Another Move From Draft2Digital | Self-Publishing News (Nov. 25, 2025)

A Quick Breakdown of This Week’s Industry News

Full disclosure: Some links in this post are part of affiliate programs where I earn a commission of each purchase, but your price stays the same. Thanks for your understanding and support.

We have a packed week in self-publishing news. ClaimsHero is causing chaos in the Anthropic settlement, Draft2Digital pushed out more updates, Spotify expanded their audiobook reach, and ALLi gave authors a rare look inside how award judges think. We also have new tools, new opportunities, and a few rapid changes you need to know about before heading into the holiday rush.

All that and more in the Self-Publishing News for November 25, 2025.

YouTube for Authors on Sale for a Limited Time

Black Friday deals are everywhere, and I decided to join the party with a sale I rarely run. My print book YouTube for Authors just dropped to its lowest price of the year. The paperback normally sits at $19.99, and it is now $14.99 which saves you 25%. The hardcover normally lists at $29.99, and it is now $19.99 which cuts the price by 34%.

This sale is available in the US and UK only, and you can only get these prices through my links. No other retailer has this discount.

This book distills nearly a decade of YouTube experience into a clear blueprint for authors. The strategies inside helped me build multiple monetized channels, and I am using the same playbook to launch my new reader focused scifi horror channel in 2026. If you want real traction on YouTube without spending a fortune or burning out, this guide will get you there.

The Black Friday sale ends right after Cyber Monday on December 2, so grab your copy while the price is still low.

• Paperback - DaleLinks.com/YouTubeForAuthors

• Hardcover - DaleLinks.com/YouTubeHardcover

ClaimsHero Targets Anthropic Settlement Participants

Credit: The Authors Guild

Our first story comes from the Authors Guild, and every author caught in the Anthropic settlement needs to pay attention. A third party law firm called ClaimsHero has been running an aggressive campaign to convince authors to opt out of the Bartz v. Anthropic copyright settlement. The settlement offers roughly $3,000 per work, split among rights holders. ClaimsHero claims they can fight for up to $150,000 per book if authors opt out and let them pursue a separate lawsuit. That message has misled authors, and the federal judge in charge of the case says the campaign is not only misleading but may also be unlawful.

ClaimsHero pushed ads and website buttons labeled Start Claim that actually trigger an opt out. Class counsel called the approach a bait and switch scheme. On November 13, Judge William Alsup held a hearing and called their conduct a fraud of immense proportions. He said it looked like a quick buck effort designed to trick authors. He ordered them to update their website within 48 hours to clarify they have no litigation experience and to remove any use of the word claims that could mislead authors. He also called CEO Matthew Freund to testify in person on November 25.

Authors can opt out if they want to, but ClaimsHero does not explain the real tradeoff. Opting out removes you from the settlement and kills the $3,000 payout. You would have to hope for a future lawsuit that might never move forward. Even if it did, the chance of a court awarding $150,000 per book is extremely low, and Anthropic would appeal anything that high.

If you want to opt out, use the official Anthropic Settlement Website. The instructions are clear, and the Authors Guild can help members who need guidance. All opt out requests must be submitted by January 7, 2026.

Draft2Digital Library Changes and Smashwords Sale

Credit: Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital made headlines again this week. After last week’s update about their revised content guidelines, we now have another shift in their distribution network. According to D2D’s latest Indie Advantage newsletter, the Digital Public Library of America (handles Palace Marketplace) will no longer accept ebooks from Draft2Digital. This change comes only weeks after the library distributor Baker & Taylor announced they would be shutting down after nearly 200 years in business.

D2D says authors should not worry because neither partnership generated meaningful revenue. They also note they still have a strong lineup of library distribution channels. That said, I am a little bummed to see Palace Marketplace go. Not long ago, this partnership was promoted as a historic milestone and I even interviewed the D2D team and the Palace Marketplace team back in February 2023. I never saw any results from that channel, and I have doubts about its long-term future after this move. If a company like Baker and Taylor couldn’t survive, it puts the pressure on even younger players to adapt fast.

D2D also announced that enrollment is now open for the Smashwords End of Year Sale. This is the ninth annual event, and every super sale since D2D took over distribution has broken previous records. Their most recent July sale saw a 35% surge in sales. If you want to join, the sale runs December 8 through January 1. The enrollment deadline is December 4. Make sure you log in to your D2D account and click Choose a Discount on the My Books dashboard to enroll.

I have seen strong results from these super sales in the past, and highly encourage authors to consider submitting their book in this annual sale.

