What is Smashwords?
Smashwords is an ebook distributor. We make it fast, free and easy for
authors and publishers to distribute ebooks to the world's largest ebook
retailers. Authors and publishers retain full control over how their
works are published, sampled, priced and sold. If an author wants to give it
away for free, they have that freedom.
When was Smashwords
Founded?
2008. Its founder
first started working on our business plan in 2005, we incorporated in 2007,
and we officially launched the business in May 2008. In our first year,
we published 140 books from 90 authors. Our catalog reached 6,000 books
in 2009, 28,800 in 2010, 92,000 in 2011, 191,000 in 2012 and as of this writing
(November 2013) stands at over 250,000 titles. Thanks to the enthusiastic
support of our authors and publishers, we've grown to become the world's
leading ebook publishing platform for indie authors and independent presses.
Why did you create
Smashwords?
Smashwords was
inspired by my own unsuccessful multi-year attempt to get my novel published.
In 2002, my wife, Lesleyann, and I completed a novel called Boob Tube, a roman
a clef set within the daytime television soap opera industry (Lesleyann is a
former reporter for Soap Opera Weekly Magazine). We were fortunate to have
multiple top tier literary agents compete for our representation, and in the
end we selected one of the most respected firms in New York City. Our agent
contacted all the top publishers of commercial womens fiction, and each
rejected us. We took their feedback to heart (the book was too long, too
complex, characters needed better development) and completed a major revision.
We then shared the manuscript with multiple test readers. Soap fans and those
who enjoy celebrity gossip loved it, and even non-soap fans enjoyed it.
Confident we had a winner on our hands, our agent again pitched the book to
publishers. All of them rejected it again. Some publishers told our agent they
didn’t believe soap opera fans read books! I found it frustrating that the
whims of a publisher could stand between our book and those who would want to
read it. I ultimately came to the conclusion that the publishing industry is
ill-equiped to serve all authors. They're unable to take a risk on every
author. They acquire books based on perceived commercial potential, but
ultimately they don't know which books will sell well. I created
Smashwords so I could take a risk on every author, and so we could let readers
decide which books are worth reading. We've helped launch many
best-sellers!
How is Smashwords
performing as a business?
The business has been
profitable since September, 2010. We think profitability is important
because it means we'll be here tomorrow to serve our authors, publishers and
retailers. Unlike publishing services that earn their money by selling services
and books to authors, Smashwords earns all its income
selling your ebooks to readers. In other words, we
only earn income if our authors sell books. We think this aligns our
business practices with the best interests of the authors, publishers and
retailers we serve. In June, 2012, Forbes magazine did
a feature profile on Smashwords. It was the first time we shared revenue
numbers.
Who publishes on
Smashwords?
Over 70,000 serious
writers and small independent publishers publish and distribute with
Smashwords. Many Smashwords authors have been previously published in print
through mainstream publishers, or have had their works published in
well-respected literary journals. Starting March, 2009, Smashwords introduced new publishing
options for publishers who want to publish and centrally manage
two or more authors.
What does Smashwords
offer readers?
Smashwords is a
virtual playground for those who love the written word. Readers can sample most
works for free (and in many cases, read up to half of the book before they
commit to a purchase decision); read in multiple DRM-free formats; create
digital libraries of purchased and sampled works; publish reviews (including
YouTube video book reviews); and “favorite” their favorite authors, publishers
and works.
What is an ebook, and
how do I read these books?
Ebooks are digital books.
They're similar to print books, but you read them on screens. The ebooks on
Smashwords can be read online using our online readers, or they can be
downloaded to other reading devices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, Amazon
Kindle, Sony Reader or Barnes & Noble Nook, or to other ereading devices.
Smashwords offers generous sampling options so readers can try before they buy.
Why would authors and publishers give part of their book away as a free
sample?
When an author uploads
their book to Smashwords, they can determine the sample size of their
book. Our sampling controls how many words, from page one, the reader is
allowed to sample for free. Free sampling allows the reader to test drive
your writing before they make a decision to purchase.
How does Smashwords
compensate authors and publishers?
A primary mission at
Smashwords is to help make publishing more rewarding for the world's indie
authors and publishers, and more affordable to the world's readers.
