Draft2Digital's acquiring Smashwords...

[ChloeTzang]

Draft2Digital's just announced that they're acquiring Smashwords

https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/draft2digital-has-acquired-smashwords/

And most importantly.....Will Draft2Digital allow erotica authors to continue distributing through Smashwords?

Yes! Authors may continue to distribute erotica under the Smashwords erotica policies, as long as the book complies with the Smashwords terms of service. Draft2Digital will also work to make the Smashwords Store a more effective sales channel for erotica authors and their readers. Our goal is to improve discoverability for your books, to help more readers find you!

 

[lovecraft68]

Draft2Digital's just announced that they're acquiring Smashwords

https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/draft2digital-has-acquired-smashwords/

And most importantly.....Will Draft2Digital allow erotica authors to continue distributing through Smashwords?

Yes! Authors may continue to distribute erotica under the Smashwords erotica policies, as long as the book complies with the Smashwords terms of service. Draft2Digital will also work to make the Smashwords Store a more effective sales channel for erotica authors and their readers. Our goal is to improve discoverability for your books, to help more readers find you!

I e-mailed Mark Coker about this, he is staying on, they're saying acquiring, but it's more like a merger. He insists the current content guidelines will stay as is. However, for the hell of it I asked D2D the same question and the answer was whatever guidelines SW has for content will remain as is

At this time.

So we'll see what happens. I have no idea where D2D came up with the money to do this. SW is far bigger and has their own store, a few years back D2D was kicked off amazon and it took them awhile to get back

Both sites distribute through the same affiliates so I'm not sure what all the great new things coming Coker promises in his announcement are other than combining two platforms to make one much larger one.

Back to erotica, I'm sure standard fare like Milf, group, LGBT, things like that will be fine. but SW allows taboo, bestiality and non con and all those niches sell well because SW is the biggest platform that allows it. Those categories will be the ones I'd wonder about down the line, but for regular erotica I don't think its going anywhere.

I'll add that in general the only reason I'm not concerned is Mark still being there, he's not going to let them tear down his baby, or screw with his authors. If he weren't there I'd be concerned

 

[TadOverdon]

Q: What are the erotic fiction policies of the new company?

A: Each retailer, subscription service, or library platform has its own content policies. Draft2Digital will adopt the existing Smashwords erotic fiction policies for these platforms.

A few years ago, Smashwords introduced a certification system that allows erotic fiction publishers to self-certify the presence (or lack thereof) of various facets of erotica that are generally recognized as “taboo.” This accurate, more granular categorization provides retailers and libraries with the confidence they need to know that the erotic literature they’re selling doesn’t violate their policies.

The Smashwords Erotic Fiction Certification System will be made available to all Draft2Digital authors.

.....

 

[KeithD]

Draft2Digital's just announced that they're acquiring Smashwords

https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/draft2digital-has-acquired-smashwords/

And most importantly.....Will Draft2Digital allow erotica authors to continue distributing through Smashwords?

Yes! Authors may continue to distribute erotica under the Smashwords erotica policies, as long as the book complies with the Smashwords terms of service. Draft2Digital will also work to make the Smashwords Store a more effective sales channel for erotica authors and their readers. Our goal is to improve discoverability for your books, to help more readers find you!

My publisher informed me of that earlier today and isn't sure yet whether the Smashwords function of putting the work on other platforms, B&N, for instance, is going to be preserved. He also noted that he's tried working with Draft2Digital before and wasn't happy with them.

 

[windar]

Such things are rarely good news, but time will tell. My publisher feels that anything edgy is going to disappear from pay sites in the next 5 years because of pressure from the payment processors. I suppose if some of the attempts to create cryptocurrencies with stable values against real money come to fruition that might change that.

And lest anyone think Lit would be unaffected, they aren't truly a free site since they use the stories to drive traffic to the cam sites and those depend on payment processors just as much as ebook sales.

 

[lovecraft68]

So I contacted D2D last night, and was surprised by how quickly they got back considering I'm sure they're getting a lot of e-mails and calls.

BTW, they have an 800 # that they do answer and you do speak to an actual person.

