Bonus 04: Audible's New Royalty Model — What Every Self-Published Author Needs to Know

Audible just flipped the switch. On May 26th, 2026, ACX officially opened enrollment for a brand new royalty model — and by December 31st, the old system goes away entirely.

In this bonus episode, I break down everything self-published authors need to know:

• The new royalty rates — 50% exclusive (up from 40%) and 30% non-exclusive (up from 25%)

• How the new "Member Value" pooled system works — and why Audible now acts more like a streaming platform

• Earning from Audible Plus listening for the first time

• What critics are saying — including the 30,000-signature petition

• 6 actionable steps you should take right now to protect your audiobook income

Whether you already have audiobooks on Audible or you're thinking about getting started, this episode gives you the full picture so you can make smart decisions before the deadline hits.

🔗 Resources mentioned:

- ACX Dashboard: acx.com

- ACX New Royalty Model FAQ: help.acx.com

#SelfPublishing #Audiobooks #ACX #Audible #IndieAuthor #KDP #SelfPubEmpire

Hey everyone, it’s KB here with a quick rundown of our latest bonus episode: **“How AI Can Be Your Secret Accelerator – Deeper Proofreading and Editing Without the Headache.”**

In this fast-paced bonus episode, I share exactly how I’m using artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful tool to take my self-published books to the next level. I explain why no author is great at proofreading their own work and how AI steps in as a smart, tireless assistant that catches grammar issues, awkward phrasing, repetitive words, and flow problems that our eyes often miss.

I walk you through my personal step-by-step process: feeding chapters into AI with clear instructions, reviewing every suggestion carefully to protect my unique voice, and combining it with read-aloud features for even better results. Whether you’re just starting your first book or polishing your latest manuscript, you’ll discover how AI helps you edit faster and deeper without replacing your creativity or breaking the bank.

This episode is packed with practical tips you can use right away, plus encouragement that progress beats perfection every time. AI isn’t here to write your book for you — it’s here to help you make your book stronger, cleaner, and more professional so you can confidently hit publish.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the editing stage, this bonus episode will give you new confidence and real strategies to move forward.

I hope this helps you go from posts… to profit!

Tune in to Bonus Episode 03 of **KB’s Self Pub Empire** now and start using AI as your editing accelerator today.

This premiere episode of Season 2 encourages aspiring self-publishers to take action in 2026, highlighting the newly updated KDP Starter Guide and its five-step blueprint for launching a book on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. The host reflects on an eighteen-month hiatus, discusses advances in AI, Virtual Voice, and Discord communities, and teases future episodes with deeper tactical advice. Personal business milestones and a renewed focus on time management are also mentioned, setting an optimistic tone for achieving publishing success together.