Authors and publishers earn 85% or more of the net proceeds from the sale of
their works. Net proceeds to author = (sales price minus PayPal payment
processing fees)*.85 for sales at Smashwords.com, our retail operation. Authors
receive 70.5% for affiliate sales. Smashwords distributes books to most of the
major retailers, including Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo and the
Diesel eBook Store. Sales originated by retailers earn authors/publishers
60% of the list price. To put these high royalty rates in perspective, it
means if an author has a book they might otherwise publish via a traditional
commercial publisher as a $8.00 mass market paperback, which would earn a 40
cent royalty, they could publish the same book at Smashwords as an ebook and
earn up to $6.45, or 16 times more. Or, they could price their ebook on
Smashwords for $3.99 and make nearly 8 times the per unit amount compared to
selling a traditionally published print book. To learn more about how we
compensate authors and publishers, see our Royalty FAQ or
read the Smashwords Terms
of Service.
What marketing tools
does Smashwords offer authors and publishers?
Smashwords offers
multiple free marketing tools to help authors and publishers connect with
readers. We offer distribution to major online ebook retailers such as Barnes
& Noble, Sony, Apple iPad iBookstore, Kobo and the Diesel eBook Store, and
to all major smart phone platforms via app providers such as Aldiko, Page
Foundry, Kobo and Word-Player. We also offer free author pages with bios,
headshots and lists of works; the industry’s broadest range of sampling
options; embedded YouTube videos for video book trailers and virtual author
events; reviews from readers; ebook downloads in multiple ebook formats; a
coupon code generator for custom promotions; Smashwords Interviews, our
exciting self-interview tool; preorder
distribution to Apple, Barnes & Noble and Kobo; Series Manager
which makes series books more discoverable; and more tools in the works.
For a great summary of what Smashwords does to market your book, along with 40
marketing ideas you can implement at no cost, download our free Smashwords Book Marketing Guide.
Will I sell a lot of
books on Smashwords?
Probably not. How's
that for an honest answer? Some Smashwords authors don't sell a single book. Some authors sell
thousands of dollars worth of books each week. Although ebooks are the fastest
growing segment of the book industry, ebooks still only represent about 30% of
the overall book market in the US, and less in other countries. Authors should
publish their books on Smashwords not because they'll make a lot of sales
today, but as a long term investment in their writing career. eBook authors
face the same marketing challenges all authors have always faced. By publishing
digitally on Smashwords, however, authors and publishers can expand their
global readership by leveraging the power of viral marketing to reach more
potential readers with less effort.
Do you have archived
versions of any of your workshops?
Will Smashwords market
my book for me?
Although hundreds of
thousands of readers march through our virtual doors each month, the bulk of
your sales will come as a direct result of your own marketing and promotion
efforts. We provide you free tools to help you do this, but it'll be your hard
work that makes sales happen. For authors who want to maximize their sales
opportunities on Smashwords, we created The Smashwords Book Marketing Guide.
The Guide starts with an overview of how Smashwords helps you sell your book,
and then provides a series of tips for how authors can take their book
marketing to the next level. Also be sure to read our free ebook, The Secrets to Ebook Publishing
Success, where you'll learn the best practices of the most
commercially successful ebook authors. Over at the Smashwords Blog I share additional
information that helps writers learn to become professional publishers (there's
an option to subscribe to the blog via email).
How does Smashwords
change the economics of authorship?
Smashwords turns
traditional authorship, publishing and pricing models upside down. With 85% of
the net purchase price going to the author/publisher, author/publishers can
charge readers significantly less for their works than would otherwise be
possible through traditional print channels, while making greater per-unit
profit on each book. When costs to the reader drop, there is a fundamental
change to the demand side of the equation. This creates a virtuous cycle of
more per-unit profit for the author/publisher, lower prices for consumers, and
greater demand and consumption for written works. It’s a win-win-win for
publishers, authors and readers.
Does Smashwords
require exclusive publishing contracts?
No. We think
exclusivity is a bad idea. All author contracts with Smashwords are
non-exclusive. We are the distributor. You (the author or publisher) are
the publisher, and retain all ownership rights to your works, and are still
free to publish your work elsewhere if you choose. Authors and publishers can
remove their works from Smashwords at any time (although they cannot take back
works that have already been purchased or sampled by readers).
