In an age where Amazon has become synonymous with convenience and endless choice, Emrae Publishing has officially pulled all titles from the mega-retailer—and we’re moving forward with an author-first, profit-share publishing model.
We made this decision for a few reasons:
1. We’re opting out of Amazon’s monopoly
This entire industry is run by billionaires. We know this, and we can’t hide from them. We’re operating within a capitalist system, but revolutions start small.
Amazon takes special care to demean the indie publishing market, and while we know not every author can afford to strike out on their own, we are a home for those who are ready to operate outside of the established rules.
Under Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited (KU) system, authors are paid through a shared global fund with little transparency into how those earnings are calculated. While KU appears to support emerging authors, its strict exclusivity clauses prevent them from selling their eBooks elsewhere—including on their own websites.
This same approach extends to Audible’s ACX platform, where exclusivity requirements make it nearly impossible for indie authors and publishers to participate without sacrificing control or profit.
On top of that, Amazon routinely undercuts book prices without notice, and runs deep discounts during shopping weekends meant to highlight small, local businesses.
Until Amazon drops these exclusivity requirements and levels the playing field for indie authors and small presses, Emrae is opting out. Instead, we’re investing in small business partnerships and cultivating a community of like-minded readers who value creative freedom over convenience.
2. We believe media ownership is vital
Earlier this year, Amazon “clarified” its user terms: readers don’t actually own the ebooks they buy—they purchase a license to use the content. That means Amazon retains full control over those files.
If that sounds far-fetched, look at what happened in 2009—when Amazon remotely deleted copies of 1984 and Animal Farm from users’ Kindles after a copyright dispute. In an era when voices are being silenced and books are being banned, we believe owning and storing files out of reach of big businesses is more important than ever.
Readers once had the freedom to download and store their ebooks for safekeeping or use them on other devices. Now, Amazon ensures two things:
- You can’t easily move off the Kindle ecosystem, and
- They control what stays in—or disappears from—your library.
A company that controls 83% of the ebook market has far too much power over what people can read, in our opinion.
3. We value connection and community above all else
Our favorite reason for leaving Amazon is simple—we want to connect directly with our readers.
By owning our distribution, we also own our relationships. We can send readers signed editions, exclusive merch, and early access to new releases. We can ask what they want to see next—and actually listen.
We can work with small businesses in our communities and form wholesale partnerships, organize events, and rally around their dreams, too.
We’re building a movement at Emrae that goes beyond the bottom line. Community matters more than ever. With 2,000 readers and growing, we’re seeing firsthand how hungry people are to support small businesses that uplift creatives rather than exploit them.
We’re challenging the rules for everyone
“We’re taking back control on behalf of the people who make books possible: authors and readers,” says Erin Cline, Emrae’s Editor-in-Chief. “We’re no longer interested in operating by Amazon’s rules—and we recognize we have the power to challenge the system in ways many independent authors can’t on their own.”
Emrae has spent months building the infrastructure to support this vision. We’re committed to partnerships with independent bookstores, small online retailers, and direct-to-reader sales through our own site. Readers can download ebooks to any device, read in-browser, and store their files however they choose.
Our transparent revenue-share model ensures that every purchase—digital, print, or soon, audio—sends more money back to the authors who make it possible. We hope that by charting new paths and building the playbooks, other small presses and indie authors can join us and start chipping away at the machine.
This path isn’t without risk, but we see it as a rare opportunity to reclaim what publishing was always meant to be: transparent, equitable, and creative.
About Emrae Publishing
Emrae Publishing challenges traditional and hybrid publishing models with a profit-share system that keeps money in the hands of authors and creatives. With direct distribution and partnerships with indie bookstores, Emrae gives authors the flexibility of self-publishing with the support of a dedicated team.
Our mission is simple: keep money in the pockets of storytellers—and billionaires out of their business.
Interested in joining our collective?