Bestseller Willow Winters Passes 100,000 Audiobook Downloads on Curios

Curios is celebrating a milestone for one of its bestselling authors, Willow Winters. In less than 90 days, Winters became the first creator on Curios to hit 100,000 audiobook downloads, all while keeping 100% of her earnings and getting direct access to the fans who download her content. She is also the first to reach the highest tier of the Curios $1 Million Creator Fund, a program that rewards creators for growing their careers.

After being unexpectedly deplatformed by YouTube, Winters brought a significant portion of her audiobook catalog to Curios. Using the platform's tools and built-in marketplace, she quickly re-engaged her audience.

"Willow's success shows what's possible when creators are in control," said Grant Powell, CEO of Curios. "We're thrilled to be able to provide her and other creators a new home for their fans, where they can achieve their goals without the barriers of traditional publishing or closed-garden platforms."

"I'm so thankful that Curios enabled us to immediately reconnect with my fans after being de-platformed from YouTube," Winters said. "I also loved that Curios helped every step of the way, including uploading all of the audiobooks so the transition was seamless."

A platform built around the creator

Curios is a sales and digital distribution platform that prioritizes creators and their audiences. With direct-to-fan sales where the creator keeps 100% of the net proceeds, and GDPR-compliant access to audience contact information, Curios lets authors, musicians, comedians, and other creatives connect with fans in an open, transparent way.

In August 2024, the platform expanded into ebooks and audiobooks, adding to its existing verticals of music and independent film. Winters' success marks a new chapter for that expansion.

Curios has a history of records like this. In 2021, artist Tory Lanez sold one million copies of his album directly to fans using Curios technology, becoming the first musician to go platinum from direct fan sales since 2015.

The Creator Fund

Unlike traditional platforms, Curios rewards creators through its Creator Fund, redistributing funds to artists and authors who reach significant milestones. Winters' 100,000 downloads secured her the first full grant payout.