If I publish first
with Smashwords, will my "First Publishing Rights" become less
valuable to a publisher?
Although this was a common concern a few years ago, it's less of a concern
today. Traditional commercial publishers have warmed to independently published
authors, especially if those authors sell a lot of books and thereby prove that
a large commercial market exists for their books. Many Smashwords authors
have sold their books to big NY publishing houses. If you do well as a
self-published author, you will increase the value of your book because you
will have proven the market for it. Most Smashwords authors believe it's
better to get their work out there now for readers to start discovering than to
allow their books to languish in obscurity, unpublished, as they wait for a
publisher to publish it. An increasing number of Smashwords authors don't even
bother pitching their books to NY publishers.
If Smashwords
publishes all authors and publishers, how do you maintain quality?
Our mission is to give
every author and publisher a chance to find their audience. At Smashwords,
every author or publisher who honors our Terms of Service has
a right to publish, and it's up to readers to decide what's worth reading.
Readers are the new curators. Because we publish everyone, it means we publish
brilliant up-and-coming writers who haven't yet been discovered, and we'll also
publish works of lesser quality. The authors who write reader-pleasing books
will bubble up to the top and build audiences.
Where can I learn
about some of the successful authors on Smashwords?
With over 70,000
authors at Smashwords, we represent most of the world's most successful indie
authors. Over at the Smahwords Blog, you can find interviews with many of
them. Also check out my free ebook, The Secrets to Ebook Publishing
Success, where I identify the best practices of the most successful
Smashwords authors. Or, browse Smashwords Interviews,
where you can read interviews of thousands of Smashwords authors.
What does it cost to
publish on Smashwords?
It's free to publish
on Smashwords. There are no hidden fees. No listing fees, no setup fees, no
change fees and no conversion fees. We earn our income by taking a small
commission on all net sales. Our commission is 10% of the retail price for sales
through our retail distribution network (Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo,
etc.) and library distribution network (Baker & Taylor Axis360, 3M Cloud
Library, and others coming) and at our Smashwords store, 15% of the net for
sales or 18.5% for sales that are originated by affiliate marketers.
Can Authors Publish
Partially Written Books to Gather Feedback?
No. Smashwords is a
place for complete, finished books that are ready to be published. Numerous
other writers web sites offer communities where authors can critique each
other's partially written works. Smashwords is a platform for complete,
finished, and original works.
Can I publish public
domain books on Smashwords?
No. You must be the
original author of the work, or the exclusive electronic publisher or distributor
of the work. The only exception to this rule is if you are the author of the
public domain book.
What other types of
books will Smashwords *not* publish?
Smashwords will not
publish works that advocate criminal activity. We do not publish books that
appear elsewhere on the Internet under other people's names, or books that come
from private label subscription services that give people the right to
distribute generic content under their own name (please don't throw your money
away on these scam services!). We're also wary of many Internet
marketing-related books that promise the reader simple "systems" for
making money on the Internet, especially if the books advocate sneaky systems
designed to trick search engines. If your book is nothing but an advertisement,
we will delete the book and your account. Bottom line, for it to appear on
Smashwords is must be legal and original, and you must either be the original
author or the exclusive publisher. For more information, see the Smashwords Terms of Service.
I've been offered a
book deal with a big mainstream print publisher. Should I take it?
This is really a
personal call, and depends on the terms of book deal. For most authors, if a
publisher offers you a six figure advance (and this is rare for any author),
you'd be foolish not to consider it. However, if they're only offering you a
couple thousand dollars, and they don't allow you to retain digital publishing
rights, then, well, we think the correct decision is obvious. And if you do
sell the rights to your book, make sure rights revert back to you if the
publisher takes your book out of print or fails to deliver agreed-upon sales,
marketing and distribution support. Better yet, if you have the ability to do
so, consider retaining digital rights for yourself (so you can continue
publishing on Smashwords) and sell the print rights. A good literary agent can
help you navigate these negotiations.
A literary agent is
offering me representation. What do you think about literary agents?
We love literary
agents. A good literary agent acts as your business manager.
