-Publishing Authors are not allowed to self-publish on Amazon

By Ethan Blake 4 min read

Amazon Restricts Authors From Self

Overview

Let’s face it: the publishing landscape has dramatically switched in the last few years, with self-publishing transforming from a somewhat derided fringe phenomenon to a legitimate route taken by many writers. This democratization of book production and distribution is indeed empowering—an avenue for narratives that traditional publishers may not touch due to perceived market risks. But, like every good thing, it naturally has its pitfalls and constraints.

One significant platform for self-publishers, Amazon, has recently been in the spotlight for apparent restrictions on authors going the self-publishing way. This article seeks to dissect this complex issue, breaking down these supposed restrictions, Amazon’s reasons, and what they mean for the broader indie publishing community.

Here we delve into the kinds of restrictions, why Amazon might impose them, how authors can adapt, and if there are any alternatives. We’ll look at ten key areas of focus.

Categorization of Books

A frequent curiosity about Amazon’s policies veers towards the categorization of books. Authors often find their works pigeonholed into genres or categories that do not truly represent their content—this can be disconcerting.

Take the case of an author, having written a unique genre blending fantasy and mystery, who finds her book misclassified under “Children’s Mystery, Detective, & Spy” simply because it features a teenage protagonist and a mysterious magical artifact. She anticipated reaching a broad fiction audience but now feels restricted to children’s literature consumers.

The categorization process can sometimes be arbitrary and automatic.
Keyword abuse could lead Amazon to fit books into more specific categories for report control.
Incorrect categorization might limit the exposure of your book.
A wrong category may affect sales due to potential readers’ misguided expectations.
Authors can request category adjustment, but it isn’t guaranteed as final decision lies with Amazon.
Understanding Amazon’s category system can help authors to influence their book’s categorization in line with their target audiences.

Content Quality Control

Believe it or not, quality control has become another hurdle for self-publishers on Amazon. This is especially true due to the rampant cases of poorly edited and formatted books as well as plagiarized content surfacing on the platform.

Consider an author whose book was pulled down due to numerous complaints about poor editing and formatting even though it was a well-written story. The opportunity cost for such an author is considerable.

Maintain excellent grammar, spelling, and punctuation to escape Amazon’s hammer.
In case your book is flagged down, address the issue through professional editing and proofreading services.
Pulled books may require revision, editing, or reformatting to meet the required standards before re-uploading.
Quality control also extends to cover quality—poorly designed covers can lead to restrictions too.
Plagiarism allegations can be a significant setback—always ensure originality of content.
To save time, expense, and stress, invest in quality right from the start.

Metadata Guidelines

Another notable restriction lies within metadata—the title, cover image, description, keywords, etc. Amazon has strict guidelines regarding these aspects, and deviation often leads to publishing delays and disagreements.

A rookie mistake would be to load your book title with keywords in an attempt to game the algorithm. Such tactics can lead to the book being flagged by Amazon.

Adhere strictly to Amazon’s metadata rules to avoid complications.
Keyword stuffing could result in your book being suppressed or removed.
Misleading metadata is another risky area— ensure your cover, title, and description accurately represent your book’s content.
Violations could lead to temporary or even permanent account deactivation.
Thoughtfully select your seven keywords, use phrases instead of one-word keywords for better results.
Consider enlisting professional help in metadata creation when in doubt.

Multiple Submissions

While direct author submissions are welcomed on Amazon, it is important to note that submitting a book through multiple accounts can violate Amazon’s terms.

For instance, if you were to submit the same book using two different KDP accounts, one would likely be deactivated due to duplication.

Never use more than one account to submit the same book.
Avoid using any sort of encryption or DRM that hides digital watermarks.
Be alert of the risk of unintentional duplication, especially when you’re working with co-authors or publishers.
Book submissions should be on unique ISBNs or ASINs to prevent confusion or duplication.
Excessive submissions can trigger flags on your account, leading to restrictions.
If approached by a publisher offering to submit your book for you, ensure they will delist their version once yours is live.

The preceding sections discuss five key areas where Amazon imposes restrictions on self-published authors–Categorization of Books, Content Quality Control, Metadata Guidelines, and Multiple Submissions. In the following segments, we delve into other significant overarching dimensions including Reviews and Ratings Management, Pricing Control, Copyright Issues, Book Return Policy, Adult Content, and Exclusivity Clause.

Summary:

To be continued in part 2 where we’ll tackle the remaining five focus areas, shed more light on the specific restrictions therein and potential ways for indie authors to navigate these for successful self-publishing journeys.