Updated news from Mark Coker:
Quote:
Some of you asked and we listened.
As of a few weeks ago, the phrases:
Smashwords Edition
or
Published by {Author or Publisher Name} at Smashwords
or
Distributed by Smashwords
... are completely optional at Smashwords. They're no longer necessary to prevent the AutoVetter "Copyright Error" at Smashwords.
Yesterday we updated the Smashwords Style Guide and other on-site resources to clarify that the phrases above are recommended but NOT REQUIRED for Smashwords Premium Catalog distribution.
Why did we make the change?
We realize that for a small subset of the indie community, such phrases were objectionable. Some authors didn't want any distributor's name in their book. Some didn't want their book to appear as "self published." Some wanted to upload the same files to Smashwords that they uploaded to other platforms, and didn't want to go to the extra work, time and expense of creating custom Smashwords files. If these reasons are valid reasons for any author or publisher we aim to serve, they're valid to us.
Internally at Smashwords, we've always considered these phrases as strongly recommended but not required. However, our AutoVetter system which checks for formatting errors has always flagged for the absence of one of the phrases above. For authors who contacted us and for whatever reason objected to including such a phrase, we distributed them. But we realize we were inconveniencing these authors by requiring them to ask for a pass. We were causing unnecessary friction for them, and this friction was delaying the distribution of their book. I founded Smashwords to enable authors, not to gatekeep authors. So we modified our processes.
A few weeks ago, we disabled AutoVetter's system that checked for the phrases above. This allows more books to pass through our Premium Catalog approval process faster and with less friction.
We still recommend authors include at least one of these phrases because we've always believed it's in the author's best interest to do so (more at Smashwords Site Updates on why - https://www.smashwords.com/about/beta). But in the end, we consider you the publisher, and we want to give you the freedom and control to decide what you want. Therefore, to clarify, the inclusion of one of the phrases above is recommended but not required. Your choice.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for distributing with Smashwords!
mark
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