tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452Sun, 28 Aug 2016 18:21:42 +0000smashwordsebooksfuture of book publishingebook distributionebook marketingself-publishingAmazon Kindledigital booksebook publishingebook retailingfuture of publishingbarnes and nobleidpfsmashwords style guideAmazonEditor Unleashed/Smashwords Flash Fiction 40Read an E-book Weekaustralian ebooksbook marketingebook educationebook formattingebook pricingfuture of book distributionsmashwords milestonesFlat World KnowledgeIBPASmashwords author profileSony ReaderTools of Change Conferencebillion word marchcensorshipdan poynterebook formatsebook revenueshuffpoindie authorshipipad ebook publishing4Ps to Publishing SuccessA recent history of writing and drawingApril FoolsDRMOperation Ebook DropPublishing UniversityShelley LieberWriter's Digestagency modelapple ipadasjabook promotionbook publishing predictionsbrian s. prattcopyrightcouponsebook discoveryebook market dataebook salesepub ebooksexperimental publishingfuture of readingglobal ebookshow to publish an ebookjeff riverajuly summer/winter salekobomediabistromobile ebookspaypalpiracypredators and editorspubletariatsan francisco writers conferencesmashwords book marketing guidesmashwords community filtersmashwords satellitestwitterwriter beware#amazonfail100 books for haitiAaron Ross PowellBookExpo AmericaBooklockerCharlotte SometimesDavid RobinsonDer Smashwords FormatierungleitfadenEditor Unleashed/Smashwords writing contestEugene WoodburyEvan SchnittmanGeorge SorosGuida allo Stile SmashwordsGuide des Styles SmashwordHAROHarry PotterInstitute of Contempory artsJ.K. RowlingJill BarshayLaurel WilczekLondonMary Anne GrahamNCXNPRNicky CharlesPeter ShankmanPhil and Amy SheltonPrime View InternationalRJ KellerSantos Dumont Numero 8Shayne ParkinsonSmashwords Literary AgentsSmashwords mug promotionTOC 2009The CureV.J. ChambersZoe Winteradult contentadvertisingaffiliate programagents as publishersalan baxteraldikoandroidapp marketplacesapple ibookstoreapril hamiltonauthor compensationauthor namesauthors helping authorsbaipabaker and taylorbest practicesbetabeta readersblioblog toursbook industry consolidationbook view cafebookhabitbooksurgeborders groupcharitycheap bookschris batychris broganchunkscitytoolsclaire farrellclaudio soarescollusioncontestcory doctorowculturedale beaumontdan mcgirtdarcie chandavid rothmandepartment of justicedescriptionsdiesel ebooksdigital book worlddigitalistdoje-inke-readingebook giftingebook parody seoebook piracyebook reading devicesebook supply chainebook tipsed pattersonelitzrereader sales figureseroticafair usefantasyfilteringflash fictionfree ebooksfree speechgay litgetpublishedtvgigaomginger starrglobal literacyhelp a reporterhistory of bookshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifibookstoreidpf ebooksinstock conferenceipad publishingiphoneipod touchirish writersisbnjason cosmojen ashtonjoanna pennjoe konrathjoy berryknowledge genielaunchlawyerslexcycleliterary agentsliveinkmark mahaneymarketingmeatgrindermel keeganmontserratmoriah jovanname-your-own-price-ebooks.comnanowrimonichenorman savagenyuo'reillyonline readingopen source textbooksp-books to e-booksparanormal romancepeter brantleypiers anthonyprankpredatory business practicesprice fixingpricelineprint booksprivate label articlespubletariat vaultpublic relationspublish apple ebookspublisherspublishingq5randolph lalonderedroomren cumminsreunionromancerussell wilcoxruth ann nordinsara lloydscandinavian publishingscrollmotionsecrets to ebook publishing successselena kittself-publishing manualself-publishing manual v. 2serialized ebooksserialsseven secrets to ebook publishing successshortcoverssmart phonessmashwords ebookssmashwords iphone ipod touch stanza epub ebookssmashwords labssmashwords license statementsmashwords publishing portalsmashwords updatesourcebookssoybitspace operaspinward fringestanzastephen kingtable of contentsthe future of publishingthe mill river reclusethe provisotrendstwitterbuzztwo billion wordstwo people having sexus ebook consumption by stateventure capitalvip authorswattpadwhy book publishing is like venture capitalwhy writers writewordlewordswords smashwordswriters conferenceswritingzombiesSmashwordsThe official blog for <a href="http://www.smashwords.com">Smashwords, a distributor of indie ebooks </a>http://blog.smashwords.com/noreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)Blogger335125Smashwordshttps://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with Pageflakestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-2719754331356132575Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:37:00 +00002016-08-24T12:37:29.617-07:00Smashwords Alerts Notifies Readers of New Releases from Favorite Authors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TY0bQgF4o3c/V7y9W49XvJI/AAAAAAAAC64/GrV1UGDSPTIg8i8kHPzYoj8hNQjuqaTrACLcB/s1600/SW%2BAlerts%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TY0bQgF4o3c/V7y9W49XvJI/AAAAAAAAC64/GrV1UGDSPTIg8i8kHPzYoj8hNQjuqaTrACLcB/s200/SW%2BAlerts%2Blogo.png" width="200" /></a></div>Smashwords today announced Smashwords Alerts, a new feature that automatically notifies readers of new releases from their favorite authors.