Warning about using excerpts when enrolled in KDP Select

[Kevis 'The Berserker' Hendrickson]

A quick heads up for authors enrolled in Select. Today, I received an email from BookBuzzr telling authors that using their sample widget does not violate Amazon's Terms of Service regarding KDP Select. You can read the letter in full here:

In a nutshell, BookBuzzr claims:

Putting up Your Book Excerpt on the BookBuzr Flipper Widget DOES NOT violate KDP Select Terms of Service

According to BookBuzzr, an author recieved this message from Amazon:

You may offer a sample, excerpt or teaser of your KDP Select-enrolled book on your website, as long as it doesn’t include a substantial portion of your book’s content. Up to about 10% of the book’s content is a reasonable amount.

If this is true, this would be a complete reversal of their policy as stated here in this email one of our member authors recieved from Amazon a month ago:

When enrolled in KDP Select, you may not offer a sample or teaser of your book on any other sales channel or website (including your own.) However, a sample of your book is available on your Amazon detail page, and you're welcome to link to that from your own site.

Since this concerns the way authors enrolled in KDP Select can market their books, my question is, has anything changed recently regarding Amazon's Terms of Service? Or is BookBuzzr putting out bad information? If anyone has the scoop on this, I'd love to hear it.

[JRTomlin]

Good question. Anyone know the answer to this?

[acellis]

Let's get a response from Amazon on this. This is important.

[Zelah Meyer]

Given that half the author spam I see on Twitter comes freshly automated from BookBuzr, I'd take what they say with a pinch of salt.

[Kevis 'The Berserker' Hendrickson]

Given that half the author spam I see on Twitter comes freshly automated from BookBuzr, I'd take what they say with a pinch of salt.

I totally agree. That's why I'm skeptical. In the letter BookBuzzr states:

Based on our understanding of the KDP Select terms of service and their FAQ and extensive research on various forums on the Internet, here’ why we (the BookBuzzr team) have concluded  that KDP Select DOES NOT affect BookBuzzr Authors.

This is a red-flag for me and tells me BookBuzzr doesn't know what they're talking about. On the other hand, I'm more interested in the email they claim Amazon support sent to the author which mentions Up to about 10% of the book’s content is allowed to be posted on other sites.

[Chrystalla]

I haven't heard that Amazon changed their policy, and until I have a reply from Amazon on this I don't trust anyone else's "understanding" of things.

[Decon]

We have been down this route before. In answer to a question from me, Amazon sent me an email an email, they stated their own sampler as used by associates Kindleboards is ok to use. THIS WIDGET DRAWS THE SAMPLE FROM AMAZON. I therefore assume if you are an associate using the Amazon sampler widget, it is OKAY.

If you want to know about bookbuzzer, write to Amazon. and send them a copy of the email rather than speculating.

[JRTomlin]

We have been down this route before. In answer to a question from Amazon to me in an email, they stated their own sampler as used by assosiates Kindleboards is ok to use. I therefore assume if you are an associate using the Amazon sampler widget, it is OKAY.

If you want to know about bookbuzzer, write to Amazon. and send them a copy of the email rather than speculating.

The question isn't JUST about BookBuzzr but using all excerpts. I am NOT an Amazon associate. I don't WANT TO BE an Amazon associate, but I would like to be able to post excerpts of my own novels. Yes, this was discussed before. The OP pointed that out. That doesn't mean it might not be discussed again in light of new information.

It WOULD be nice to be able to post an excerpt on my on blog, for example.

I don't trust their "research" on the topic.

[Monique]

The question isn't JUST about BookBuzzr but using all excerpts. I am NOT an Amazon associate. I don't WANT TO BE an Amazon associate, but I would like to be able to post excerpts of my own novels.

It WOULD be nice to be able to post an excerpt on my on blog, for example.

I don't trust their "research" on the topic.

You don't need to be an associate to use the sample widget.

[Decon]

The question isn't JUST about BookBuzzr but using all excerpts. I am NOT an Amazon associate. I don't WANT TO BE an Amazon associate, but I would like to be able to post excerpts of my own novels.

It WOULD be nice to be able to post an excerpt on my on blog, for example.

I don't trust their "research" on the topic.

