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Amazon DTP Clamping Down on Duplicate, Undifferentiated Versions of Kindle Public Domain Books

by ThrillerAuthor
15 replies
Here is the copy of an e-mail I received from Amazon DTP today:
Dear Publisher,

We're implementing a new standard policy that improves the customer experience problem caused by multiple, undifferentiated copies of public domain titles in our Kindle catalog.

Our vision is to have high-quality editions of every public domain title in the world available on Kindle, including a free edition of each, and to avoid the confusion that is caused by having a large number of undifferentiated versions.

To protect the customer experience, we will stop accepting and selling duplicate, undifferentiated versions of public domain titles. We will continue to offer differentiated versions, such as unique translations or illustrated versions. Please make sure the titles that are live on your bookshelf adhere to this new policy and that each clearly describes, in the title and description fields, how it is differentiated by February 6, 2011.
I think next in line will be PLR and Resell Rights ebooks on Kindle. There are so many copies of the same book for most of these (not to mention that most of them are crappy too).



So, if you're into this game, differentiate your PD books as well as your PLR books (always a good idea in any case).
#amazon #books #clamping #domain #dtp #duplicate #kindle #public #undifferentiated #versions
  • Profile picture of the author pappyy3
    This is great news for customers!!
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    Tonster

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  • Profile picture of the author BeechHill
    Originally Posted by ThrillerAuthor View Post

    I think next in line will be PLR and Resell Rights ebooks on Kindle. There are so many copies of the same book for most of these (not to mention that most of them are crappy too).



    So, if you're into this game, differentiate your PD books as well as your PLR books (always a good idea in any case).
    I believe this was exactly their target already.

    I say forget even spinning PLR books. Amazon sales relies on it's customers reviews. Why not produce something original and worthwhile?
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  • Profile picture of the author cashcow
    I can't believe they didn't do this from the beginning!

    Anyway, it's not that hard to differentiate your book when using PLR or public domain and it's actually better for you in the long run (and more fun to create too!)

    Lee
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  • Profile picture of the author remodeler
    Amazon has to take this step or they will turn into a cesspool. All the people pimping out the make easy money publishing plr books on Kindle are going to have to find something else in which to fleece the herd.
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    • Profile picture of the author edlewis
      This is a much-needed step.

      Most will look at it as the "end" of public domain content on KDP too. But, in reality, it is the end of CRAPPY public domain content.

      I've just published 4 public domain books that Amazon accepted since Saturday....

      Why didn't I get this notice from Amazon?

      Because my books are of the HIGHEST quality. Formatted correctly, linked table of contents, no typos, and a high quality professional cover.

      Amazon wants happy customers and quality content on the Kindle platform.

      The problem is, many in the "IM" community have been told by self-proclaimed Kindle "experts" just how "easy" it is to upload content to KDP (it's no longer DTP)...so that's what they are doing....

      Chasing the dream they've been sold on webinars, reports, and WSO's...

      Most of it is pure crap...and in typical "get-rich-quick" fashion, in their hurry to make "easy" passive income, they've completely forgotten that this is a business with CUSTOMERS - you know...REAL ACTUAL PEOPLE - on the other end.

      I downloaded one Kindle book I knew was PLR just to take a look, and the person who uploaded it didn't even take the time to format the book for the Kindle. It was a MESS...to the extent it was honestly unreadable.

      In the end, I am down with whatever is best for Amazon, Kindle, and the customers of both.

      So sick of seeing total garbage clogging up Amazon and the Kindle Store....to be honest, much of it is not much different than SPAM.
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      • Profile picture of the author ThrillerAuthor
        Originally Posted by edlewis View Post

        This is a much-needed step.

        Most will look at it as the "end" of public domain content on KDP too. But, in reality, it is the end of CRAPPY public domain content.

        I've just published 4 public domain books that Amazon accepted since Saturday....

        Why didn't I get this notice from Amazon?

        Because my books are of the HIGHEST quality. Formatted correctly, linked table of contents, no typos, and a high quality professional cover.

        Amazon wants happy customers and quality content on the Kindle platform.