In regards to content such as Taboo, Bestiality, Non consent, D2D doesn't take them because they don't have an affiliate who allows it

Until now, because Smashwords is now basically a new affiliate to distribute through because they have their own store/platform and does allow that. So D2D authors make out as they now have a new venue to sell on

But good news for those who write extreme content is at least for the time being D2D is good with it because it helps any of their authors who have some they previously couldn't publish

For the life of me I don't see what SW authors gain from this, D2D does not have any affiliates that SW doesn't. They ship to the same platforms. I don't see the gain here on that end.

I did not get an answer on who supersedes who as far as if you publish on SW or D2D who is sending your books to B/N etc...I was told for now it stays as is with both platforms doing it.

This could be an issue with the merge because if let's say all SW authors are grandfathered in now as D2D authors and already have books on affiliates will D2D duplicate them and some platforms will delete duplicate books and at times take action against the accounts.

All in all, I wouldn't look for much to change right away and I have a feeling SW isn't going to see much change. Again, the fact Coker is still on board is a big relief.

 

[LongDraw]

I think the most critical fact to keep in mind here is that SmashWords and Draft2Digital are at their core, for-profit business entities. They are there to make money. Will selling Erotica content make them lots of money? I don't know, I would ask the many many porn stars and porn studios out there what they think.

On a side note, I think the site owner should align Literotica's guidelines for stories to what is legal. Not every single state in the US requires you to be 18. Just a thought and its her site to do with as she pleases in the end.

 

[lovecraft68]

I think the most critical fact to keep in mind here is that SmashWords and Draft2Digital are at their core, for-profit business entities. They are there to make money. Will selling Erotica content make them lots of money? I don't know, I would ask the many many porn stars and porn studios out there what they think.

On a side note, I think the site owner should align Literotica's guidelines for stories to what is legal. Not every single state in the US requires you to be 18. Just a thought and its her site to do with as she pleases in the end.

Smashwords has sold 110 million e-books since it was founded. Even at them making just 15% of each sale, they've been profitable.

The for sale market also has the rule of 18+ and that is across the board.
The reason is the stories on those platforms, like lit, can be read by people from all parts of the country or world, so it doesn't matter if age of consent is 16 in one area, if its 18 in another that person would think that story is under age.

 

[windar]

So I contacted D2D last night, and was surprised by how quickly they got back considering I'm sure they're getting a lot of e-mails and calls.

BTW, they have an 800 # that they do answer and you do speak to an actual person.

In regards to content such as Taboo, Bestiality, Non consent, D2D doesn't take them because they don't have an affiliate who allows it

Until now, because Smashwords is now basically a new affiliate to distribute through because they have their own store/platform and does allow that. So D2D authors make out as they now have a new venue to sell on

But good news for those who write extreme content is at least for the time being D2D is good with it because it helps any of their authors who have some they previously couldn't publish

For the life of me I don't see what SW authors gain from this, D2D does not have any affiliates that SW doesn't. They ship to the same platforms. I don't see the gain here on that end.

I did not get an answer on who supersedes who as far as if you publish on SW or D2D who is sending your books to B/N etc...I was told for now it stays as is with both platforms doing it.

This could be an issue with the merge because if let's say all SW authors are grandfathered in now as D2D authors and already have books on affiliates will D2D duplicate them and some platforms will delete duplicate books and at times take action against the accounts.

All in all, I wouldn't look for much to change right away and I have a feeling SW isn't going to see much change. Again, the fact Coker is still on board is a big relief.

I spoke with Stuart at a1 (whom you know-he's a good guy). He is concerned mostly because D2D is increasing the number of books on Smash by a large amount without increasing the customer base much. if at all. He fears that will reduce sales for each individual book.

I hope he's wrong as I have fairly decent sales on Smash. Time will tell.

I think the most critical fact to keep in mind here is that SmashWords and Draft2Digital are at their core, for-profit business entities. They are there to make money. Will selling Erotica content make them lots of money? I don't know, I would ask the many many porn stars and porn studios out there what they think.

On a side note, I think the site owner should align Literotica's guidelines for stories to what is legal. Not every single state in the US requires you to be 18. Just a thought and its her site to do with as she pleases in the end.

The policy on age is not a result of the age of consent. It's not actually illegal to portray underage sex in words. Child porn laws cover images of actual children, not fictional depictions. Even computer-generated images are not illegal. This was decided by the US Supreme Court in 2002 (Ashcroft vs Free Speech Coalition).

