Mark Coker Founder of Smashwords. "Indies should think twice before succumbing to exclusivity."
MONDAY OPINION. Guest Post by Mark Coker. For more of Mark's thoughts on the dangers of exclusivity and importance of distribution to all retailers, see his free ebook, SECRETS TO EBOOK PUBLISHING SUCCESS.
Every indie should get their books distributed to as many retailers as possible. Every author should be at Amazon, but they should avoid the temptation to enroll in the KDP Select program because of its exclusivity requirements.
From a global market share perspective (and this is a global market!), Amazon's share is declining over the last few years. Authors who go exclusive - even if only for three months at a time - are harming their ability to capture this global growth.
The other retailers are rising in importance. Keep an eye on the Apple iBookstore (already in 32 countries), Barnes & Noble (rumored to be going global soon) and Kobo (has always had a global focus).
Smashwords-distributed authors have seen impressive growth at these three retailers over the last 12 months, especially at Apple. Apple's the dark horse in this race, and probably the biggest single threat to Amazon's dominance.
Amazon is playing indie authors like pawns in its greater battle to harm other ebook retailers by getting authors to make their books exclusive to Amazon. Unlike Amazon, Apple doesn't attempt exclusivity, and doesn't do draconian price matching. Amazon's the only retailer that threatens its authors with account termination if they don't obey Amazon's strict price-parity requirements.
I've got mad respect for Amazon, and I personally like every Amazon staffer and executive I've met, but I don't approve of their policies and have told them so. I'm surprised more indies don't push back.
Part of the challenge, I think, is that ever since Amazon launched KDP Select, they make your KDP account's configuration look incomplete *unless* you enroll in KDP Select. I've heard from many authors who say they enrolled accidentally.
Shortly after Amazon opened up India, they made the 70% royalty rate contingent upon the author enrolling the book in KDP Select. Not a good sign that they continue to flex their exclusivity muscle.
If KDP Select dropped the exclusivity requirement, I'd be a big supporter of the program. The exclusivity piece is completely unnecessary, and only causes long term harm to authors and Amazon's competitors.
If indies agree that a healthy, vibrant global ecosystem of many many ebook retailers is in the best interest of authors, readers and the future of books, then indies should think twice before succumbing to exclusivity. Support all your retailers.
When you tell your fans where they can purchase your books, provide direct links to all your retail outlets.
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[...] This one comes from Mark Coker (@markcoker), the founder of Smashwords, the ebook distributor. “Amazon Is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns” he writes on selfpublishingadvice.org (via Dean Wesley Smith’s blog). This isn’t an anti-Amazon [...]
I understand Mr. Coker is writing an article warning about KDP Select, but he is a direct competitor with Amazon, so let's not start believing his goals are altruistic. It is a legitimate argument that part of the Smashwords exodus is not just KDP Select fueled, but in part by deficiencies in the Smashwords publishing interface (and not just the Meatgrinder). I've been out of KDP Select for 6 months, still do not have my book back up on Smashwords. And I see no future change in that publishing decision until direct upload is available, the site is redesigned aesthetically, and I am sure I want to permanently make my book available on their distribution channels since pulling a book has been very problematic for many authors.
When Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon all allow direct upload without an ISBN, there is a clear indication that if Smashwords doesn't change, it will be left further behind. Yes, the Meatgrinder has opened up ebook formatting to authors who can't write a line of HTML, but if that group of authors were selling enough to maintain Smashwords' bottom line OR not leaving to try out KDP Select (since you can now just upload a Word document to Amazon's direct publishing interface, so the meatgrinder has lost it's exclusivity of avoiding technology), then we wouldn't hear from Mr. Coker on such a semi-regular basis that we all must withdraw from KDP Select.