        The problem is, many in the "IM" community have been told by self-proclaimed Kindle "experts" just how "easy" it is to upload content to KDP (it's no longer DTP)...so that's what they are doing....

        Chasing the dream they've been sold on webinars, reports, and WSO's...

        Most of it is pure crap...and in typical "get-rich-quick" fashion, in their hurry to make "easy" passive income, they've completely forgotten that this is a business with CUSTOMERS - you know...REAL ACTUAL PEOPLE - on the other end.

        I downloaded one Kindle book I knew was PLR just to take a look, and the person who uploaded it didn't even take the time to format the book for the Kindle. It was a MESS...to the extent it was honestly unreadable.

        In the end, I am down with whatever is best for Amazon, Kindle, and the customers of both.

        So sick of seeing total garbage clogging up Amazon and the Kindle Store....to be honest, much of it is not much different than SPAM.
        Strange, I believe the few PD Kindle books I have there are also of the HIGHEST quality: Formatted correctly, linked TOC, no typos, and a unique high quality professionally designed cover. All these books are also available as print versions and a LOT of time went into their formatting. But they have been available on Kindle for a few months already.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Anyone who didn't see that coming wasn't thinking.
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    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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  • Profile picture of the author GuruGazette
    They started restricting and rejecting pd stuff almost a year ago. From what I've seen in the publishing forums this email appears to be part of a cleaning house campaign. I only publish pd once in awhile and they're a small percentage of my titles overall. I try to stick with the more unique stuff, plus make sure to design and format well if not create something new from it outright.
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    • Profile picture of the author edlewis
      Originally Posted by GuruGazette View Post

      They started restricting and rejecting pd stuff almost a year ago. From what I've seen in the publishing forums this email appears to be part of a cleaning house campaign. I only publish pd once in awhile and they're a small percentage of my titles overall. I try to stick with the more unique stuff, plus make sure to design and format well if not create something new from it outright.
      In my opinion, they need to get even tougher, especially on public domain stuff.

      Making sure the design, format, and cover are high quality seems rather obvious...unfortunately it doesn't fit into the "easy profits" picture that some of these so-called "experts" have painted for their lazy opportunity seeker followers...LOL.
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  • Profile picture of the author rjpbseal
    I put up a book composed of plr articles recently. I was just going through the process to check it out. I think you could actually make something of value this way, and I will strive to in the future. But the strangest thing happened after I published that first book. I was overcome with this urge to actually write my own book.
    I've got my teeth in it now and I expect to publish before spring. What a hoot!
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    • Profile picture of the author edlewis
      Originally Posted by rjpbseal View Post

      I put up a book composed of plr articles recently. I was just going through the process to check it out. I think you could actually make something of value this way, and I will strive to in the future. But the strangest thing happened after I published that first book. I was overcome with this urge to actually write my own book.
      I've got my teeth in it now and I expect to publish before spring. What a hoot!
      To many people it is very contagious.

      The process of publishing the book or the financial cost of having someone do it for you holds alot of people back.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anna_O
    Score 1 for quality!

    I have a degree in the writing field and was a published writer, and I couldn't believe it when I saw that people can compile articles from multiple sources and publish the compilation as a "book" under a pseudonym so easily with no regard to quality or the reader. In a course that teaches this method, considering the audience or even reading the content weren't even steps in the process.

    I agree with a poster above - Amazon needs to get even stricter about the self-published books they make available.
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  • Profile picture of the author gully
    Originally Posted by rjpbseal View Post

    I put up a book composed of plr articles recently. I was just going through the process to check it out. I think you could actually make something of value this way, and I will strive to in the future. But the strangest thing happened after I published that first book. I was overcome with this urge to actually write my own book.
    I've got my teeth in it now and I expect to publish before spring. What a hoot!


    Originally Posted by edlewis View Post

    To many people it is very contagious.

    The process of publishing the book or the financial cost of having someone do it for you holds alot of people back.
    I agree with you guys, I tried putting up some PD content just to test the waters and get familiar with the process and it was very easy and hassle free. I does make you want to write your own book now too.

    What will stop you?
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