<br /><br />Readers who previously “favorited” authors at Smashwords will receive notifications of new releases starting tomorrow.<br /><br />To track an author, readers simply visit any author profile page at Smashwords and click the button labeled, "Subscribe to Author Alerts."&nbsp; When the author releases a new book, readers will receive an alert.<br /><br />Readers are in full control of their subscriptions.&nbsp; From the <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/account/subscriptions#">Smashwords Alerts Subscription Management page</a> (found under <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/account/comm">Account: Communications Preferences</a> or linked to from any author profile page), readers can manage the frequency of alerts (daily, weekly, monthly) or remove alerts.<br /><br />If a book is on preorder, readers will receive the alert the day the book goes onsale.<br /><br />Per our strict email privacy rules, the reader’s email address remains private and is not shared with anyone.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8vxq8wwVXaU/V7y_f3BB0xI/AAAAAAAAC7I/6X9_tXPmH5oxHaPCLYgDnn8f--v9mWN2wCEw/s1600/subscribe%2Bto%2BSmashwords%2BAlerts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8vxq8wwVXaU/V7y_f3BB0xI/AAAAAAAAC7I/6X9_tXPmH5oxHaPCLYgDnn8f--v9mWN2wCEw/s320/subscribe%2Bto%2BSmashwords%2BAlerts.png" width="320" /></a></div>Thousands of readers browse the Smashwords Store each day searching for their next great read.&nbsp;<br /><br />Readers appreciate that all 400,000+ Smashwords ebooks are DRM-free and most are multi-format.&nbsp; Readers and authors alike appreciate that the Smashwords Store pays indie ebook authors industry-leading royalty rates - up to 80% list - which puts more money into the pockets of hard-working authors and small independent presses.<br /><br />To get the most out of this new capability, authors and publishers can encourage their readers to subscribe to alerts so they never miss another new release.&nbsp; Just point readers to your author profile page and encourage them to subscribe!<br /><br />Authors can track the number of subscribers and "favorites" in real time from the Smashwords Dashboard under "Marketing and Distribution Tools".<br /><br /><b>Where Shall We Take This Next?</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><br />We have a number of ideas for how we can build upon Smashwords Alerts to make it even more valuable to readers and authors.&nbsp; For example, we’re considering an “Instant alert” option for readers who want to receive notification within minutes of a new release.&nbsp; We’d also like to provide direct buy links to Smashwords retailers.&nbsp; We welcome your suggestions for where you want us to take this.&nbsp; Either comment below or click the “?” link at Smashwords to contact us via email.<br /><br /><br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/P9T6e18YsZA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/P9T6e18YsZA/smashwords-alerts-new-releases.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)7http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/08/smashwords-alerts-new-releases.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-2965320378435004565Thu, 30 Jun 2016 22:30:00 +00002016-06-30T15:30:38.922-07:00Eighth Annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sales Kicks off July 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EGe1MXQU_ik/V3Wb8wE47RI/AAAAAAAAC6k/W71pYfqSYigBNZ8UF_4DvFhKgDu7Wld5QCKgB/s1600/SW%2BSW%2Bsale.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="95" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EGe1MXQU_ik/V3Wb8wE47RI/AAAAAAAAC6k/W71pYfqSYigBNZ8UF_4DvFhKgDu7Wld5QCKgB/s200/SW%2BSW%2Bsale.png" width="200" /></a></div>The 8th annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale kicks off July 1 and runs through July 31.<br /><br />This promotion represents a massive collaborative effort where thousands of Smashwords authors and small independent publishers show their appreciation to readers by offering their titles at exclusive deep discounts of 25% off, 50% off, 75% off and FREE.<br /><br />Smashwords authors and publishers can enroll your books now by clicking to our <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/dashboard/sitewidePromos">Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale enrollment page</a>. <br /><br />The promotional catalog will be featured on the Smashwords home page.&nbsp; Readers can filter participating books by bestsellers, reviews, categories, sub-categories, book length, percentage-off and other options.<br /><br />Here are some direct links to the participating titles (hyperlinks will activate July 1):<br /><br /><h4>By discount levels</h4><blockquote class="tr_bq"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1/promo_SSW25/any">25% off</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1/promo_SSW50/any">50% off </a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1/promo_SSW75/any">75% off</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1/promo_SFREE/any">FREE!