Weird Kindle Unlimited Author Question

A word from our sponsor:

Printer-friendly version

Author: 

Blog About: 

Ummm, well. Ya see, I have this informal list of authors whose history with me is such that if they publish,

I outright buy their story barely taking time to read the synopsis.

However, I was wondering how authors are compensated for borrowed KU titles. For example, Daring Diane's new book, Sorority House Fire, just released on both Kindle and KU. So if I borrow this book first, and read it so big brother KU knows that, return the book,and then buy the story outright? Does the author get credit (and compensated) for both transactions?

I figure Kindle probably has some kind of anti double dipping rule, but it's a dumb question until it's asked. THEN, it becomes merely weird.

Inquiring Cats wanna know!

Warm Furry Hugs!

tigger-christmas_1.gif

Tiggs

Comments

KUL

shiraz's picture

If a book is available via the Kindle Unlimited library then authors get royalties based on the number of pages read. The actual amount is calculated from the size of the fund for a given month and the total number of pages read. The November 2021 global fund is $39.9 million.

Shiraz

- - - -

Paperback cover Boat That Frocked.png

Thanks!!!

tigger's picture

Okay, support your local gunfighter, I mean, author!

Hugs!

T

Yes

erin's picture

The author would get paid for both "sales" of the book. KU, btw, pays royalties of about $0.004 a page, so a 200 pg book woould pay about $0.80 for a KUL reading. Probably much less than an outright sale. But if you return the book and purchase it, royalties are paid on both the KU reading and the sale.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

SUPER!!

tigger's picture

I just figured Amazon would nix that somehow.

So, the "Buy Immediately List" gets renamed and the protocol changed. CENTS FOR THE AUTHORS! IT JUST MAKES SENSE!!

Umm, suppose I don't buy it but just keep borrowing it each time I want to read it??

Yeah, Tiggers are greedy!! We want to motivate more stories!!

Hugs

T

KU

erin's picture

KU only counts the max number of pages you read. So if you borrow a second time, it will only count the extra pages if you read more than you read last time.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Oh well

tigger's picture

Was worth a try.

thanks for taking the time to explain it. I guess reading it all the way on KU and then buying it is the most I can do for the authors. . . other than buying another copy . . . .

Guess not. . . .

warm furry Happy New Year Hugs!

tiger-snow-20110506-135715.jpg

Tigger (who has to go dig out tomorrow)

Page Paying

I thought the algorithm was to pay up to two times read in a two month period. Then if it is re-read two months later, you can get paid again. Therefore, if one has a series, i.e. Cheerleader, and every time a new book is released, people reread the entire series, the author gets paid for the rereads.

The pause may be longer, but based on what i earn from the stories, I am pretty sure I get money from people rereading the series.
DD

Good news

erin's picture

That's different from what I have read but we do make a good bit off of some of the older titles that are bringing in mostly KU reads.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

According to Kindle I am

According to Kindle I am wrong.
-----------------------------------------------

Royalties in Kindle Unlimited

You're eligible for royalty payment from Kindle Unlimited (KU, or Abonnement Kindle in France) for pages an individual customer reads in your eBook for the first time.

A customer can read your eBook as many times as they like, but we will only pay you for the number of pages read the first time the customer reads them. It may take months for customers to read pages in your eBook, but no matter how long it takes, we'll still pay you once it happens. This is true even if your KDP Select enrollment period has expired, and you choose not to re-enroll.

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201541130