Smashwords?

[cormaca]

I’ve seen lots of people recommending smashwords, so I had a look as I’m interested in any drm-free vendors. I might not be browsing it correctly though, because I couldn’t find anything I’ve actually heard of. The history section for instance was a bunch of repeating titles, including one supposedly detailing all of Trump’s successes while in office, by some randomer.

If you use smashwords, do you have any tips?

Thanks!

[Sirtel]

There are no books from big publishers there. Self-pubs and small independent publishers. If you want books from Penguin, Hachette, HarperCollins et al, look elsewhere.

[Darqref]

I've seen several authors who have regained the rights to their previously published books that have used Smashwords as their way of self-publishing. Smashwords can re-distribute to other markets, so the most successful will often be seen at Amazon, etc.

My standard bookmark would take me directly to the Science Fiction section with limits set to 50k words or more. Then what displays would be the list of the most recently published in that genre. There are other quick keys that sort to most popular, etc.

Smashwords offers the ability for authors to offer coupons, that as far as I can tell, don't trigger price matching on the major markets. They also have two large sales, one during July, and one during December, with lots of books marked down by 20, 40, 50, 75, or even 100 percent.

Searching by author's name will give results across genre (if available). Also note that sometimes an author is also a publisher for other authors. Like most venues, familiarity can lead to more efficiency in searching, but like Sirtel said, mainstream publishers won't be there (which I think is their loss).

[maddz]

Best thing to do is to search on author name, and bookmark any results. As I've purchased, I have an account and have favourited my authors. I do find their interface not easy to use, and I tend not to bother except for sales.

[Quoth]

Smashwords distribute to Libraries, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and some others. Last time I looked they didn't distribute to Amazon or Google Playstore Books, but the same epub file upload works with both of those.

[meeera]

I don't use it for discovery (I have a longer than long TBR already), I use it to buy books released by authors I already read and like.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by meeera

I don't use it for discovery (I have a longer than long TBR already), I use it to buy books released by authors I already read and like.

Me too.

I don't use Amazon or Kobo for 'discovery' either. My family, authors I like, sometimes recommendations here.
Amazon search is absolutely broken. Kobo's works.

[My TBR has sort of reached 6000, but most of those are PD from Gutenberg.]

[Apache]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Me too.

I don't use Amazon or Kobo for 'discovery' either. My family, authors I like, sometimes recommendations here.
Amazon search is absolutely broken. Kobo's works.

[My TBR has sort of reached 6000, but most of those are PD from Gutenberg.]

The I do the same. In my experience, Audible has a search engine that is worse than Amazon's eBook search.
Apache

[cromag]

It does mostly carry Indie writers, and the quality can vary drastically. But, they also carry works by smaller publishers, and some authors use Smashwords to distribute their backlist titles.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Smashwords distribute to Libraries, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and some others. Last time I looked they didn't distribute to Amazon or Google Playstore Books, but the same epub file upload works with both of those.

This surprised me. Searching for "smashwords" on Amazon turns up some books: 75 pages, and some have smashwords as the publisher.

I've thought they've been distributing to Amazon for quite a while. I remember an author that was on both, but maybe they put their books on Amazon himself.

[Quoth]

Draft2Digital either merged or took over Smashwords and they distribute to Amazon (inc paper based on POD).

It's trivial to publish the same epub on Smashwords (thus having Apple, Kobo Nook/Barnes&Noble etc), Amazon and Google. Loads of people for over a decade.

Edit:
https://www.smashwords.com/about/sup...q#Distributing
No mention yet of Amazon, though they said it's coming. But really it doesn't matter. Redistribution to Apple, Kobo and Barnes&Noble (Nook) is big hassle saver, especially Apple.

Draft2Digital Migration
https://www.smashwords.com/publishing

At Draft2Digital, you'll gain access to our free, industry-leading tools and relationships which will enable you to:
Publish ebooks, print books, and audiobooks
Grow and manage your publishing business
Distribute your books to our large and growing distribution network, including major retailers such as Smashwords, Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo; and leading library platforms including OverDrive, Hoopla, and the Palace Project

[John F]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Draft2Digital either merged or took over Smashwords and they distribute to Amazon (inc paper based on POD).

It's trivial to publish the same epub on Smashwords (thus having Apple, Kobo Nook/Barnes&Noble etc), Amazon and Google. Loads of people for over a decade.

Smashwords began public operations in 2008. They were acquired by Draft2Digital in 2022.

Edit:
https://www.smashwords.com/about/sup...q#Distributing
No mention yet of Amazon, though they said it's coming. But really it doesn't matter. Redistribution to Apple, Kobo and Barnes&Noble (Nook) is big hassle saver, especially Apple.

Draft2Digital Migration
https://www.smashwords.com/publishing

I would guess for a lot of authors on Smashwords, it does matter: one less thing for them to do.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by John F

Smashwords began public operations in 2008. They were acquired by Draft2Digital in 2022.

I would guess for a lot of authors on Smashwords, it does matter: one less thing for them to do.

It really doesn't. It's an extra 10 minutes (most of that simply filling in metadata, which is nothing on the time involved publishing*. Apple distribution (already) is much more hassle saving (and used to need Apple Mac) .


* Post Writing activity.
Assuming Proofed and Edited:
Cover
Blurb
Metadata
convert MSS files to ebook and edit, esp image CSS
Check TOC
Check all Links
Check all images
Test on a range of ereader and ereader apps.

On each of Smashwords, Google and Amazon
Enter the metadata
Upload Cover
Upload epub
Set pricing for each marketplace. You might want to still do this direct on Amazon even if Smashwords/D2D did distribute
Download the ebook incase they mangled it**

Upload book details to Nielson (ISBN database)
Upload book details and cover to Goodreads and other places.

Then Marketing!

** A problem with Amazon as they convert to customers based on Customer (mobi, azw3, kfx etc) from your epub, so if any fresh format/style you not only need to test calibre converted mobi and azw on real Kindles, but also buy downloads from Amazon on maybe 3 kinds of Kindle. The Amazon Author/Publisher download is simply the epub you uploaded unless you are mad enough to have uploaded doc or docx. They used to give you a sort of dual mobi/azw3 file, but now want you to send the epub to 'Send to Kindle' which isn't exactly the same process as conversion for sales, or at least wasn't in the past!

[cormaca]

Thanks everyone! Does it cater better to certain genres?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by cormaca

Thanks everyone! Does it cater better to certain genres?

Originally Smashwords was created by Mark Coker to publish erotic novels that Amazon wouldn't allow, though they have their own red lines.

Now it pretty much does every genre and as D2D was more paper POD publishing orientated an ebook only company was attractive for them to buy, though Smashwords were already adding audio books via a deal with a long established company that supplied Libraries with audio books before Amazon bought Audible, 'Findaway Voices'. However unfortunately Spotify bought 'Findaway Voices' in 2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotif...lusivity_deals Search text for Findaway
and
https://blog.findawayvoices.com/spot...ader-findaway/