If your ebook isnt in a pre formatted ebook file already, smashwords will convert your word document for you. You can always change your distribution options later if you decide to publish to those channels on your own. Make smashwords your greatest sales tool, your finest book distributor, a friend who works 247 to get your book into as many hands as possible. Originally, smashwords was the major player before draft2digital entered the market to provide some competition. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Your information about shipping delays with smashwords is somewhat correct. Smashwords suggests that you enter no more than 10 tags. This digital publishing software let you create online bookstore, quick and easy. Since ebook distributor pronoun announced it was closing, many writers in the indie publishing community have been scrambling to find other distributors for their work. Smashwords offers a fairly standard editing and epublishing service, but an extensive online network for sales, plus free isbns.
You have the option to make your book permanently free on smashwords. According to the 2015 smashwords survey, free ebooks get 41 times more downloads on average than other ebooks. Thanks kathy and i use sw also, great idea bout using their goodtogotopremium file to convert to mobi. Lenore skomal told us about her ebook formatting calamity. It provides the basic foundational knowledge every writer needs to get started on their self publishing journey. As part of a new deal, overdrive will distribute more than 200,000 smashwords titles from around 80,000. From my own experience, when i unpublish a title on smashwords in readiness to enroll in kdp select, i have had no problem at all with smashwords three leading retailers. Founded by mark coker, and officially launched in 2008, it represents the single most wellknown option for authorpublishers outside of. You can easily publish your ebook with amazon, smashwords, ingramspark, lulu, or another service. It was founded by the author mark coker and launched in 2008. Also dont miss my annual publishing predictions companion post, 2020 publishing predictions.
Sws ability for the author to download the file in various formats, give copies at any price via coupon, etc, are big biggies. This is a great tutorial for indie authors, who love to learn how to make their works available to millions of. How to check your ebook formatting before pushing the. The simplest way to get your ebook distributed as widely as possible and looking pretty good is to. Now, publishdrive is taking on the established names. Kindle direct publishing and smashwords direct are two parts of a threepronged approach to indie publishing. The company also provides an online publishing platform for authors and publishers. This introductory primer on ebook publishing will give you the foundational knowledge you need to get started. You can now try selfpublish with smashwords for less than dinner out with the family. What are some good independent ebook publishers besides. Smashwords is one of the worlds largest distributors of independent and selfpublished ebooks with over 200,000 titles in its retail catalogue worldwide. Mar 25, 2016 according to the 2015 smashwords survey, free ebooks get 41 times more downloads on average than other ebooks. I had someone return my book after three day, same thing happened a couple of months before.
The other week, i invited smashwords authors and publishers to help their fellow authors by writing a how to publish an ebook on smashwords blog post. You can do this on smashwords or draft2digital well in advance. If you plan to publish only on smashwords standard catalogue, you will not need an isbn. With smashwords, your book must be created or saved in word 972003 format in order for it to pass the test of conversion. Ebook publishing using guest author laura nunn well, i took the plunge and published my first ebook as a publisher on. We do both print and ebook versions for all titles. Introduction to ebook publishing an introductory primer. How to publish ebooks an ebook publishing intensive the presentation is divided into the following four sections. Jun 06, 2014 this way i receive payment directly from both sites and dont have to pay a commission on those sales to smashwords. Mark presents a complete ebook publishing checklist. So im putting together a compendium of articles on working with various ebook distributors. Smashwords is the worlds largest distributor of selfpublished ebooks. We now have an ebook design startupbb ebooksdedicated to helping independent authors and small presses get their ebooks formatted, converted, and ready for sale at all the major online retailers e. Whilst it makes its money from taking a cut of your online sales, its rates are lower than many other such sites, so you keep a bigger share of the profits.
From the outside looking in, especially judging by the paucity of my blog posts. Download free ebooks on smashwords smashwords read an ebook week promotions between march 410. An ebook platform is a word for the device that you read your ebooks on. If the ebook is flawed in some way or has serious formatting problems, surely you could go through a complains procedure to receive a refund. I know, i know, youre excited, and you want to get your book out into the world.
You and smashwords become great friends with self publish with smashwords. The story hasnt but there were lots of edits and rewriting that has. In step six, you can choose and upload your book cover image. If you wrote your book in the later versions of microsoft word, then you must read the smashwords style guide by mark coker the founder and president of smashwords.
Converts your ebook into every file type for any possible ereading device. I decided that i needed to offer the book in print so i went to createspace to selfpublish my book in print. It is a strong option for distribution premium catalog if you have completed and formatted files interior and cover. The pricing and sampling section is different than on amazon. Smashwords does convert and display uploads on smashwords in minutes, not days like at amazon. How to publish ebooks on smashwords dale cameron lowry.
