Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
IngramSpark announced new pricing changes and a higher market access fee that directly affect author earnings across the board. Draft2Digital shared tough news about updated Smashwords royalties, while Written Word Media published new survey results that show clear patterns in how serious indie authors grow. All that and more in the self-publishing news.
CORRECTION: Draft2Digital does NOT take the normal 10% of retail cost through Smashwords sales. There's only the revenue share between author and Smashwords, that's it. Special thanks to the team at D2D for identifying this error on my part.
• YouTube Channel Memberships (podcast) – DaleLinks.com/Membership
• YouTube Channel Memberships (main channel) – DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• IngramSpark - IngramSpark.com
• IngramSpark Rate Card 2026 - ingramspark.com/hubfs/Rate%20Card_IngramSpark_2026.pdf
• IngramSpark December 2025 Newsletter - ingramspark.com/newsletter-december2025
• Draft2Digital - DaleLinks.com/D2D (referral link)
• Draft2Digital Royalty Rates - draft2digital.com/blog/royalty-rates
• Smashwords End of Year Sale - smashwords.com/shelves/promos
• Written Word Media: 2025 Indie Author Survey Results - writtenwordmedia.com/2025-indie-author-survey-results-insights-into-self-publishing-for-authors
• Authors Guild: What Authors Need to Know About the Baker & Taylor Closure and How It Affects Library Access to Your Book - authorsguild.org/news/what-authors-need-to-know-about-the-baker-and-taylor-closure
• Booklinker - Booklinker.com
• Book Award Pro - DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)
• Twin Flames Studios: The Ghostwriting of Christmas Past, Present, and Future - twinflamesstudios.com/ghostwriting
🟡 Subscribe to my email newsletter - DaleLinks.com/SignUp
🟣 Join Channel Memberships - DaleLinks.com/Memberships
🔵Join Me on Discord - DaleLinks.com/Discord
🔥 Check out my main YouTube channel - youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
📚 My Books - DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
😇 Wanna tip me? Visit dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.
Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!
- Dale L. Roberts
IngramSpark announced new pricing changes and a higher market access fee that directly affect author earnings across the board. Draft2Digital shared tough news about updated Smashwords royalties, while Written Word Media published new survey results that show clear patterns in how serious indie authors grow. All that and more in the self-publishing news.
CORRECTION: Draft2Digital does NOT take the normal 10% of retail cost through Smashwords sales. There's only the revenue share between author and Smashwords, that's it. Special thanks to the team at D2D for identifying this error on my part.
• YouTube Channel Memberships (podcast) – DaleLinks.com/Membership
• YouTube Channel Memberships (main channel) – DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• IngramSpark - IngramSpark.com
• IngramSpark Rate Card 2026 - ingramspark.com/hubfs/Rate%20Card_IngramSpark_2026.pdf
• IngramSpark December 2025 Newsletter - ingramspark.com/newsletter-december2025
• Draft2Digital - DaleLinks.com/D2D (referral link)
• Draft2Digital Royalty Rates - draft2digital.com/blog/royalty-rates
• Smashwords End of Year Sale - smashwords.com/shelves/promos
• Written Word Media: 2025 Indie Author Survey Results - writtenwordmedia.com/2025-indie-author-survey-results-insights-into-self-publishing-for-authors
• Authors Guild: What Authors Need to Know About the Baker & Taylor Closure and How It Affects Library Access to Your Book - authorsguild.org/news/what-authors-need-to-know-about-the-baker-and-taylor-closure
• Booklinker - Booklinker.com
• Book Award Pro - DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)
• Twin Flames Studios: The Ghostwriting of Christmas Past, Present, and Future - twinflamesstudios.com/ghostwriting
🟡 Subscribe to my email newsletter - DaleLinks.com/SignUp
🟣 Join Channel Memberships - DaleLinks.com/Memberships
🔵Join Me on Discord - DaleLinks.com/Discord
🔥 Check out my main YouTube channel - youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
📚 My Books - DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
😇 Wanna tip me? Visit dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.
Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!
- Dale L. Roberts







![NEW Advice for 7 Amazon KDP Keywords | Self-Publishing News (Jan. 29, 2024)
The Kindlepreneur shared an updated strategy for maximizing the seven backend keywords slots on KDP. Streetlib updated their terms and conditions. An author loses his mind over a review. And, so much more this week in the self-publishing news.
Correction: I skipped two news pieces
- The Amazon Product Description - Amazon now offers more above the fold on product pages, meaning that they now show more description above the Read more option. Sorry for missing that item.
- Starting in February 2024, Google and Yahoo will require bulk senders to comply with new rules. These rules are mainly focused on three areas: Authentication - Authenticate outgoing emails using security protocols like DKIM, SPF, and DMARC. Spam threshold - Stay under a 0.3% spam complaint rate threshold. For example, if you send 1,000 emails, only 3 need to be marked spam to reach that threshold. If that happens, you could lose access to users inboxes. Unsubscribe - Provide a clear and easily accessible method for recipients to unsubscribe.
🔴 Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com
🟣 Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships
🔵Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord
News Sources:
- BookBrushs Full Service Social Media Management Services - https://bookbrush.com/social-media-management/ | For the job opportunity, contact CEO Josh Wiley at josh@brushmediagroup.com.
- Streetlibs Updated Conditions and Terms - https://streetlib-agreements.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/StreetLib_Hub_20220824_en.pdf
- Self-Published Science Fiction Competition Issues Statement After Author Has Meltdown About Judge’s Review - https://file770.com/self-published-science-fiction-competition-issues-statement-after-author-has-meltdown-about-judges-review/#comments
- IngramSpark: Share & Sell Your Book (US only) - https://www.ingramspark.com/e-commerce
- 7 Kindle Keywords: Use All 50 Characters or Not? [UPDATED] - https://kindlepreneur.com/7-kindle-keywords/
- eBookFairs: Book Cover Grader - https://ebookfairs.com/Home/Book-Cover-Grader
- Pod Pro Author Coaching - https://www.theindyauthor.com/services pod-pro-author-coaching.html
- Lulu: How to Get Started Successfully as an Author - https://event.webinarjam.com/register/68/qrqmosmk
- Writing & Publishing Master Class with Andy Maslen | Reedsy Learning - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/writing-publishing-master-class-with-andy-maslen-reedsy-learning-tickets-808859890707
- How to Get Started with Amazon Ads: Reaching More Readers Podcast - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-amazon-ads/
- Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast Reviews: https://chartable.com/podcasts/selfpublishing-with-dale-l-roberts/reviews/d5Tm26oB
Special thanks to these sources:
- LaterPress - https://LaterPress.com
- CraveBooks - https://CraveBooks.com
- Draft2Digital - https://Draft2Digital.com
- Findaway Voices - https://FindawayVoices.com
- David Gaughran - https://DavidGaughran.com
Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!
- Dale L. Roberts NEW Advice for 7 Amazon KDP Keywords | Self-Publishing News (Jan. 29, 2024)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yEjMRT_keCM/mqdefault.jpg)