Even Amazon recently did an overhaul of their home site to reflect modern web design aesthetics. Smashwords has great features like coupons that many indies could benefit from, but directing readers to Smashwords is a bit embarrassing. It looks unreliable to new customers we authors direct there because the design of the site is dated. And, unless you put on the Adult filter, it looks like you've been directed to something that should have .xxx instead of .com. Plus the home screen is defaults to newest, so a new reader is bombarded with a bunch of titles that are completely untested and the navigation interface up top looks like a fan fiction site (and I LOVE fan fiction, but it doesn't look professional).
And really, aside from it hurting Smashword's bottom line, there is no real threat to ANY author using KDP Select. None. Zero. It's 90 days which is the same time it can take some authors to get the kinks worked out of their premium distribution for a novel with a Smashwords. For the authors it works for, who are we to say they are somehow wrong to use "exclusivity" to promote their sales? Fine by me, make more room at the other ebook store tables. It's not like the terms are so draconian Amazon is requiring an author to have all ebooks in KDP Select to have one in there, or that KDP Select is 6 months long, a year long etc. It's 90 days. It's a 90 day promotional opportunity, something many indies could learn from as most of us play yo-yo with our prices so much we expect bumps and shifts when we cut prices by a $1 for a few days.
No, KDP Select not only hurt Smashwords in the number of authors it has selling books on their site, it also exposed the shortcomings of management for their premium distribution. You are dealing with a middle man, who has absolutely limited, if any, control to pull your book down on distribution channels it has contracts with once an author elects to change distribution strategies if the distribution channel chooses to not honor the request.
Honestly, my advice to authors is to keep control over distribution first and foremost, including the control to put your book exclusive for 90 days if you choose to, anywhere you want!
I think what most authors don't understand is reporting from other retailers, and subsequent payment, are often on a 30-90-day cycle. Considering most use the link to Amazon in their advertising, I wonder that they don't see they're the ones driving the sales there, while ignoring other opportunities.
I've used the Select program. It does not work as well as one Google adwords ad, which does not lead to Amazon. This tells me readers of my type of work don't like Amazon. This year, I will be encouraging all AARP member authors to link their book ads to other retailers, due to them ignoring cyberbully power to affect every author's sales. Basically, Amazon considers individual authors trying to get help not worthy of the bother of actually looking at what's being done to them.
Basically, Amazon views authors as a glut on the market and itself as 'the only big game in town.' Yes, it takes about three months to really get sales rolling at any retailer. If you're promoting Amazon, by linking to them in all your promotions, it's you, not them, selling your book, and of course sales are better where you've linked them.
The article and the responses are very interesting. I think Mark has a point about the exclusivity being an issue, but I also agree that it's hard to say no to Amazon, since most of indie sales do seem to come primarily from there. It's also hard to say where an author's KDP-S success comes from - did the author heavily market and promote the free days (with free and paid sites), what genre is/are the book(s) in, how big is the author's social media following,etc.? I've had up and down results with KDP-S, but what if it goes away? If you put all your marketing and sales efforts there, will you have lost? Will those who publish elsewhere be ahead of the game? Who knows? None of my books are in KDP-S at the moment and I'm going to try other sellers again and see what happens...
What I find disturbing is that I talk to more and more readers who say "I don't need to buy any more books because I've downloaded so many free ones." This isn't good for any author, no matter where they sell their books...
In the last five months I've made over $100,000 on KDP Select through sales and KOLL borrows. That's why I don't mind the exclusivity.
[...] “Amazon is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns,” says Smashwords founder, Mark Coker by Mark Coker at How to Successfully Self-Publish [...]
[...] Amazon Is Playing Indie Authors LIke Pawns This post is by Smashwords founder Mark Coker – and is a direct contrast to David’s article above. Worth reading both…and then my advice (based on my day job experiences) is to test and track and finds what works for YOU! [...]
[...] Amazon is playing indie authors like pawns – selfpublishingadvice.org [...]
[...] and CEO of Smashwords, one of the world’s most popular ebook distributor released a bit of a rant trashing Amazon’s KDP Select program. His biggest criticism of the program is the exclusivity [...]
My first response to the article would be to quote Mandy Rice-Davies - "Well he would say that, wouldn't he?"
