Be Careful Where You Put Those Eggs!

I've been making the majority of my income through Amazon KDP for several years now. It currently constitutes the bulk of my online earnings. However, relying entirely on external platforms for income can be risky. These platforms can change their policies at any time, leaving you feeling a bit powerless and on edge.

One thing Amazon is known for is frequently updating its rules. What may be acceptable for sellers today might not be in a year from now. This applies to books as well. For instance, some of the books I published a couple of years ago are now subject to different rules. Recently, I encountered this issue firsthand. I went to edit a book, and Amazon flagged it. Long story short, I had to unpublish and republish the book with some minor changes.

The downside of this process is losing all the reviews and ratings for that title. This particular book had generated over $1,000 in December alone and generally brought in a few hundred dollars each month. While it wasn’t one of my best sellers, it certainly helped boost my monthly income.

Although this incident wasn't catastrophic, it did make me reconsider the importance of owning and controlling your platform and income streams. Take, for example, having a website. A website is something you own 100%, giving you full control over what you sell and how you operate. You can offer products and services directly to your audience and adapt as needed.

The problem with relying on platforms like Amazon is that they can shut down your entire business overnight, and this happens to people more often than you might think. Sometimes, we need a wake-up call to guide us in the right direction. For me, this experience has made me reassess how I spend my time and has highlighted the importance of diversifying my income streams to ensure I have more control over my financial future.

This experience has underscored the importance of not putting all your eggs in one basket. While platforms like Amazon KDP can be highly profitable, they come with risks that are outside of your control.

By building and investing in your own platforms, such as a personal website, you can create a more stable and secure income stream. Diversifying your income sources not only provides a safety net but also gives you the flexibility to adapt to changes on your terms.

I just felt like sharing that today folks! Have a great day :).