Is Amazon KDP Worth It? My Midlife Reality Check
I fought for months to get my Amazon KDP account reinstated. And when I finally won... I felt dread. This episode is about the moment I realized the thing I'd fought so hard for was actually keeping me stuck—and the midlife reality check that changed everything.
What You'll Learn:
The real investment required for KDP success (beyond the courses)
What account termination looks like and why it happens to thousands of authors
The uncomfortable truth about KDP in 2026: pay-to-play battlefield, AI content, shrinking margins
Why Amazon ads are a forever cost, not a launch cost
How the sunk cost fallacy keeps midlife women trapped
The framework for knowing when to walk away from something you've heavily invested in
Practical truth: who KDP actually works for in 2026
"The first thing I felt wasn't relief. It wasn't celebration. It wasn't victory. It was dread."
"True freedom isn't winning every fight. Sometimes, it's choosing a different game."
"You have to be willing to let go of the dreams you've outgrown—and sometimes, the money you've already spent chasing those dreams."
"Your past investments aren't a trap. They're the foundation for your next move—but only if you're willing to build something different on top of them."
"Freedom is having the courage to change your mind. To admit when something isn't working. To let go of the sunk costs and invest in a future that actually feels good."
Resources Mentioned:
Draft2Digital (going wide)
Kobo Writing Life
Apple Books
The Radiant Reset on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BerylDingemans
Connect With Beryl
SUBSCRIBE to my SUBSTACK for more honest conversations about midlife reinvention, self-publishing, creative business, and reclaiming your life on your own terms: https://beryldingemans.substack.com/
Instagram: @theradiantreset → https://www.instagram.com/theradiantreset/
Website: https://beryldingemans.com/
Next Episode: Midlife Freedom: How to Let Go of Family Expectations (Without Guilt)
Support The Show:
If this episode resonated with you, please:
Subscribe to The Radiant Reset
Leave a review (it helps other midlife women find us)
Share with someone who needs to hear this
Join the conversation in the comments
Amazon KDP, self-publishing, midlife reinvention, KDP termination, passive income myth, online business, women in midlife, sunk cost fallacy, going wide, publishing platforms, KDP alternatives, midlife reality check