Bit of honesty would be good. What he's really saying is that Amazon are taking his market and he doesn't like it.
I have a couple of items on Amazon in KDP. Why? Well I tried to put them through Smashwords. I'm perfectly au fait with Word. But the dreadful Meatgrinder wouldn't format a Word file that I'd put in from scratch - that is I converted it to a .txt file and then brought it back into Word. There was absolutely nothing in the file except precisely what was defined in the Smashwords documentation. That file was rejected 3 times. No reason. As a system is was pure cr*p. So, I gave up.
I can format a file into any sort of document - epub, mobii, pdf, whatever. I can make my ebooks look exactly how I want them. I don't need and won't be forced to use stuff that doesn't work.
While my stuff is in KDP I've got plenty of time to format my ebooks as I want them to submit directly, where that's an option, or via a consolidator.
What I don't need is yet another company (Smashwords) trying to rule the ebook universe.
[...] about an article by Mark Coker of Smashwords about Amazon’s treatment of indie writers. Check out his article Amazon is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns. It’s a very enlightening article, if not for the content itself rather than the comments. [...]
[...] founder Mark Coker advises indie authors to distribute widely, offering books for sale via as many e-retailers as possible. He says Amazon KDP Select’s [...]
Many of my friends have already responded here.
I have never had an issue with the meatgrinder, but then again, I used to format books (you know, the print variety), and through experience prefer to write my manuscripts in Word in ASCII-compatible format. Much of the trouble with the meatgrinder is caused by Word formatting.
The main use of Smashwords for me has been distribution to B&N and, until recently, Kobo. Recently, I've been selling twice as much on B&N as on Amazon. But before mid-September, it was very much the other way around.
I have no idea why this happened, or how it happened, and no idea how long it will last. The argument for multi-distribution is solid. I cringe when I see people too dependent on just one publisher. Each of these publishers may pull the rug out from underneath you at any time. It may be deliberate or an accident, but when one of your bestsellers gets de-listed (as happened to me recently on B & N for no reason that I can discern), it is good to have other listings.
To me, that means having a book in KDP Select as well. It is just one option in a list of venues that we can use to get sales. The obvious power of Select is control over free days. I don't often mess with Smashwords pricing because you never know when promos filter through to the other sites. I can tell you that once a price filters through to Sony, you'll never be able to re-set it. I ran a promo for a book in November LAST YEAR and Sony refused to change the price from free, so I ended up having to delete the book. I've recently done that with a few other books as well. Communication with these sites via Smashwords is sub-optimal. So I like Select for that reason: I can run a promo. The book is free for those days, and there are no nasty and long-running consequences.
KDP Select is a tool in the writer's tool box, and I think people should use it. I also think people shouldn't use it exclusively, because you never know where your books will suddeny start selling well.
Thanks to a content thief who has stolen my rights to a mere short story (also available on Smashwords), I am engaging on a round robin of emails with both Amazon and KDP, and I have reported the content thief to the FBI's Internet Crime bureau. Apparently, Jeff Bezos is not only fond of kicking everything to his minions to handle, his minions don't communicate with each other. I have demanded that they close my account but they refuse to. I was not getting sales on KDP anyway, and have not done for several months. Now the content thief has complicated my exit and I am getting ready to sue KDP. I have added a copy of one of the emails attached to my complaint to the complaint report at IC3 along with a text of part of the story which contains my copyright information. This is not over yet, but you can be sure that I will NEVER do business with Amazon or KDP again. Those of you who are defending Amazon would do well to remember that Amazon can and will yank your content anytime it feels like it, and there have been several Amazon customers who have experienced this situation over the last few months. It happens both ways, often without explanation or apology. Now, we'll see what happens when I see the results of the IC3 complaint.
I disagree with you, Mark.
I have two books enrolled in the KDPSelect program, and I was one of the original supporters.
Here's why:
When my first book came out, I uploaded everywhere (including Smashwords). That was Jan of '11. When KDPSelect started, I looked at my profits over those 11 or so months: 93% of my profit came from Amazon. I'd made thousands before the KDPSelect party started -- since then both my books have become #1 Paid bestsellers.
