Is there a downside to distributing through Smashwords?

[legerdemer]

I have been curious about this - as far as I understand, Smashwords distributes your e-book to a whole bunch of platforms, including Amazon, iBooks, and others (though not Excessica or All Romance, I think). For this I imagine they must take a cut (haven't read all the fine print yet). Other than this cut (which seems reasonable), is there any downside whatsoever for publishing through Smashwords vs. straight to Amazon? Does the former, for example, prevent you from having an author's page at Amazon? Anything else?

I'd love those who've been publishing actively to weigh in. Thanks in advance!

 

[Everyday_Man]

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[lovecraft68]

Although they list th as an affiliate sw does not distribute to amazon. They claim "integration" issues but I feel its more that Mark the owner of sw hates them. Plus there would be constant content issues.

So you would have to publish on amazon separetly. Keep in mind if you do the book cannot be priced lower on sw than on amazon

In general I like letting sw put me everywhere else. The work it saves is worth the percentage

 

[R. Richard]

One thing to keep in mind is that SW is very fussy about erotica covers, Amazon less so. Amazon is very fussy about erotica content, SW less so.

 

[sr71plt]

My publishers distribute to Smashwords in addition to Amazon and Allromanceebooks.com and other distributors. The last I knew, ExCessica was just a publisher, not a distributor of works by other than ExCessica books.

 

[lovecraft68]

One thing to keep in mind is that SW is very fussy about erotica covers, Amazon less so. Amazon is very fussy about erotica content, SW less so.

Amazon is supposed to be fussy about their covers. Now whether or not they enforce it consistently is another story.

Like content they will allow 100 rule breaking books through, then block the account of #101 because it violates their rules

For covers they supposedly don't want "hand bras" and if a couple is in a sexual position they can't look 'into it' but again....its when they feel like it so its at your own risk.

Their enforcement of rules reminds me of lit.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I have been curious about this - as far as I understand, Smashwords distributes your e-book to a whole bunch of platforms, including Amazon, iBooks, and others (though not Excessica or All Romance, I think). For this I imagine they must take a cut (haven't read all the fine print yet). Other than this cut (which seems reasonable), is there any downside whatsoever for publishing through Smashwords vs. straight to Amazon? Does the former, for example, prevent you from having an author's page at Amazon? Anything else?

I'd love those who've been publishing actively to weigh in. Thanks in advance!

Seconding others, SW doesn't distribute directly to Amazon, but the SW agreement is non-exclusive so you can do both.

SW pay 85% of the net, after processing fees and any third-party distributor's cut. They give you a report that shows the exact breakdown for each purchase.

Almost all my sales are directly through the SW store. The transaction fee varies a bit (I think it works out less if they're buying several books in one purchase, and maybe varies with the payment provider they use) but all in all, on a $5 book I get about 80%.

By comparison, when SW sells a copy via the Apple US store, Apple take $1.49 (including processing fees), SW take 15% of the remainder, and that leaves me with $3 i.e. 60%. If I recall, you can micro-manage pricing so you can pass that extra cut on to the customer, but I haven't done that.

As already mentioned, Amazon won't let you charge more for a book than it costs elsewhere on the net (i.e. free if it's up on Literotica), although I think a lot of authors get away with it. SW doesn't have any such restriction.

I've been pretty happy with my Smashwords experience. I might be selling more if I was on Amazon as well, but I'd rather not have to take it down from Literotica - especially since some of my buyers at SW (not sure how many) are people who read it on Literotica first.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Seconding others, SW doesn't distribute directly to Amazon, but the SW agreement is non-exclusive so you can do both.

SW pay 85% of the net, after processing fees and any third-party distributor's cut. They give you a report that shows the exact breakdown for each purchase.

Almost all my sales are directly through the SW store. The transaction fee varies a bit (I think it works out less if they're buying several books in one purchase, and maybe varies with the payment provider they use) but all in all, on a $5 book I get about 80%.

By comparison, when SW sells a copy via the Apple US store, Apple take $1.49 (including processing fees), SW take 15% of the remainder, and that leaves me with $3 i.e. 60%. If I recall, you can micro-manage pricing so you can pass that extra cut on to the customer, but I haven't done that.