Part 2 how to publish your ebooks with smashwords how. Ebook provider overdrive will distribute titles from selfpublishing platform smashwords, reports publishers weekly. I decided that i needed to offer the book in print so i went to createspace to self publish my book in print. If you wrote your book in the later versions of microsoft word, then you must read the smashwords style guide by mark coker the. The differences between amazon and smashwords roger gerald scott june 20, 20 march 4, 2014 guest post since i started text formatting services a few years ago, the question i get asked most is what is the difference between smashwords and amazon and do i really need to publish on both. For example, the kindle ereader is the amazon platform. Jan 01, 20 one of the easiest ways to get your book into multiple ebook retailers is to publish it through smashwords, a free self publishing website. Authors generally do this when they want to make their book permanently free on amazon or other ebook sites. Publishing 101 is your comprehensive guide to getting published, while avoiding the common pitfalls of firsttime authorship. Remember that you will not be able to create your book cover online here.
This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. Publish your ebook with smashwords sallyhanans blog. I created smashwords to give writers the freedom to publish what they want, and give readers the freedom to read what they want. Jun 20, 20 for the twenty books we simultaneously publish with smashwords, kobo since most of our books are about canadian topics and ingram. How to publish your book through smashwords click here to get great self publishing content via email. One of the easiest ways to get your book into multiple ebook retailers is to publish it through smashwords, a free selfpublishing website.
Selfpublishing on kdp select, smashwords and draft2digital. Join over 140,000 authors and small independent presses that publish and distribute with smashwords. How to publish ebooks on smashwords dale cameron lowry, author. Others authors prefer the convenience of doing it all through smashwords and just having one distributor. Selfpublishing with smashwords skokie public library. My childrens chapter book has been on smashwords for a while. Smashwords how to publish an ebook with smashwords.
In the process, i hired an editor and much of the book has changed. We go over important points about formatting your ebook for uploading to smashword. Nov 16, 2009 smashwords continues to negotiate with various online retail outlets to ensure the best possible distribution potential for your book. Writers from all over the world can publish their books with smashwords. The differences between amazon and smashwords roger. Smashwords is the world largest distributor of self published ebooks, having published more than 360,000. You and smashwords become great friends with selfpublish with smashwords. Publishing your ebook through smashwords into another world. Smashwords was created by an author mark coker to make it fast, free and easy for any writer, anywhere in the world, to publish an ebook click here to read the profile on smashwords in forbes magazine. The first series in this compendium focuses on how to publish on smashwords, the worlds largest.
Memoirs, early childhood 19291943 was written by my mother, bette james. If youre reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased. I created smashwords to open doors, not close doors. Dec 16, 2017 how to publish ebooks on smashwords december 16, 2017 december 12, 2017 since ebook distributor pronoun announced it was closing, many writers in the indie publishing community have been scrambling to find other distributors for their work. Design, prepare and publish your ebook on amazon, smashwords. Jan 21, 2014 ebook formatting catastrophes are avoidable one just has to take the extra steps to check the files before pushing the publish button. Reputation smashwords is the worlds largest and most trusted indie ebook distributor. We figure the most possible venues for sales gives us the best possible distribution. Smashwords how to publish an ebook with smashwords ebooks. You can assign your isbn to your ebook in your smashwords dashboard, through the. How to check your ebook formatting before pushing the publish.
Smashwords only takes a percentage of ebooks sold, there is no cost to publish your ebook why smashwords. Learn how fast, free and easy it is to self publish an ebook. If you plan to publish in smashwords premium catalogue and you would like them to distribute your ebook to kobo and apple, you will require an isbn. The third and a very important part is createspace, which is where youd pick up your physical deadtree book audience and set the pr. How to publish your ebook on kindle, ipad, nook and more. How to publish your ebooks with smashwords publish an ebook. Allows you to establish your preorder listing up to 12 months in advance which enables more sales participate in exclusive smashwords promotions such a read an ebook week and the smashwords summerwinter sale free isbns. This tutorial will help you learn how to publish your own books, in digital formats, on the smashwords. We empower you to reach more readers with our professional publishing and distribution tools.
Ideally, youll know which keywords to target based on the initial keyword research you performed before writing your book. If youre new to ebook publishing, you wont want to miss this episode. Publishing your book to smashwords a quick tutorial. Smashwords only takes a 15% fee and you get to keep the rest and you can change the price as often as you want to. Smashwords dont accept refunds, it is about time amazon did the same. If you want to be an independent author and make money, you should try presspad store. Publish assetless preorders metadataonly preorders. Publish success network blogging with humour, ideas and opinions. How to publish an ebook smashwords wealthy affiliate. Smashwords will suit some authors looking at releasing an ebook. Essentially, draft2digital, smashwords, and publishdrive offer very similar services.
Nov 19, 2012 an ebook platform is a word for the device that you read your ebooks on. You can now try self publish with smashwords for less than dinner out with the family. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. In many ways, smashwords falls between different stools. Youll learn how to evaluate the commercial potential for your work. Dec 05, 2015 kindle direct publishing and smashwords direct are two parts of a threepronged approach to indie publishing. As an ebook publishing and distribution platform, smashwords will distribute your ebooks via multiple online channels, including but not limited to the smashwords. Smashwords continues to negotiate with various online retail outlets to ensure the best possible distribution potential for your book. For others, and for some of the reasons touched on above, they may be put off. Daily sales reports consolidated sales reporting and tax accounting.