I made maybe $10 on Smashwords.
One thing I'll caution people about: you cannot just go free and wait for the sales to come in when you port back over to paid. Make NOISE! Ads, guest blogs, interviews, blog hops, contests...all contribute to your overall buzz. I find most authors don't know or understand this (and end up spamming their books on Twitter repeatedly).
Until another company can create a better product for visibility, exposure, and payment on lends, I'm happy to stay with KDPSelect.
(and to the gentleman above who discusses print: KDPSelect is a digital only option. So your print copies are not involved in the exclusivity clause).
Yes, I too tried the KDP Select program but I objected strongly to the fact that I had to deny non-Kindle readers access to my book. I won't be doing it again. Smashwords though, could do with adding the ability for the author to format their works for each format themselves. The translation matrix they use sometimes presents some odd formatting features, and formatting distinguishes a quality product from an amateur one. I know, for instance, that my PRC file is fine but when Smashwords translates it into ePub, it has some weird things in it. I have an ePub file ready for them, but I can't upload a separate ePub version to them. It would be nice to have the option. That way we could illustrate that ePubs aren't just hobby publications.
I'm really glad Mark that you have been on the case. I've looked a few times at amazons 'exclusive' offer. And been perplexed as to what it is trying to achieve. What is depressing is that the point of all of this is the chance to have an explosion of individual creativity. Its the ultimate 'put it out there' opportunity.
The chance to get your book out there, and the huge global market that exists, should mean the support to expose as much as possible which then must have an exponential growth for all distributors when an author or book works. So amazon really has decided to prevent that chance for individuals to see what happens and in return for them to be part of the distributors who would benefit. And I'm a fan of what amazon has done.
For me a real lack of thought about the potential here. Come on amazon, work with this new river of imagination and income.
I'd also like to add that in all the communications and articles I've seen with smashwords, there has only been a sense of working together to keep expanding this exciting market. Thanks for the work.
Thanks for blogging about this subject again Mark. Speaking as an indie whose sales plummeted on Amazon after they introduced the KDP Select, I've refused to enroll on this programme simply because of the exclusivity requirement. As I've slowly but surely built up a sales base through B&N's Nook, there is no way I want to wreck this by removing my books from their platform.
However, I suspect why my sales on Amazon have fallen is mostly due to ebook readers waiting for my books to become "free". I already offer a series of books (novellas, two released so far with another to come) which are permanently free, which should give people an idea whether or not they like my writing.
I'm not losing too much sleep over Amazon's Select programme however, I write for my own enjoyment as well as that of my readers. Which means I'm in this game for the long term, not to make a quick buck.
Thanks for all that you and your staff at Smashwords do, and have done, for indie writers, and the excellent help and advice you offer to newbies.
Regards
Nicholas A. Rose
I'm not a fan of limiting people to only one option, for anything. I am on Amazon via KDP but I chose not to enroll in KDP Select. My goal is to sell books, lots of books, not just to those with a Kindle device. Lots of people have a Nook and many others read on their iPod, or some other device...or even their computer. So it would be shooting myself in the foot to give Amazon 90 days exclusivity, especially at Christmas time.
I just reread the details of KDP Select as I prepare my next novel for release. The only part that has any attraction is being able to have a free offer - but I can do that with Smashwords! So if someone WANTS to go w/Select, fine, but try to think about all the people who don't have a Kindle who won't be buying your book until it's available for other devices.
I disagree with your stand on Amazon, Mark. I have a number of books with Smashwords, along with a number of my husband, Don Pendleton's books. For three years now, I've had books at Kindle,also. I have a number of books in the KDP select this last year, and in most cases, the program has been very effecitive for my sales. And as always, my sales are much greater with Amazon, then through Smashwords' retailers. There are other reasons I like Amazon over Smashwords' retailers, and one thing is monthly royalty payment and up to the moment reporting that I have with Amazon. I do understand it is nearly impossible for Smashwords to report from retailers in that way.