As already mentioned, Amazon won't let you charge more for a book than it costs elsewhere on the net (i.e. free if it's up on Literotica), although I think a lot of authors get away with it. SW doesn't have any such restriction.

I've been pretty happy with my Smashwords experience. I might be selling more if I was on Amazon as well, but I'd rather not have to take it down from Literotica - especially since some of my buyers at SW (not sure how many) are people who read it on Literotica first.

Unless you use the exact same author name there is no need to take it down from Lit to put it up at Amazon. I have several stories at both places and Amazon hasn't squawked once. They do however complain if I make a mistake and the SW price is lower than theirs. If SW's is higher they don't care.

 

[Everyday_Man]

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[lovecraft68]

You know, I rarely post (not really) and when I do, I believe it's funny, just once, just once, I'd like someone to say, 'Thank's Everyday Man that made me laugh because my morning shit didn't.'

You need to get a laugh track

 

[Everyday_Man]

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[lovecraft68]

way ahead of you ... (what's a laugh track?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHV09L1_t0g

 

[legerdemer]

You know, I rarely post (not really) and when I do, I believe it's funny, just once, just once, I'd like someone to say, 'Thank's Everyday Man that made me laugh because my morning shit didn't.'

Thank you, EM - you didn't make me laugh but you did make me smile, and that's still great in my book. I'll now know who to look to for my comic relief. And ya know, comic relief is some of what I come here for!

 

[legerdemer]

Thanks, all! and looking forward to more inputs

Thank for those who have posted. Interesting! So far, it seems that it would depend on what I wanted out of the experience.

Do those who sell though both feel that their book gets seen more or less at SW than at Amazon?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Thank for those who have posted. Interesting! So far, it seems that it would depend on what I wanted out of the experience.

Do those who sell though both feel that their book gets seen more or less at SW than at Amazon?

I don't know about seen, but my sales at Amazon are three to four times time what they are at Smashwords.

Although my mainstream stuff sells more at both than my erotic stuff lately.

Maybe because Amazon is trying to hide the erotic stuff from the casual reader. Now, even romance is being classified as erotica to get it off the standard search.

 

[legerdemer]

I don't know about seen, but my sales at Amazon are three to four times time what they are at Smashwords.

Although my mainstream stuff sells more at both than my erotic stuff lately.

Maybe because Amazon is trying to hide the erotic stuff from the casual reader. Now, even romance is being classified as erotica to get it off the standard search.

Do you think that's related more to economics or some sort of prudishness, morality, or snobbery?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Do you think that's related more to economics or some sort of prudishness, morality, or snobbery?

It about Jeff not wanting to admit that the indie authors of smut made him his money and what amazon is today.

 

[sr71plt]

Let's not exaggerate. Amazon was an established monster before the e-book revolution, and published erotica didn't take off until the e-book revolution arrived.

There are headaches involved with distributing e-book erotica (starting with "who does it belong to"? Is it someone other than the one registering it for distribution?) and the level of quality for self-published works of any genre is low while the number on offer is high. A lot of glop for Amazon to keep in the marketplace. This isn't zero cost for them.

 

[lovecraft68]

Thank for those who have posted. Interesting! So far, it seems that it would depend on what I wanted out of the experience.

Do those who sell though both feel that their book gets seen more or less at SW than at Amazon?

Amazon used to be the biggest market going away. But not anymore. They are doing everything possible to hide indy erotica. They can't ban it totally without fallout, but they seem to eb trying to frustrate people into leaving.

Their rule enforcement is identical to literotica's. They say "we don't allow X" but you find thousands of books with X, but suddenly they could block your book for it and if you complain about having the same content as other books they block your account.

Two years ago I had $1500+ months there. Now-and with twice s many titles-I'm lucky to see a $400

Meanwhile B/N has tripled for me from what it was and even the SW main site is closing in on what I do on amazon

I would never say don't publish there, sales are sales wherever you can get them. But they are no longer worth being a priority or jumping through their hoops to comply with their market dictating sleazy tactics.