The reason sites generally don't allow it has to do with both business reasons (they depend on payment processors) and taste. Even though Lit is a "free" site to read stories, they support themselves by charging for camming and those go through payment proicessors. But even truly free sites generally ban it.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I think the most critical fact to keep in mind here is that SmashWords and Draft2Digital are at their core, for-profit business entities. They are there to make money. Will selling Erotica content make them lots of money? I don't know, I would ask the many many porn stars and porn studios out there what they think.

They are, but Coker at least was an author first, and he seems to be more pro-author than a lot of people in that line of business. I've emailed him personally about content policy and got a quick reply - a helpful one, not a corporate CYA kind of message. Money has a way of ruining things but Smashwords is better than most, IME.

On a side note, I think the site owner should align Literotica's guidelines for stories to what is legal. Not every single state in the US requires you to be 18. Just a thought and its her site to do with as she pleases in the end.

There is absolutely no legal or practical basis for doing this.

Many things are illegal to do but perfectly legal and commonplace subjects for fiction - murder, for instance.

OTOH, while it's legal for sixteen-year-olds to have sex IRL in many jurisdictions, hosting that kind of fiction here can open Literotica up to various kinds of trouble that they may not wish to invite.

 

[R. Richard]

I currently publish on six sites. Each of the sites requires 18+. I only write 18+, to avoid hassle.

 

[lovecraft68]

They are, but Coker at least was an author first, and he seems to be more pro-author than a lot of people in that line of business. I've emailed him personally about content policy and got a quick reply - a helpful one, not a corporate CYA kind of message. Money has a way of ruining things but Smashwords is better than most, IME.



There is absolutely no legal or practical basis for doing this.

Many things are illegal to do but perfectly legal and commonplace subjects for fiction - murder, for instance.

OTOH, while it's legal for sixteen-year-olds to have sex IRL in many jurisdictions, hosting that kind of fiction here can open Literotica up to various kinds of trouble that they may not wish to invite.

But if its legal how would it invite legal trouble? That seems kind of contradictory. I figure the pseudo rule about it here is more personal preference or to blame authors if anyone came sniffing around.

I know one site-in the market-that takes under age. I wouldn't go near them with a 10 foot pole. The owner is the Polanski of the publishing world, hiding in Poland and if he ever sets foot back in the states, he's in jail for a very long time...again.

 

[lovecraft68]

On topic of the merge...I've read the blogs, caught a little of the town hall.

For the life of me I see no advantage to SW authors here, D2D really makes out, not seeing where we do.

As long as they don't screw with anything I'm fine, but I still want to know who D2D swung this, they are nowhere near the size of SW author wise, which translates to income wise.

I have a feeling either Mark Coker is good friends with them, or there's something else to it. Also hate to say it, but I think he may regret it down the line.

 

[LongDraw]

If I had money, I'd put it down on the merger being because Amazon has been killing off their competitors with their arguably anti-trust style business tactics and they see each other as more of a friend than Amazon.

 

[lovecraft68]

If I had money, I'd put it down on the merger being because Amazon has been killing off their competitors with their arguably anti-trust style business tactics and they see each other as more of a friend than Amazon.

Possible, but there's also a case to be made that when it comes to erotica, Amazon's games of hiding it in the dungeon, banning accounts for 'pornography' when they have tens of thousands of erotic books and other BS has caused a lot of authors and shoppers to start finding their erotica elsewhere.

My SW sales have grown quite a bit the last two years as well as affiliate sales, a couple of smaller sites I post to and even what I have on google play has all gone while amazon has gone down.

Best thing that could happen for indy erotica is for amazon to do what they really want and get rid of all of it, then sites like SW and D2D and others would flourish.

 

[windar]

I currently publish on six sites. Each of the sites requires 18+. I only write 18+, to avoid hassle.

AARP is starting a site. 65+ only...

 

[LongDraw]

I get the whole point of restricting to 18+ in terms of protecting children. I really do. After all, my mom's dad actually sexually molested her and her two older sisters. I refuse to have any relationship or dealings with him ever, nor will I subject my daughters to his perversions, I don't care if he's been on his death bed. He made his bed, and now he can lay in it.

What doesn't make sense though is how we assign a chronological number as the defining moment when a child has matured to adulthood. I know plenty of "adults" that have the mentality and poor judgement of a 5 year old, and several of them have lost their lives because of this. On the flip side though, there are those who like myself both physically matured at a very young age as well as were considered to be very mature emotionally for my age, a recurring theme of the comments everywhere I went.