After 22 years as an Authors Guild Inc. member, I am not renewing my membership currently due, because of the stand they choose to take against Amazon.
For me, Amazon has been great. I'm sure authors will make choices for their best business interests. I know authors who are very happy with their association with Amazon as much as I am..
I could also suggest to Apple that they make it easier to find their store and the ebooks.
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I am on Amazon-Kindle, and Smashwords..hoping to make the Premium Catalog. I am close, just tweaking it one last time. Do exactly what Mark's Style Guide says, and eventually you'll be accepted.
I find the opportunity to be with Barnes, Kobo, Apple.. and the next big player that SW's attracts, much larger and a much better opportunity than offering my book, "ULTIMATE PREY," for free, with a percentage of the POT that will get me pennies. And to be cuffed to exclusivity? It feels like being in bed with a Vanity Publisher. And the pain of pulling my book from SW's is not something I want to do. I have spent a lot of hours to get this far with the formatting. It should be perfect. I will give the Premium Catalog a chance.....
Don't get me wrong, Amazon is King. They have done me right. But instead of chancing Kindle's KDP program, I would rather market myself.
I think the future is bright and exciting with E-publishing. Who know, something better may come along.
Thanks for the good work Mark.
I can't praise Smashwords eognuh. I published with them nearly two years ago and when an epub glitch suddenly occurred a month ago I was frantic because I couldn't seem to correct it. I needn't to have worried they were brilliant and helped me sort it out.
[...] “Amazon is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns,” says Smashwords founder, Mark Coker [...]
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[...] Coker wrote an article about Amazon playing authors like pawns in a chess game. While he made some good points, the tone [...]
[...] “Amazon is playing indie authors like pawns” according to Smashwords [...]
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Probably i have to disagree with you, if you search in google, you can find info completely different what you said, so who should i believe ?
I'd be very curious to know what some of the commenters have to say about KDP/Select now that so many authors sales have plummeted over the past few months. My Amazon sales were incredible for most of 2012, going from almost no sales in January, to climbing by 400-500 books per month...EVERY month from May through September (nearly 3,000 books that month). And then they started dropping. In a panic, I put them all in Select, thinking that would solve the problem. Not even close. At the current rate of sales, I'm on track to sell about 820 books for December. That's a far cry from 2904 in September.
Some people say it's because of a hacker issue early this fall. Others say that Amazon changed the algorithms to favor traditionally published authors. Whatever the reason, when I'm no longer bound by Select next month, I'm not going to put them back in. Like so many others, my sales with Smashwords wasn't great before, but I didn't do any marketing to speak of either.
As authors, we bear the lions share of responsibility for marketing our work. Whether we're traditionally or independently published...that's our job. Sure it would help if all of the retailers made it easier to find our books, but it's probably not going to happen. That's why we need to work hard to build a fan base. It will take time, and I have no doubt it will be a MAJOR pain in the neck, but marketing is the biggest key...and the area where most of us fall short, I'm sure.
As for so many people being offended by what Mark said...what's up with that? If any of you think Amazon cares about you, think again. They're in business, same as you. You say no to Smashwords because you don't sell enough books here. Well, if the whole algorithm story is true...Amazon just said the same thing to us. We don't sell as many books as traditionally published authors, so they're going with the group that will be more profitable for them. It is, after all, just business...right?
I was wondering when someone bigger than myself would call Amazon out about the exclusivity demand for their KDP Select program. It's a great program, and it has yielded great results for me. Also, I can't forget to acknowledge the option to have free promo weeks, but to insist that I not sell my books at other sites is insane. I make quite a bit off of B&N, Smashwords and other places. The idea that they think people would be willing to cut off other sources of income has baffled me since it came out. I keep wondering if they will ever change that policy. The concept of the rental is a good one. One month, I had several hundred. No, it wasn't a commission as high as a sale but it was more than I would have normally made. I understand that they want to corner the market by forcing everyone to buy kindle, but I hope it doesn't work!
