Stuck in KU? Here’s How to Start Selling Direct—Without Breaking the Rules

Jun 4, 2025

Stuck in KU? Here’s How to Start Selling Direct—Without Breaking the Rules

If you’re an indie author, Kindle Unlimited (KU) was and is a great option to self publish and has helped pioneer this space. While they have helped authors be successful through self publishing, their exclusivity clauses may feel more like handcuffs. 

Page-read royalties arrive every month, but Amazon’s 90-day exclusivity clause locks down your e-book everywhere else—including your own storefront.

We know that giving up any revenue as an author is an extremely difficult decision but we also know that in order to grow, authors need to start expanding their reach and their online real estate.  

The good news? KU’s restrictions are narrower than many authors realize. You can keep earning those KU page reads and begin building a direct to reader, profitable storefront on Curios today—no policy violations, no complicated tech stack.

Below, you’ll find:

• What KU exclusivity really covers (and what it doesn’t)
• A list of KU-safe products you can upload to Curios right now.
• A staggered exit plan if you decide to move books out of KU.
• Why direct sales on Curios compound faster than KU page reads.
• A quick FAQ and a one-click getting-started checklist.

Understanding KU’s Exclusivity Clause

KDP Select (the program that puts your e-book into KU) requires a 90-day exclusivity term for digital reading files—EPUB, MOBI, PDF, etc. The rule does not cover:

• Audiobooks
• Print editionS
• Substantially different digital products (bonus scenes, workbooks, world maps, Q&A MP3s, etc.)

The upshot: you can stay in KU and start establishing direct distribution on Curios—as long as you don’t upload the enrolled e-book file itself. This has many benefits. On Curios for any content you sell or giveaway you get to own and keep the email address for the reader. As this list grows, so can your confidence to sell your next book directly to this reader base and keep 100% of the revenue. 

2. KU-Safe Products You Can Launch on Curios Today

Pro Tip: Add “Get the audiobook and extras direct on Curios” to your KU back matter. Perfectly legal—and you’ll start funneling readers into a customer base you own.

Now, as you grow your direct channels like your email list automatically generated by Curios, or if you are growing your social media to a point where you are able to drive a significant portion of your traffic, you are probably ready to leave KU or explore leaving KU with a few titles. 

If that is the case, here is a good general roadmap to follow.

3. A Staggered Exit Plan (If You’re Ready to Go Wide)

1. Audit your dashboard—note each book’s Select end date.
   Let your lowest-earning title roll off KU first.
2. Upload that EPUB to the same Curios project already selling its audiobook or bundle. If you don’t have an existing project, just create a new one for that book.
3. Use a 72-hour launch discount to spike direct sales and compare income streams.
4. Repeat every 90 days until your catalogue lands in the KU/direct mix that feels right from an income and career stability standpoint. 

4. Why Direct Sales on Curios Compound Faster Than KU

Every sale on Curios doesn’t just add dollars today—it adds an email address you can monetize forever. That’s the compounding flywheel KU can’t match.

To summarize why it is worth the bother, on Curios you as the author get:

• 100 % royalties on every e-book sale (Curios charges taxes and credit card merchant fees as an additional cost to the buyer -you don’t lose those funds from your list price).
• Reader emails in your dashboard—no more blind marketing.
• One-stop storefront for all formats (audio, print vouchers, bundles).
• Price freedom—flash sales, preorders, or higher deluxe tiers without Amazon’s pricing box.

5. Quick FAQ

Q: Can I give away my KU e-book for free on Curios?
A: No. Free or paid, the digital reading file must stay exclusive while enrolled. You can give the book away for free on Curios after you have ended your KU contract. 

Q: What if I change the cover and call it a “special edition”?
A: Cosmetic changes aren’t enough. You’d need substantial new content to qualify as a different product.

Q: Are PDFs of the same text allowed?
A: Also restricted—PDF counts as a digital reading format.

6. Get Started in Five Minutes

Create a free Curios account at studio.curios.com.

1. Upload a KU-safe product—your audiobook, bonus pack, or reader magnet.
2. Price it (or mark it Free Claim), click Publish, and copy your marketplace link.
3. Share the link in your newsletter, social media channels and KU book back matter.
4. Export buyer emails from your Curios dashboard and start nurturing a true customer base.
5. That’s it—no Shopify cart, no 3rd party fulfillment integrations, no monthly plug-in fees. One platform, one upload, total control.

Your Readers Are Waiting—Own the Relationship

Staying exclusive to KU can feel safe, but safety rarely scales. Whether you keep a handful of titles in KU or move your entire catalogue direct, Curios lets you turn anonymous page reads into known, paying customers—without breaking Amazon’s rules.

Ready to test the waters? Create your Curios account today, upload your first KU-safe product, and watch the direct-sales flywheel start spinning. Your future business will thank you.