Eliminate Unfair Draft2Digital Fees for Indie Authors
The Issue
I have been an indie author with Draft2Digital (D2D) for several years. As someone who is disabled and living in poverty, I rely on the modest income generated from my book sales to help make ends meet. Indie authors like myself already face numerous challenges in getting our voices heard and our works sold, without being burdened by additional financial obstacles.
D2D already penalizes authors by extracting a high commission from books priced at less than $2.99, taking a page from Amazon's playbook. However beyond that, D2D has introduced a $12 USD ($16.5 CAD) annual fee for any account earning less than $100 within a year, under the guise of a maintenance fee for the author's account. It's not clear what the maintenance actually is, but in my case, $12 USD buys milk and bread for a few days at least.
They've also added a fee of $20 USD ($27.4 CAD) for new accounts. These charges are presented with an excuse of "quality control" due to the influx of poorly written AI books they receive, but clearly serve as a means for the company to further profit from authors who are already struggling. The problem of AI books exists on all self-publishing platforms, and should not be a reason to punish legitimate authors.
When an eBook is sold, authors receive a bare minimum of the retail price, often around between $1-2 per book. The rest is taken as commission by the distributers/retailers. For print, most of the retail price goes to cover print costs. Authors may earn less for a print book than an eBook. Statistically, most indie books sell less than 100 copies in their literary lifetimes. The vast majority of authors on D2D do not make over $100 per year.
For many indie authors, our works do not generate substantial revenue due to a multitude of reasons, including market saturation, limited promotion budgets, and the inevitable competition with larger publishing houses. This $12 annual fee unfairly targets authors who are often struggling to establish a foothold in this competitive industry. Instead of supporting burgeoning talent, D2D's policy penalizes those of us who need assistance the most.
Self-publishing platforms should aim to nurture and support the diverse voices within their community. Charging a $20 activation fee and a $12 annual penalty does the exact opposite, directly affecting authors who require the most help. By implementing these fees, D2D puts indie authors at an even greater disadvantage, limiting our potential to grow and succeed.
D2D also charges authors a fee just to deposit the money they earn from sales into PayPal accounts, adding to the financial strain if an author chooses this method to be paid. D2D has over 250,000 users so even small fees like this add up to the company's financial advantage. As someone who’s seen firsthand the trials of attempting to sustain a career in indie publishing, all these unjust charges feel like a significant step back in encouraging creativity and diversity in literature.
We urge D2D to reconsider their fee structure and remove these punitive charges that target indie authors. We deserve a fair shot at success without these financial burdens. By signing this petition, you stand with indie authors in demanding that D2D act in a manner that supports and uplifts its entire community, allowing all voices to contribute to the literary world without hindrance.
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The Issue
I have been an indie author with Draft2Digital (D2D) for several years. As someone who is disabled and living in poverty, I rely on the modest income generated from my book sales to help make ends meet. Indie authors like myself already face numerous challenges in getting our voices heard and our works sold, without being burdened by additional financial obstacles.
D2D already penalizes authors by extracting a high commission from books priced at less than $2.99, taking a page from Amazon's playbook. However beyond that, D2D has introduced a $12 USD ($16.5 CAD) annual fee for any account earning less than $100 within a year, under the guise of a maintenance fee for the author's account. It's not clear what the maintenance actually is, but in my case, $12 USD buys milk and bread for a few days at least.
They've also added a fee of $20 USD ($27.4 CAD) for new accounts. These charges are presented with an excuse of "quality control" due to the influx of poorly written AI books they receive, but clearly serve as a means for the company to further profit from authors who are already struggling. The problem of AI books exists on all self-publishing platforms, and should not be a reason to punish legitimate authors.
When an eBook is sold, authors receive a bare minimum of the retail price, often around between $1-2 per book. The rest is taken as commission by the distributers/retailers. For print, most of the retail price goes to cover print costs. Authors may earn less for a print book than an eBook. Statistically, most indie books sell less than 100 copies in their literary lifetimes. The vast majority of authors on D2D do not make over $100 per year.
For many indie authors, our works do not generate substantial revenue due to a multitude of reasons, including market saturation, limited promotion budgets, and the inevitable competition with larger publishing houses. This $12 annual fee unfairly targets authors who are often struggling to establish a foothold in this competitive industry. Instead of supporting burgeoning talent, D2D's policy penalizes those of us who need assistance the most.
Self-publishing platforms should aim to nurture and support the diverse voices within their community. Charging a $20 activation fee and a $12 annual penalty does the exact opposite, directly affecting authors who require the most help. By implementing these fees, D2D puts indie authors at an even greater disadvantage, limiting our potential to grow and succeed.
D2D also charges authors a fee just to deposit the money they earn from sales into PayPal accounts, adding to the financial strain if an author chooses this method to be paid. D2D has over 250,000 users so even small fees like this add up to the company's financial advantage. As someone who’s seen firsthand the trials of attempting to sustain a career in indie publishing, all these unjust charges feel like a significant step back in encouraging creativity and diversity in literature.
We urge D2D to reconsider their fee structure and remove these punitive charges that target indie authors. We deserve a fair shot at success without these financial burdens. By signing this petition, you stand with indie authors in demanding that D2D act in a manner that supports and uplifts its entire community, allowing all voices to contribute to the literary world without hindrance.
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Petition created on April 17, 2026