Amazon’s New Print Cut: Greed or Survival? | Self-Publishing News (May 19, 2025)

Amazon KDP just announced a major change to print royalties, and the publishing world is buzzing. In this week’s self-publishing news, we cover the updated royalty rates, what it means for paperback authors, and how it may or may not tie into the rise of low-content and AI-generated books. We also look at a major court ruling that could finally open the door for easier mobile eBook sales, plus a new report from the U.S. Copyright Office on artificial intelligence and training data. If you care about book sales, author income, or where publishing is headed next, don’t miss this week's Self-Publishing News.

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Sources:

• KDP: Print Royalty Rate and Paperback Printing Cost Changes FAQ - https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GXFPA52P6ZJD2U3N?ref_=pe_93986420_1235824880
• KDP Print Calculator - https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200735480?ref_=pe_93986420_1235824880#royalty_calculator
• The Bottom Line - https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/
• US Copyright Office - Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 3 - https://www.copyright.gov/ai/Copyright-and-Artificial-Intelligence-Part-3-Generative-AI-Training-Report-Pre-Publication-Version.pdf?mc_cid=e9a1b9ab69&mc_eid=433332c881 
• Major Court Ruling Opens New Path for Mobile eBook Sales - https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/ruling-opens-path-for-mobile-ebook-sales/ 
• Coauthoring Nonfiction: Strategies for Successful Collaboration - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7hV_IsqVQE6Ghv1HNl-Szg#/registration 
• Outstanding Creator Awards - https://www.outstandingcreator.com/winners--2025-spring-contest.html
• Wide Publishing for Authors - https://DaleLinks.com/WideBook
• Mastering Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP - https://www.youtube.com/live/_8rNH3SQJK4?si=HP2BB81XZTF9oX24
• How to Win Book Awards Without Wasting Money | Outstanding Creator Awards - https://www.youtube.com/live/X-4w4OWnRgE?si=DkqBCns4G2emtoZq
• 30 Books Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/30Books 

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- Dale L. Roberts