VentureBeat says Amazon has launched its Kindle Unlimited eBook subscription service in Canada and Mexico. This despite a growing chorus of authors and publishing professionals who say the “$9.99/month, all you can eat” eBook borrowing service undermines the value of eBooks while seriously damaging the financial stability of up and coming writers and publishers.
The article unfairly tries to compare Kindle Unlimited to other eBook subscription services. Kindle Unlimited authors are forced to deal exclusively with Amazon for a “share” of a fund set at an ever-changing amount that the Kindle-maker determines behind closed doors.
Competing eBook subscription services Oyster and Scribd charge reader-members monthly fees of $9.95 and $8.99 respectively, but boast an author-friendly royalty structure and do not demand author exclusivity to participate.
So long as Oyster and Scribd continue to pay royalties to participating authors who are free to distribute their eBooks elsewhere, then they will remain a viable addition to professional publishing plans.
Kindle Unlimited will not be able to make such a claim so long as Amazon continues to demand exclusivity and refuses to pay fair author royalties for “borrowed” titles.
