Smashwords tech difficulties grrrrrr

[kebuzf]

Today is the 6th day that my submitted manuscript says "pending approval" on Smashwords

Now....

First up- I re-formatted the msp once already and checked everything I could and sent it back in

Second-- I'm getting just a little upset because I don't understand how Kindle can accept the book and make it available to not only all Kindles (there are currently 4 kinds if memory serves) but also to many devices that have a Kindle APP.

Which means, to me with my basic techno-babble knowledge of e-readers and computers....that any other e-reader that can accept a Kindle APP...regardless of what few idiocincracies it may have that make it different from other e-readers..can accept my book.

Now, why can't Smashwords take my manuscript, (which was accepted within 24 to 48 hours on Kindle and gone 'live' so it can make me money)...and get it up there doing the same thing?

I thought there was a general "common" layout of gigabytes and jiggawatts to all e-readers to accept the basic text manuscript from most known forms of WORD software?

I currently have WORD 2000 and when I need to format it to submit I have to go to the library that has WORD 2007… Yes, I could download WORD 2007 to my own computer but I can’t afford the 145 bucks quite yet But aside from a more confusing layout of the main page (a common complaint OF WORD 2007…WORD 2000 should be just as widely accepted as a submission format as any current WORD right? It’s just ten years)

Unless, of course, the staff at Smashwords is up their eyeballs in work and the book’s just waiting in line to get read?

If anyone knows the explenation I feel it would be good to put it out here not only for me but any newbies who are having the same problem. It's just so frustrating because I already did what marketing OF the book I know to do and my blog has been starting to get alot of hits from around the world as well as curious people looking at the free sample on the Smashwords page (which brings to mind....if Smashwords can make a sample OF that msp available –I currently have 30 percent of the book available AS a free sample-then how come the entire thing can’t be plugged in and accepted so I can start making some cashflow??)

If one of you could do me a favor and go to Smashwords and download the free sample I’d appreciate it. At 30 percent you should be able to read the entire first story and a portion of the second story as well. Let me know how it looks. Thanks

Or if someone knows the story on why the Pending Approval process is taking so long I’d appreciate an answer to that as well

It’s just that I feel so many of our “toys” that we use every day have a basic commonality to them. Cars, while designed differently, have the basic steering wheel and instrument panels in the same places as do televisions *(despite a variety of width of the screens, the remotes that control the device are basically similar……)

The only major difference here is that cars are made a bit different overseas. And yet, the basics are still similar. Why can’t e-reading devices all follow a basic “guts” layout?

Thanks in advance to those of you who will take time to try the free sample on Smashwords as well as take time to answer this confusion. I appreciate it.

[matthewcplourde]

Actually, all of the eReaders have slightly different formats/requirements even if they use the same format!

So, an ePub for iBooks may not necessarily pass eventho it passed for Sony.

For me, it took about 6-8 days of "pending approval"... I just waited, and it eventually flipped from "Pending" to "Approved". I think it's good that it still says "Pending" and not "Revision Needed" or something like that.

Hang in there!

[kebuzf]

Thats true Matthew
I will give it another day or two
Maybe Smashwords mgmnt is like everyone else...making a skeleton staff handle the workload that needs double the employees to do the job

Or maybe there are way too many people trying to be 'writers' and half of them needn't bother

Either way I just downloaded Word 2010 and I'll format everything again- triple checking it all so if i do have to resubmit it should go smoother the next time

[jinlo]

My understanding is that the "pending approval" statement applies to their premium catalog. Your book should be available for sale through Smashwords almost immediately after you publish it. Smashwords, however, also distributes through major online retailers such as Sony, Kobo and Apple. In order to meet the requirements of these retailers, the formatting must meet certain standards. That's why it takes one to two weeks. Even after it is approved, it still may take several more days before it's available on these sites.

Here's information on the Smashwords site about the premium catalog:

http://www.smashwords.com/distribution

By the way, unless I'm missing something, I don't see the title of your book anywhere in your post.

[neilmarr]

I do know that Smashwords boss Mark Coker -- a very hands-on chap, who probably handles much of even the nuts-and-bolts work -- is currently out of the country on an international speaking tour to promote indie authors and the self-publishing principle. Good luck. Neil

[kebuzf]

Neil and Jinlo I am always the first one to admit if i misspoke


@ Neil "Maybe Smashwords mgmnt is like everyone else...making a skeleton staff handle the workload that needs double the employees to do the job"
Maybe Mark does run a good ship over there.
Maybe I am so used to the 'speed' of which all else in the world handles things that waiting a few weeks for my book to settle in seems like longer than that

Sorry

Jinlo you are correct
I neglected to mention it
EMPATH: Horror Stories
It's a collection of 9 shorts that were originally published in DemonMinds webpage and are all now collected in one e-book. The main character is a cop by the name of Nick Crowell who, after getting shot in a cemetery, encounters a variety of people with paranormal problems. He does this in addition to his day job as a cop.

It's 99 cents and about 135 pages ( 9 short stories)

I am working on a novella that should end up being about 90 pages and sell for 1.99 with the same main character but alot of brand new characters as well. That's due out late November with 4 more novellas scheduled for 2011

Stay tuned.... here is the link so you can read the free sample

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041VXFI8

[jinlo]

I was able to bring up your book at smashwords. You can use the url of http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25008 in directing people to your book there.

It's available for purchase for $.99 and I successfully downloaded the epub sample.

Keep checking your dashboard at smashwords for the premium status. If you get declined, there should be a message as to why. Follow the instructions and you will eventually get approved and your book will be available on Sony, Kobo, Apple, etc.

[kebuzf]

Thanks Jinlo

I am good. I just need to be more patient.