Whether you’re a new or established author looking for the best way to distribute your next story with a Christian self-publishing company, you have probably considered selling your book on Amazon. The House Judiciary Committee estimates that Amazon controls over 80% of the e-book reading market and 50% of the overall book market. Amazon is by far the most popular book distribution platform available in the current market. However, stories of Amazon censoring Christian authors for sharing viewpoints that disagree with today’s cultural norms have increased in recent years. Are the rumors true? Does Amazon censor Christian books? We dive into this topic further below.

Does Amazon “Cancel” Christian Authors?

Over the last few years, we’ve heard many stories of Amazon suddenly “canceling” an author because of their Christian beliefs. One of the most noted examples of this was Amazon’s decision to delist the book When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment by Ryan T. Anderson in 2021. The book-publishing giant made the decision after backlash from progressive groups for Anderson’s view on treatment options for patients experiencing gender dysphoria and the transgender movement. Amazon stated the book was removed because they don’t sell content that frames LGBTQ+ identities as a mental illness. However, Anderson pointed out in a series of social media posts that gender dysphoria is widely recognized as a serious mental condition, including in APA’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which Amazon does allow for sale on its site. These apparent contradictions led many authors, Christian self-publishing companies, and traditional publishers to believe that Amazon may delist books simply because they disagree with its content.

In response, several conservative senators questioned the decision to delist the book in a letter addressed to Amazon executives. Amazon’s Vice President of Public Policy, Brian Huseman, responded that the company “reserves the right not to sell certain content.” Huseman also stated Amazon allows a wide range of content that contains many different perspectives, political ideologies, and religious materials. Huseman also explained that Anderson was notified beforehand that the content would be removed and was given instructions to appeal the decision.

The question now becomes, is it safe for Christians to place their books on the Amazon platform? Other Christian authors have wrestled with whether they should “play in the Amazon sandbox” if the company appears hostile to Christian or non-secular viewpoints.

Amazon Content Guidelines

The reasoning given for Anderson’s book being removed was that it violated Amazon’s Content Guidelines. However, when pressed, Amazon failed to provide a specific guideline the book violated. When you list a book for sale on Amazon, you agree to adhere to these guidelines. Amazon reserves the right to remove content that:

• Promotes illegal behavior like terrorism
• Infringes on copyright
• Misleads customers
• Offers a poor quality experience to consumers
• Contains pornography
• Contains hate speech

View these guidelines in their entirety here.

The guidelines also state that the company can remove any other material it deems inappropriate or offensive. When a book is removed the author is notified, and an investigation is conducted. Authors also have the opportunity to appeal the decision.

Should Christians Publish Their Books on Amazon?

As Anderson stated in an opinion column in USA Today:

“Amazon’s deplatforming will harm the entire culture of book authoring, publishing and reading — as it will have a chilling effect on all aspects of the book market.” — Ryan T. Anderson.

Anderson shared concerns that authors will be afraid to share their stories due to the risk of the book being removed or that traditional publishers may decline books that may be seen as controversial if they offer a different opinion on some of the culture’s most pressing topics. As a Christian self-publishing company, our team at EABooks Publishing believes every author’s God-given story is important to be told. We don’t control Amazon or make their rules, so there’s always a risk when placing your books (or any written content) on a platform you don’t own. However, we must play nicely in their sandbox to reach their audience. This means there is a risk of the book being removed for its content. While listing your book on Amazon is a calculated risk, we believe it’s a worthy risk for the sake of the gospel.

Are There Alternatives to Amazon?

While there are other ways to sell and market your self-published book, Amazon is the most popular way for customers to discover and purchase books right now. Many Christians are working on non-cancelable alternatives to Amazon. As your partner in self-publishing, we will discuss the options with you when these alternatives become viable. We’ll also need your support when they launch. Until then, we believe in casting a wide net that allows multiple distribution options so you don’t place all your eggs in the Amazon basket. Amazon reaches the vast majority of the reader’s market, and it’s important for Christian authors and Christian self-publishing companies to show up there.

Final Thoughts

Being in the world but not of the world is one perspective. As Christians, we are called to be where the world is, and with more than 80% of books sold on Amazon, this is indeed where the world shops. If Christians abandon this world, there will be no light in the darkness and no salt in the salad.

Self-Publish Your Unique Story with EABooks Publishing

We’re a Christian self-publishing company that partners with you to help you tell your God-given story while retaining the benefits of self-publishing your book, such as having complete control over how your book is published and distributed while keeping 100% of your profits. Learn more about the benefits of self-publishing your book with EABooks Publishing. Want to see if we’d be good partners to help you tell your story? Contact us for a free 15-minute consultation to discover how we can help you publish your next story.