They'll help you maximize the commercial potential of your work. To learn
more about literary agents, check out the Association of
Author's Representatives. Read their cannon of ethics, because it provides a
good filter through which to evaluate a potential agent. Many literary
agents are now big supporters of self-publishing, and an increasing number of
them are helping their authors publish on Smashwords.
I'm a book reviewer
and want to review a Smashwords book. How do I obtain a free review copy?
If you're a reviewer
for a newspaper, magazine or blog, please click the
"Comments/questions" link at the top of any page, and provide a
hyperlink to your most recent review and let us know which author and book you
want to review. We will coordinate it for you.
How does Smashwords
work with traditional book publishers and university presses?
Smashwords welcomes
large and independent presses alike to list DRM-free ebooks of all their titles
with us. Smashwords offers special accounts for publishers that make it easy
for publishers to centrally manage the ebook publishing and distribution for
all their authors from a single console. Click here to
learn if you qualify for a free upgrade to Publisher status.
Why should a publisher work with Smashwords?
Smashwords works with
thousands of small independent presses. Smashwords makes it easy for you
to publish and distribute your catalog. When a publisher sells an ebook through
Smashwords, they receive up to 85% of the net sales price (they receive 70.5%
for affiliate sales). Publishers receive only about 40-50% of the price of a
print book sold through a bookstore or online retailer. That small number from
traditional print book channels can drop to 20% or less once unsold inventory
returns are factored in. With Smashwords, publishers have no inventory, no
shipping expenses and no returns. Like authors, publishers can increase sales
volume and profits by selling their books for lower prices.
Does Smashwords publish only self-published authors whose works are not
owned by a publisher?
Smashwords publishes everyone’s content, provided the author or publisher is
legally entitled to publish with us, and provided the work satisfies our strict
standards for originality. We welcome the opportunity to publish self-published
authors, unpublished authors, authors of out-of-print books for whom the rights
have reverted, and authors under contract with big-name publishers. If you own
the digital publishing rights to your works, we want to publish you.
I'm an agent, and I
rep many authors, many of whom control the digital rights to their out of print
books. How can I list my clients' works with Smashwords?
What is Smashwords’
position on digital rights management (DRM)?
We think DRM is
counterproductive because it treats lawful customers like criminals. Consumers
value non-DRMed content and there's a growing body of evidence that digital
content producers who have abandoned DRM are enjoying greater sales. Many
buyers of ebooks resent DRM because it limits their ability to fully own and
enjoy their digital book. At Smashwords, we only publish DRM-free works. By the
same token, we strictly discourage illegal pirating of an author’s works.
Do I need to copyright
my work prior to publishing with Smashwords?
If you are the author
- the creator - of an original work, then most laws automatically give you
copyright to the work. For the best legal protection, register for a copyright
at copyright.gov. Here's what
Wikipedia says on copyright: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyrights.
Can I publish my book
in print as well?
Since you own your
book, you can publish your book anywhere you choose. Print publishing is
more complicated, expensive and time-consuming than ebook publishing.
Also, since most self-published authors are unable to get brick and mortar
bookstore distribution, it's tougher to reach readers. For these reason,
most indie authors now skip print entirely. If you do decide to publish
in print, consider starting out with a free print on demand service rather than
filling your garage with a large and expensive print run of unsold books.
Why can't the
publishing industry serve all authors?
First, I should state
I am a big admirer of the publishing industry. A good agent, editor and
publisher can add a lot of value to your work. The pre-publication support
provided by a publisher is invaluable, especially in terms of getting your book
edited, packaged and carried by bookstores. However, beyond getting their books
carried by bookstores, publishers are unable to provide all authors the
publicity and post-publication support they need. First time authors often find
themselves disappointed by the lack of publicity support. I can't completely
fault the industry for this because publishers can't afford to lavish tens of
thousands of dollars in publicity support and advertising on every author. As
the publishing industry navigates the rough waters facing all media companies,
it's likely over the next few years we'll see fewer publishers publishing fewer
authors, and we'll also see many brick and mortar bookstores closed. With fewer
physical bookshelves to showcase books, it will become increasingly important
for authors and publishers to replace those shelves with digital shelves.
What challenges does
the traditional publishing industry face, and how do these challenges impact
authors?