For details about last week’s updates, read here 👇

KDP Takes a Bold Step Into Translation

Bookvault WooCommerce Integration Upgrade

Credit: Bookvault

Bookvault dropped a solid upgrade this week for authors who run WooCommerce stores. They rolled out a new Health Checker that makes the connection between your WooCommerce setup and Bookvault far more reliable. If something breaks, the tool now scans your store, pinpoints the issue, and walks you through the fix without any technical skill required. It checks your store connection, API authentication, webhooks, and system setup to make sure everything stays in sync.

If you use WooCommerce for direct sales and print fulfillment, this is a quality of life improvement. I am a big fan of Bookvault and rely on them for print fulfillment for my Kickstarter campaign, so I am glad to see upgrades that make the workflow smoother. This one is a win.

Spotify Expands Audiobooks Into Eight New Markets

Credit: Spotify

Spotify rolled out a major expansion this week. Eligible audiobooks are now available in eight new countries. Authors can now reach listeners in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Monaco, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. In the five European countries, Premium subscribers get 12 hours of audiobook listening each month as part of their plan. In the remaining three countries, the same benefit applies to Premium Platinum subscribers. Everyone else in those markets can buy your audiobooks through a la carte purchases. If you’re an account holder, you don’t need to do a thing; your titles are already live in those new markets.

Spotify says this expansion brings more than 300,000 audiobooks to new audiences, with curated local catalogs and added features like personalized recommendations, automatic bookmarking, sleep timers, and audiobook recaps. They also report strong growth in established English language markets with a 36% rise in listeners and a 37% increase in total listening hours year over year. Spotify claims their platform drives double digit growth in audio sales for several leading publishers.

My take? Spotify continues to push hard to become the top audiobook platform worldwide. But competing with Audible is a steep hill to climb. Also, Spotify has a mixed history with authors. After buying Findaway Voices in 2022, they removed the narrator marketplace, attempted a rights grab in their Terms of Service, and pushed account holders into confusion before walking it back. Then they split with Findaway entirely which left the remainder of the company to be rebuilt under Voices by INAudio. Add in Spotify’s long record of underpaying musicians, and it’s no surprise that many authors feel cautious.

The positive side is that Audible needs real competition, and Spotify at least pushes the market in that direction. I am cautiously optimistic and will keep monitoring Spotify for Authors and share what I learn so you know whether it’s a good fit for the long haul.

Inside the Judges’ Minds at ALLi

Credit: ALLi

ALLi published a new post from Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson that breaks down what judging panels pay attention to when books enter award competitions. She explains that every panel works differently, which means there is no single formula for winning. Some awards focus on literary craft, others prioritize reader engagement or genre execution, and regional awards often look for local relevance. That variety actually creates more opportunities for indie authors.

Hannah highlights a few fundamentals that show up across most awards. Professional presentation helps your book stand out before the judge reads a single page. Strong writing craft matters, but the definition of quality shifts based on genre and award type. Judges also pay attention to whether your book delivers on its promise, from story structure to pacing to the experience your category calls for.

She also touches on originality, voice, and how certain awards value diverse themes or strong research for nonfiction. The key is matching your book with awards that align with its strengths instead of trying to appeal to every panel.

For the the full breakdown, I recommend reading the complete article on ALLi’s website. You’ll get a clearer picture of how award panels think and how to approach submissions with more confidence.

Rapid-Fire News Flash

• Spoken Webinar: The digital audio production platform Spoken is hosting a webinar on December 3 at 7 p.m. Eastern to show authors how to create high quality digitally narrated audiobooks for their backlist using their Pay When Perfect model.

• The Book Business Collective: Long-time fiction and nonfiction author and 25-year publishing veteran Kerrie Flanagan opened enrollment for The Book Business Collective, her marketing membership built around a 14-week course, monthly coaching, and community.

• IngramSpark Share and Sell Spotlight: IngramSpark is now showcasing authors who share their Share and Sell success stories, creating a valuable visibility opportunity across their platform. I am participating because of the giveaway we covered last week, and that is why YouTube for Authors is part of my limited Black Friday pricing. Not familiar with Share & Sell? Check out my previous post here.

• Black Friday Announcement Coming: I will reveal every Black Friday deal for indie authors on Friday, November 28, across both the podcast and the main YouTube channels, so stay tuned for the full list of deals and discounts.

Final Thoughts

To lock in up to 34% in savings, grab your copy of YouTube for Authors today at DaleLinks.com/YouTubeForAuthors or DaleLinks.com/YouTubeHardcover. This sale is only available through my links in the US and UK. Prices reset after Cyber Monday on December 2.

That’s it for the news. Did I miss anything over the past week? Or, do you have any hot tips or intel? Drop me a comment here or line in my Discord community when you visit DaleLinks.com/Discord. Till later, this has been Self-Publishing with Dale, and I’ll catch you next week.