I must admit that this is the very reason I don't own a kindle or an I - anything (Phone, Mac, Pod, Pad, etc.). I really am bother by the demands of exclusivity and controlled information. They take things just a bit too far for my tastes.
[...] more about how KDP Select may not be such a good thing. Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, writes Amazon Is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns. Many disagree, but some authors who have been around for a while, like JA Konrath and Dean [...]
[...] more about how KDP Select may not be such a good thing. Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, writes Amazon Is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns. Many disagree, but some authors who have been around for a while, like JA Konrath and Dean [...]
I came across this blog completley by accident but I have to agree with Mr. Coker, smashwords is much easier and more friendly too as I recently published my book: I'm Possible. Insights To The Pursuit Of Dreams. on smashwords as well as kdp amazon but smashword's style guide is so easy to follow and makes sure your book is formatted perfectly so it can upload to any pusblisher from my experience, my book made premium catalog on the first time and it was formatted to be uploaded to amazon as well. I avoided amazons select program because I read Mr. Cokers free marketing ebook as well and the funny thing is that most of my sales and my first sales as well were on smashwords not amazon which is supposed to be the bigger market where reportedly most authors make 70% if not more of their sales. Plus, I also feel a far amount of loyalty to mr.coker since it was his site that first gave me the reassurance that I could infact follow my dream of becomming a science fiction and fantasy author (who wrote a self help book...irony) and it was his site that made it so easy to move forwards and write with confidence so yeah....smashwords memeber for life! fair treatment of indie authors because soon we will rule the world.....sort of.....ok maybe not but we will rule all ereaders soon enough!
Published my first book on Amazon in October 2012 and enrolled in KDP Select. Man, what a mistake! I'm counting the days to its expiration. I agree with everything Mr. Coker said.
My opinion, based on a lot of research, is those who stand the greatest chance of benefiting from KDP Select are authors who crank out novels and have a huge body of work, low word count, and highly commercial. Maybe that explains why my first novel, an Epic Fantasy of 141,000 words, failed to receive even one download.
Smashwords, here I come!
Jason Lee
[...] “Amazon is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns,” says Smashwords founder, Mark Coker [...]
I can't agree with you more, Mark. The truth is that an author, no matter how well known or infinitesimally recognized, has a better chance getting his name and written works out in public by making them available on many forums, publishing sites, bookstores, not just one. Spread the wealth, as the saying goes. If I go to Barnes & Noble and see your book on a sale table or on a bookshelf while I'm browsing a specific genre, and then I go down the street to Cozy Corner Bookstore and start browsing again through the same genre and your book and name appear once again, that's two times the exposure. It's the same in the online industry. Don't allow yourself to be put in a corner. Make sure your works are in all four corners and the middle of the room. Submit to all publishing sites and watch the magic! I have my first book announcement posted at readrwwilliams.com. Do I think it will see in a whirlwind of attention? No. It has to be posted at all ebook sites, along with personal marketing. When "A Deadly Suggestion" launches February 1st, it will be launched on every site available. That's exactly why trucking companies have their name splattered on the side of their trucks. You're on the freeway and see a truck and the company name and logo. An hour later you see another truck with the same ID. What happens? A truck you never would even give a second look at suddenly reminds you you saw a truck from the same company hours earlier. The same with books. The more places your book is seen, the more often people become familiar with your name and your books. So spread yourself around like a seed and watch the garden blossom!
I hear you Mark and I agree with most of your points however, that said Smashwords has some issues also.
1) Very slow response in review. Sure, quicker than TOR or Bantam but incredibly slow compared to Amazon.
2) Very slow submission to your third parties, i.e., Apple, kobo, B&N, etc.
3) Low market share compared to Amazon. In 4 days I've sold 41 copies of my latest Zombie Thriller on Amazon vs. 6 on Smashwords. Says it all really.
4) Yes your software is pretty cool. Amazons blows it away however. Good job though.
I could go on and on but pretty much all the important things were covered already in this thread.