The publishing industry, like most media, is undergoing some wrenching but necessary
change. Overall book industry sales, according to recent data from
the AAP, have stagnated or declined. Many publishers have reduced
the number of new acquisitions and have laid off employees. Bookstores, too,
are facing massive consolidation. It's likely in the years ahead will see fewer
bookstores carrying fewer titles. There are several reasons for the challenges
faced by publishing:
- Publishing is expensive: Books are expensive to produce, distribute and
promote. Book publishers are structurally limited in the number of new
titles they can publish each year, because each book requires editing,
artwork, promotional flaps, production, sales support, inventorying and
shipping.
- Books are expensive: If a $25 or $30 book is expensive to the average
American, imagine how expensive that book is to literate people in
developing countries?
- Publishers have difficulty
predicting demand for a book: Despite
hundreds of years of experience, consumers are fickle and it's difficult
for publishers to predict which books will sell, and which won’t. As a
result, they can’t predict the proper size of their print runs, and often
saddle their warehouses and bookstores with expensive unsold inventory.
- Publishing is a “hit” business: Publishers lose money on many books they publish
and try to make up the difference by having a few bestseller hits.
- Shelf space is limited: Bookstores are physically limited in the number
of titles they can carry. Most Borders or Barnes & Noble superstores
cannot stock more than 100,000 books at any one time. Amazon, by comparison,
stocks approximately 2.5 million titles. The major bookstores are also
struggling to remain profitable, and we'll likely see many bookstore
closings in the years ahead.
- Bookstores have short attention
spans: New titles are allowed
only a couple weeks to find their audience and sell well before the books
are returned to the publisher for full refund.
- New titles must compete against
midlist: New titles are not only
competing against each other, but also against established midlist books -
published titles that continue to sell moderately well, year in and year
out (often classics and former bestsellers).
- Tiny earnings: With traditional publishers, most authors receive
royalties of only 5-10% of the retail price of their print books, and only
12-17% of the list price for ebooks. With Smashwords, the author earns 85%
net, which works out to 60-80% list.
- Publishers don’t promote most
books: Many first time authors
receive little to no post-publication publicity support from their
publishers. Many authors recognize they have to do the promotion
themselves. They have to do their own PR; call bookstores to arrange
signings; and personally hand sell books to local bookstores.
- Limited geographic
distribution: Book publishing today is
still geographically constrained. Most works are never published outside
their own country, or in languages other than the native tongue of their
author. In the United States, most published works will never receive
distribution outside the US. Authors outside the US have little chance of
finding an audience outside their own country.
- There's no "long
tail" in print book publishing: To
enter the midlist, books must be able to meet a certain threshold of
sales, often several thousand copies per year, year in and year out, with
little to no promotion from the bookstores or the publishers. What about
the millions of previously written and out of print works which could be
selling 50, 100, or 1,000 copies each year, if only they were available
for their audience to discover?
- Readers are left unserved: All of these challenges faced by the publishing
industry harm not only authors, but readers as well. Readers are
effectively denied the freedom to discover new voices in the written word.
What is the business
model for Smashwords?
Although Smashwords
was founded to achieve a strong social purpose, we also recognize we must
produce a profit so we can continue to carry out our mission. Smashwords
generates income through commissions from the sales of written works. Guiding
all of our business decisions is an overarching mission to serve the needs of
the authors, publishers, retailers and readers who participate in our
community.
What is Smashwords’ privacy policy?
We will never sell,
rent or share our members’ contact information with any third party. We respect
the privacy of authors who choose to publish under pen names. We also protect
the privacy of book buyers by not revealing their purchases or identity to
anyone. Read our complete privacy statement here.
I'm organizing a
writer's conference. Can Smashwords supply a speaker?
Contact us with details and we'll see what we can do. Our founder, Mark
Coker, is a frequent speaker, keynoter and workshop presenter at writing and
publishing conferences. Jim Azevedo, our marketing manager, is also a
frequent speaker.
What’s next for Smashwords?
We’ve been in business
for over five years and are growing quickly, but we still feel like we're just
getting started. We're constantly improving the service, and we have hundreds
of ideas for how we can further help improve the digital publishing experience
for authors, readers and publishers. We listen closely to our members, whose
valuable feedback guides our daily development. Stay tuned and tell a friend!