It costs nothing to sign up as an associate and the widget is free to download to your blog. The choice is yours to make either way. I would not trust bookbuzzer saying it is okay. Like I said I would write to Amazon and send a copy of the email.

[Decon]

You don't need to be an associate to use the sample widget.

problem solved .

[Kevis 'The Berserker' Hendrickson]

We have been down this route before. In answer to a question from me, Amazon sent me an email an email, they stated their own sampler as used by associates Kindleboards is ok to use. THIS WIDGET DRAWS THE SAMPLE FROM AMAZON. I therefore assume if you are an associate using the Amazon sampler widget, it is OKAY.

If you want to know about bookbuzzer, write to Amazon. and send them a copy of the email rather than speculating.

Why do you assume that no one has sent an email to Amazon on the matter? The reason I posted this thread is to find out if someone else already knows the answer rather than having to wait for KDP support to reply. Besides, since this is an issue that affects every author using Select, it doesn't hurt to discuss this matter publicly.

[Decon]

Why do you assume that no one has sent an email to Amazon on the matter? The reason I posted this thread is to find out if someone else already knows the answer rather than having to wait for KDP support to reply. Besides, since this is an issue that affects every author using Select, it doesn't hurt to discuss this matter publicly.

Great if you have sent one, I merely suggested it and await how the reply.

[Bards and Sages (Julie)]

Amazon has not been consistent about this at all.  I recently sent Amazon a query about anthologies and the journal in regards to cases where the author republished the story elsewhere, or self-publishes, later.  While they did NOT answer my actual question, they did sent me an email saing that short excerpts up to 10% were acceptable.  However, a couple of days later a friend of mine sent Amazon a question about the excerpts and got a completely different answer.  

Until Amazon makes a formal announcement one way or the other on the main KDP page, I don't trust ANY of the responses that come out of Customer Service.  This is one of the reasons I pulled the Quarterly from Select.  Just too many restrictions and too many unanswered questions for me to risk it.

[JRTomlin]

Amazon has not been consistent about this at all.  I recently sent Amazon a query about anthologies and the journal in regards to cases where the author republished the story elsewhere, or self-publishes, later.  While they did NOT answer my actual question, they did sent me an email saing that short excerpts up to 10% were acceptable.  However, a couple of days later a friend of mine sent Amazon a question about the excerpts and got a completely different answer.  

Until Amazon makes a formal announcement one way or the other on the main KDP page, I don't trust ANY of the responses that come out of Customer Service.  This is one of the reasons I pulled the Quarterly from Select.  Just too many restrictions and too many unanswered questions for me to risk it.

What they've said has been inconsistent. I'm avoiding all excerpts until it is absolutely certain what is acceptable. I've gotten too much benefit from Select to withdraw from it, but this is an issue.

I do wish they would come out with something official on it so there wouldn't be this doubt. I have no desire either to be an associate and many places you can not use the widget.

[Monique]

 I have no desire either to be an associate and many places you can not use the widget.

What sort of places?

[Kevis 'The Berserker' Hendrickson]

Amazon has not been consistent about this at all.  I recently sent Amazon a query about anthologies and the journal in regards to cases where the author republished the story elsewhere, or self-publishes, later.  While they did NOT answer my actual question, they did sent me an email saing that short excerpts up to 10% were acceptable.  However, a couple of days later a friend of mine sent Amazon a question about the excerpts and got a completely different answer.  

Until Amazon makes a formal announcement one way or the other on the main KDP page, I don't trust ANY of the responses that come out of Customer Service.  This is one of the reasons I pulled the Quarterly from Select.  Just too many restrictions and too many unanswered questions for me to risk it.

Amazon's inconsistency on this policy is exactly why I wanted to know if someone got a recent email on this matter. Different staff members from KDP support are giving different and varying responses on the exclusivity/sample issue. Hence, the reason I'm curious if the email posted on BookBuzzr's letter came from Amazon. If it did, that would be a significant change of policy.

[JRTomlin]

What sort of places?

Pretty much ANYWHERE except my own blog or website and possibly some blogs.

[Monique]

But you can embed or give a link, tweet, post to facebook, email etc.

You can use the KB version or this one: http://www.amazon.com/Kingdoms-Cost-Book-Douglas-Trilogy/dp/1463526792/ref=tmm_pap_title_0