Is there a solution? Sure. Mark, you know the issues you face and I'm positive your desperately trying to correct them to gain a larger market share. Good luck and I mean it. The Amazon KDP isn't really that good for indies for sure unless your throwing a loss leader out there to redirect to your website or promote other books in a series or whatever. I agree with you.
What to do? Gosh. Publish on SW and Amazon seems to be the best route but SW could easily gain a larger market but speeding up their system. Don't know if that will happen but I'm hoping.
Sean,
After nearly a year with Amazon, I've let my KDP Select expire on my first three memoirs and did not enroll my recently released fourth. I've now listed all four with Smashwords and at this point am losing money due to lack of being paid for Amazon KOLL.
Since I'm very new to Smashwords, I'm going to give it a strong chance. But I feel like I'm starting over with no recognition when I've done very well at Amazon alone.
The way I understand how Smashwords works is as an eBook aggregator right? So, they take an eBook and publish it on various seller sites, then the eBook sells, and they get the money. But before they give it back to authors, they take a cut, right? So, why don't authors just publish directly to each site? What is the point of an eBook aggregator if you make even less? I recently found a website called Novelnook that offer 100% royalties AND free publishing. Why aren't there more sites like this? I feel like publishing online is a completely different story than print publishing. What do you guys think?
- Sophie
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[...] I was poking around the other day when I happened to stumble across an article from about five months ago, written by Mark Coker, founder of SmashWords and “Chief Author Advocate,” to use his [...]
First I'd like to mention that I like Smashwords. It offers indie authors another avenue for publishing and distribution. I've gotten so good in bypassing the site's Meatgrinder that if I suddenly encounter an error, it's a sin on my part and I try to rectify my situation (and even ask for forgiveness). I also like the fact that Mr Mark Coker endeavors to give his advice to writers all over the world about the best and worst deals they can have (and I hope it's in that context he's employed here). But the fact remains that: in marketing an ebook, people prefer more to click on an amazon link than a smashwords link. Why? Returns. Sales. And if I can produce my own ebook with my own design without any apprehension of one hidden error approaching and yet make so much more money from amazon, why bother with smashwords at all? Meatgrinder is a good software but it just isn't flexible enough. It has to be able to bend some rules (not up to its elastic limit) to accomodate taste and then all will be well. But I hear the Smashwords group want to implement epub direct so maybe that's good, a step forward. Discoverability is also not as impressive as it is on smashwords. In the end Smashwords is good, but Amazon appears to be better. There's still best for any one of the two to develop towards and neutral to say, Amazon is in pole position.
First I'd like to mention that I like Smashwords. It offers indie authors another avenue for publishing and distribution. I've gotten so good in bypassing the site's Meatgrinder that if I suddenly encounter an error, it's a sin on my part and I try to rectify my situation (and even ask for forgiveness). I also like the fact that Mr Mark Coker endeavors to give his advice to writers all over the world about the best and worst deals they can have (and I hope it's in that context he's employed here). But the fact remains that: in marketing an ebook, people prefer more to click on an amazon link than a smashwords link. Why? Returns. Sales. And if I can produce my own ebook with my own design without any apprehension of one hidden error approaching and yet make so much more money from amazon, why bother with smashwords at all? Meatgrinder is a good software but it just isn't flexible enough. It has to be able to bend some rules (not up to its elastic limit) to accomodate taste and then all will be well. But I hear the Smashwords group want to implement epub direct so maybe that's good, a step forward. Discoverability is also not as impressive as it is on amazon. In the end Smashwords is good, but Amazon appears to be better. There's still best for any one of the two to develop towards and neutral to say, Amazon is in pole position.
I comment when I appreciate a article on a website or if I
have something to valuable to contribute to the conversation.
It's a result of the fire displayed in the article I looked at. And on this post "Amazon Is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns," says Smashwords founder, Mark Coker | Successful Self-Publishing. The Alliance of Independent Authors's Blog.
. I was excited enough to drop a thought
I actually
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