I'm not trying to start a conflict, just stating an observation of mine.

 

[ElectricBlue]

What doesn't make sense though is how we assign a chronological number as the defining moment when a child has matured to adulthood. I know plenty of "adults" that have the mentality and poor judgement of a 5 year old, and several of them have lost their lives because of this. On the flip side though, there are those who like myself both physically matured at a very young age as well as were considered to be very mature emotionally for my age, a recurring theme of the comments everywhere I went.

You can't set a policy based on a band of ages, you have to pick an age and go with it. Lit has done that, and it's not negotiable. No sexual content involving characters under eighteen, period.

 

[KeithD]

What doesn't make sense though is how we assign a chronological number as the defining moment when a child has matured to adulthood.

"We" haven't done anything. It's a Web site rule, set by the Web site owners. We get this tiresome discussion twice a week, which is irrelevant to anything the users have control over.

 

[LongDraw]

Not saying I disagree with Lit and most sites using the same 18+ rule. I get it. Guess I just wish there was a better way. I would liken it to the civil rights struggle where all the white people assumed black people were evil, stupid, less than human, insert any I've left out. But taking a long hard look at ourselves, we matured as a species and started putting an end to ignorance.

Just a shame I guess.

 

[lovecraft68]

Not saying I disagree with Lit and most sites using the same 18+ rule. I get it. Guess I just wish there was a better way. I would liken it to the civil rights struggle where all the white people assumed black people were evil, stupid, less than human, insert any I've left out. But taking a long hard look at ourselves, we matured as a species and started putting an end to ignorance.

Just a shame I guess.

I don't have an issue with the rule, other than its wink wink and easy to get around because they want you to be able to get around it. The self righteous toadies here are just being obtuse.

People used to lobby for dropping it to 16, but to me the problem with that is if you did, then someone would want 14 etc...

I have no interest in writing anything involving under 18 so its never bothered me so I don't contest the rule, I just get tired of the people pretending it's real.

 

[Bramblethorn]

But if its legal how would it invite legal trouble? That seems kind of contradictory.

I wasn't necessarily thinking legal trouble. If some group decides that Literotica is a haven for pedos, that can lead to a lot of unwelcome attention - people trying to identify and expose authors and/or site owners, campaigns to get payment providers to stop supporting the site, etc. etc. Worst case, some QAnon whackjob shows up with a gun at whatever address they think is Literotica's HQ, like happened to that pizza place a while back.

 

[windar]

I wasn't necessarily thinking legal trouble. If some group decides that Literotica is a haven for pedos, that can lead to a lot of unwelcome attention - people trying to identify and expose authors and/or site owners, campaigns to get payment providers to stop supporting the site, etc. etc. Worst case, some QAnon whackjob shows up with a gun at whatever address they think is Literotica's HQ, like happened to that pizza place a while back.

While one couldn't rule out QAnon wackos, the real driver is credit card processors. Without them pay sites shut down because people can't pay online with cash. And Lit is effectively a pay site because the revenue that pays the bills comes from the cam girls at the top of the page. Do I think it's right that Banksters tell people how they can spend their money? I don't, but they can and do. Even truly free sites follow along because there really is no inducement to buck the trend.

 

[PennameWombat]

Not saying I disagree with Lit and most sites using the same 18+ rule. I get it. Guess I just wish there was a better way. I would liken it to the civil rights struggle where all the white people assumed black people were evil, stupid, less than human, insert any I've left out. But taking a long hard look at ourselves, we matured as a species and started putting an end to ignorance.

Just a shame I guess.

No. Just no on this. Just get fucked if you think Lit's "over 18" rule is anything like slavery, Jim Crow or anything else you're doing here.

 

[lovecraft68]

I wasn't necessarily thinking legal trouble. If some group decides that Literotica is a haven for pedos, that can lead to a lot of unwelcome attention - people trying to identify and expose authors and/or site owners, campaigns to get payment providers to stop supporting the site, etc. etc. Worst case, some QAnon whackjob shows up with a gun at whatever address they think is Literotica's HQ, like happened to that pizza place a while back.

Oh, the cancel culture thing, got it. I can see it now on twitter "#boycottpedolit
And a bunch of people who have never been on the site will squeal "yeah, boycott them reeeee!"

But those same people were just fine with the movie cuties, now weren't they?

Gotta love people who have to check with everyone else to decide what they're supposed to be against.