Smashwords Self-Publishing Platform..

Smashwords: An Overview of Smashwords Self-Publishing Platform..

Smashwords Offers Flexible E-Book Self-Publishing 

www.Smashwords.com

About Smashwords
Smashwords launched its e-book publishing platform in February, 2008, spearheaded by entrepreneur and then-wannabe novelist, Mark Coker.

With Smashwords, the author is considered to be the publisher. And, unlike some other e-book self-publishing services, due to Coker's frustrating experience with traditional publishing routes, Smashwords allows its authors a great measure of control over pricing, and over access to the work. To exploit the Smashwords service to the fullest also requires that the author to take a measure of responsibility over the quality of the work that is uploaded to the service, as well as other aspects of the process.

Anyone thinking of taking the time and effort to self-publish a book should consider all factors. To that end, here's an idea of some of Smashword's features.

• Editorial & Design Services - Smashwords doesn't offer editorial services for the book's content, or design guidance for the creation of the work. Those seeking book editing, copyediting, proofreading (typical pre-production quality assurance checks), or a service for (virtual) book jacket creation assistance must seek it elsewhere.

• Upload/Page Creation - Smashwords provides extensive, well-crafted, and thorough instructions for document formatting to ensure successful e-book downloading. The Smashwords blog allows existing authors to give fellow Smashwords self-publishers hints and tips to help make their experience better.

• Smashwords Book Format - Via its "meatgrinder," Smashwords takes an uploaded Word document and creates files that are compatible with a variety of e-reader formats and other readable formats, such as EPUB, LRF, .PDB, HTML, .Mobi, etc.

• Book Cost/Pricing - There are no upfront charges; books are paid for by the reader, when the e-book is downloaded. The author chooses the price for his or her own book, and Smashwords earns revenue by taking a 15% commission on all net sales. If a book is purchased via one of the major online retailers Smashwords distributes to, the author's earnings are 60% of the suggested list price he or she determines. Smashwords distribution commission is only 10% of the list price for sales through retailers.

• Book Distribution and Marketing - Smashwords makes its authors' qualifying e-books available via its "Premium Catalog" to Apple iBookstores, bn.com, Sony, the Diesel eBook Store, Kobo (and Chapters.ca, WH Smith and FNAC powered by Kobo). To qualify, there are requirements for formatting quality (such as having a cover image, an ISBN, and a copyright page), to ensure appropriate presentation in those retail venues. All Smashwords books are made available in the native catalogs of e-reading apps such as Stanza, Aldiko, FBReader and Word-Player and Atom/OPDS Catalog, which reaches major mobile app platforms. There are plans to distribute with Amazon via their Kindle Direct Platform.

• Smashwords documentation reinforces the importance of marketing one's book, and provides marketing support via free downloadable documents (such as "Smashwords Book Marketing Guide"). The company also allows authors (or the author's administrator) to distribute copies of its books free of charge to reviewers or the media.

• Proprietary Advantages - The favorable economics of dealing with Smashwords over some other e-book self-publishing services makes them appealing. In addition to individual authors, Smashwords encourages the collaboration of publishers with a list of more than one client (that is, publishers other than "self" publishers), as well as agents whose clients' backlist books or out-of-print titles are available for e-book format.

Visit the Smashwords website.

If you've self-published your own book, feel free to submit a review of Smashwords or any other self-publishing service. Or read reviews of other authors' self-publishing experiencesor about Amanda Hocking's paranormal self-publishing success story.