Whatever you do, never get into kindle select or unlimited. It means you can't publish anywhere else.

 

[Everyday_Man]

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[sr71plt]

So you're saying I should start my own website?

No, because you probably aren't going to attract enough business off your own site to pay for the site itself.

Beyond that, the market is saturated. If you just getting into now, you missed the wave.

 

[lovecraft68]

No, because you probably aren't going to attract enough business off your own site to pay for the site itself.

Beyond that, the market is saturated. If you just getting into now, you missed the wave.

Similar to e-bay I started selling there in 1999 and there was serious money to be had in the first few years. People would actually pay close to what things were worth because it wasn't huge yet.

Now? No matter what you have a thousand others have it and some yahoo is starting his auction at .99 on items worth over $100 to many sellers, same as the e-market now

 

[legerdemer]

LC and Pilot, I agree with you, but people's love and need for reading material won't go away, their addictions need to be fed. What I think you're actually saying is that there are so many authors out there already, new ones have a hard time being found to make their name/splash/whatever.

So presumably visibility (and a shitload of luck) is very important to even have a shot. This sounds a lot like winning the lottery - you have to play to win, but you can't ignore the odds.

I'm quite realistic and not thinking of quitting my day job. Just having slightly more than idle thoughts.

 

[lovecraft68]

LC and Pilot, I agree with you, but people's love and need for reading material won't go away, their addictions need to be fed. What I think you're actually saying is that there are so many authors out there already, new ones have a hard time being found to make their name/splash/whatever.

So presumably visibility (and a shitload of luck) is very important to even have a shot. This sounds a lot like winning the lottery - you have to play to win, but you can't ignore the odds.

I'm quite realistic and not thinking of quitting my day job. Just having slightly more than idle thoughts.

Yes, you're right, an e-book is a pebble in the ocean and sales many times are as much from shit luck as anything else.

But that shouldn't discourage anyone from trying and publishing, like writing here isn't always about money and success, but the thrill of seeing yourself in print and the bigger thrill of someone paying for your work.

When I first started here-and I'm sure this holds true for most-I got such a thrill when I received those first comments and votes and feedback e-mails I was like

"Holy shit, people are reading my stuff and they like it"

That thrill is eclipsed by someone paying for your stuff

I've been selling for four years and I still get a sense of satisfaction when I get those SW e-mails saying I sold a book or check my amazon reports and see a few sales. Its one hell of a rush.

So I will always encourage people to publish, but will always caution against thinking you're going to make an immediate impact and earn a living at it.

 

[archibael]

Yes, you're right, an e-book is a pebble in the ocean and sales many times are as much from shit luck as anything else.

But that shouldn't discourage anyone from trying and publishing, like writing here isn't always about money and success, but the thrill of seeing yourself in print and the bigger thrill of someone paying for your work.

When I first started here-and I'm sure this holds true for most-I got such a thrill when I received those first comments and votes and feedback e-mails I was like

"Holy shit, people are reading my stuff and they like it"

That thrill is eclipsed by someone paying for your stuff

I've been selling for four years and I still get a sense of satisfaction when I get those SW e-mails saying I sold a book or check my amazon reports and see a few sales. Its one hell of a rush.

So I will always encourage people to publish, but will always caution against thinking you're going to make an immediate impact and earn a living at it.

You know, this is the best thing I've read on the matter in the last month I've been publishing. I was kicking myself because the people I've been interacting with-- who've been in about two years or so-- were suggesting I must be doing something wrong because I was getting anemic sales. No matter what they suggested-- better blurbs, better covers, bringing the sex into the 20% sample size-- made no perceptible difference to my sales, and it occurs to me now, after reading what you and sr71plt have said, that it might be the market in general which has changed, and the people I've been interacting with haven't recognized it because they rode the wave.

So thanks. I haven't made much in the month-- just over $100 on about 16 titles-- but I can be much more philosophical about it now and stop kicking myself because poorly-edited, typo-ridden tripe* is beating the pants off of stuff I put actual effort into.


*I'm not speaking in general, I'm just saying I've seen at least a couple of stories in the top 1000 in Amazon's Erotic category which caused my inner English major to scream her safeword.