So long, CreateSpace! Amazon starting shift from print platform in merger with Kindle Direct Publishing

Amazon is set to start to move authors over from its self-publishing print-on-demand book platform CreateSpace to Kindle Direct Publishing which will become a single service for print and ebooks.

The company has been running CreateSpace since 2005 when it bought the firm which was set up in 2000 as BookSurge.

Merging CreateSpace into KDP has been widely expected since Amazon launched its second POD platform KDP Print in 2016.

CreateSpace authors will be offered the ability to move their account and titles in a phased move so links will be added to the CreateSpace member dashboard in stages so authors will see it at different times.


Expanded Distribution on par with CreateSpace

KDP now offers Expanded Distribution to sell your paperbacks to physical bookstores in the US, as well as the ability to sell your paperback books on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com.au, with  Amazon.com.mx coming soo). With these features, KDP’s paperback distribution will be on par with CreateSpace’s distribution.

KDP also offers features that are not available on CreateSpace, including being able to include run  ads to promote paperbacks on Amazon.com and locally printed author copies in Europe.

On KDP, Amazon says paperbacks will still be printed in the same facilities and by the same people on the same printers as they were on CreateSpace.


Move your own books or let Amazon do it for you

In a few weeks, Amazon will start to automatically move your CreateSpace books to KDP. Your books will remain available for sale throughout the move and you will continue to earn royalties. Once the process is begun you will be unable to edit existing titles or create new titles on CreateSpace.

If you have a release planned soon or you would like to start the move yourself, Amazon is making updates that will allow you to move your entire catalog in just a few steps. Log in to your CreateSpace member dashboard and follow the instructions to begin once the link to do so appears in your account. During this transition, you can contact KDP customer support by email and access phone support in English.


Here are a few key points:

  • Moving books. Amazon has created an easy way for you to move your entire catalog in just a few steps but it’s not available to everyone yet. The option will be enabled for more authors and an email will be sent to let you know when it’s available for you. You can take action when Amazon enables your account or just sit tight and Amazon will move your account for you.
  • Supported languages. Authors and publishers can upload and sell books on KDP with content and book details written in these languages. Books currently available in unsupported languages from CreateSpace will continue to be available for sale on Amazon. This change only affects the ability to update existing books or publish new ones in unsupported languages. Amazon say it will continue to evaluate which features and services it offers in the future, including supported languages.
  • Cover Creator. Amazon will move your CreateSpace files and print your book using your existing Cover Creator cover. If you want to update your cover after the move to KDP, you can design a new one using KDP’s Cover Creator.
  • Payment and print fees. There are a few payment and printing fee differences associated with the move. Authors will be paid on KDP’s payment schedule. CreateSpace pays monthly royalties 30 days after the end of the month in which they were earned while KDP pays monthly royalties around 60 days after the end of the month in which they were earned. As a result, you’ll be paid in September for any royalties earned in August on CreateSpace and be paid in October for any royalties earned in August on KDP.
  • Low-page-count books. Some low-page-count books will see an increase in printing fees when they are printed in the UK and EU. This affects a small number of titles. If your titles are affected by this change, you will receive a separate email on this topic. You can find out more details about KDP printing fees here.

More details about the CreateSpace move over to KDP can be found at Amazon.


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