get read will earn more than authors of short books that get read. Authors of books that don’t get read at all will suffer — but that was the case when the KU program was introduced, too.

This approach rewards good stories and good writing in fiction because if you’ve hooked someone, they’ll keep reading. It also rewards those who provide good, useful content in nonfiction.

Still, remember that this applies only to authors enrolled in the KDP Select program.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out for prolific authors over time. Will they earn more or less with this model, and what decisions will they make based on their sales tracking? Will they opt out of these lending programs, or will the numbers show that it’s better for their bank accounts than not participating in the program?

It’s definitely a story to follow.

What do you think of this new payment policy? Fair or unfair? Please comment below. 

With the average price of an e-book between $6 and $7, you might save money by borrowing just two books.

But is it a good deal for authors?

It will be if every Kindle Unlimited customer does just one thing with all borrowed books:

Read at least 10 percent of the borrowed book.

Why?

Because if you don’t, authors won’t get paid for writing the book you borrowed.

If you buy it, they get paid. If you borrow it through Kindle Unlimited, they’re paid only when you go past the “10 percent read” mark.

So, please: Read at least 10% of the books you borrow on Amazon through the Kindle Unlimited program so authors can afford to continue to write the books you love.

(You don’t even have to actually “read” that 10 percent — just flip through the pages until you hit 11 percent!)

Thank you!

Please share this with your networks so that book lovers learn that reading just 10 percent of a borrowed book will make sure the author is fairly compensated. 

Kindle Unlimited works like a library, except it costs you $9.99 a month and you’ve got more than three weeks to read the books you’ve borrowed.

Available only in the U.S. right now, Kindle Unlimited lets subscribers:

• “Borrow” up to 10 books for $9.99 per month with no return due date on the books. (Borrowed 10 books and want another? Return one.)
• Get access to the audio version of an e-book you’re reading (when available), so you can move from reading to listening on headphones without losing your place in the book.
• Receive three free months of membership at Audible.com, an Amazon company. (The least expensive Audible membership option is $14.95 per month for one book per month.)

Looking at it from the consumer standpoint, I’ll remind you that your public library is free and also lets you borrow audio books, CDs of music, and movies and TV series on DVDs. But downloading everything without going to the library sure is convenient. If you’re a big reader who doesn’t mind paying for convenience, this might work for you.

What does it mean for authors?

It’s no surprise that if you’re an indie author, you must be enrolled in the KDP Select program to be included. Amazon does own this playground, after all.

For more on what this means for you as an author, check out this short list of articles that examine Kindle Unlimited in more detail from an author’s perspective:

• “Amazon Reveals Kindle Unlimited eBook Subscription Service” from Mediabistro
• “Is Kindle Unlimited Bad for Authors?” from Smashwords
• “Kindle Unlimited is Here!” from Author Marketing Experts
• “Is Your Book for Sale at Kindle Unlimited?” from Where Writers Win

There’s no question that there’s a demand for this service — Amazon wouldn’t have introduced it if there wasn’t. There will always be people who will pay for convenience just as there will always be those who want to spend nothing at a public library supported by their tax dollars.

Which one are you? 

Please comment with your thoughts and opinions.