</a></blockquote><h4>By high level and specific categories&nbsp;</h4><blockquote class="tr_bq"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/bestsellers/1/any/any">Bestsellers (all categories)</a><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1"><br />Newest releases</a><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/3/bestsellers/1/any/any"><br />Bestselling fiction</a><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/4/bestsellers/1/any/any"><br />Bestselling non-fiction</a><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1235/bestsellers/1/any/any"><br />Bestselling romance</a><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/870/bestsellers/1/any/any"><br />Bestselling women's fiction</a><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/59/bestsellers/1/any/any"><br />Bestselling erotica</a> <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/874/bestsellers/1/any/any"><br />Bestselling thrillers</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/879/bestsellers/1/any/any">Bestselling mysteries</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/884/bestsellers/1/any/any">Bestselling historical fiction</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1213/bestsellers/1/any/any">Bestselling sci-fi</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1206/bestsellers/1/any/any">Bestselling fantasy</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1018/bestsellers/1/any/any">Bestselling young adult novels</a> </blockquote><h4>Why Summer/Winter?&nbsp;</h4>Curious why we call it Summer/Winter?&nbsp; Smashwords serves readers around the globe.&nbsp; It's summer in the Northern hemisphere and winter in the Southern hemisphere.&nbsp; Whether readers are looking for a great beach read or a something to warm their spirits in front of the fireplace, they'll find thousands of great ebooks in this sale.<br /><br />Please help celebrate these authors by sharing links to the promotion with your friends on social media. If you find a bunch of great books in the sale, let your friends know! <br /><br />Enjoy!.<br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/oO-o0jo31qc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/oO-o0jo31qc/eighth-annual-smashwords-summerwinter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)4http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/06/eighth-annual-smashwords-summerwinter.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-4863536287030515552Fri, 27 May 2016 20:17:00 +00002016-05-30T21:08:50.068-07:00Wattpad Promotion Features 127 Smashwords Mystery & Thriller Authors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ2ITD1ey-c/V0ibahU4uOI/AAAAAAAAC5o/Kdw4nnPFLocIoctnIGCuCUglq8e44p51ACLcB/s1600/combo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ2ITD1ey-c/V0ibahU4uOI/AAAAAAAAC5o/Kdw4nnPFLocIoctnIGCuCUglq8e44p51ACLcB/s320/combo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Wattpad this week kicked off a big multi-week promotion featuring the works of 127 Smashwords authors in mystery &amp; detective and thriller &amp; suspense. <br /><br />These Smashwords authors are serializing their novels at Wattpad, the wildly popular online community that attracts over 45 million readers each month.<br /><br />These Wattpad readers will have the opportunity to discover some of the best indie authors of mysteries, thrillers and suspense.<br /><br />Wattpad is promoting the participating authors across the Wattpad platform, including prime placement on the Wattpad home page where stories will be frequently surfaced through promotional modules; promotional banners on the official <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/mystery" target="_blank">Wattpad Mystery</a> profile, and messages broadcast to the author's followers.&nbsp; Stories are will also be included in a variety of featured reading lists on both the Wattpad Mystery profile page and the main Wattpad profile.<br /><br />This is our second major merchandising collaboration with Wattpad. Our first was a romance feature last year which featured 72 authors.&nbsp; I wrote about that promotion <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/wattpad-runs-major-promotion-featuring.html" target="_blank">here at the Smashwords blog</a>. The romance promotion was so successful we and Wattpad decided to expand to other genres of interest to Wattpad's readers.<br /><br />I invited authors from among Smashwords bestsellers over the last year, as well as authors who participated in our <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/10/250-smashwords-crime-fiction-authors.html" target="_blank">Bouchercon thumb drive promotion</a> last year which drew heavily from Boucheron author attendees as well as members of Sisters in Crime.<br /><br />Below is a full list of participating authors for this Wattpad promotion, divided into sections.&nbsp; Please join me in celebrating their selection for this exciting promotion.&nbsp; You can click on the author's name below to visit their WattPad profile page.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/335461127-top-smashwords-mystery-&amp;-detective" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.wattpad.com/list/335461127-top-smashwords-mystery-&amp;-detective" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--04gOoTyHkc/V0ikohsuUbI/AAAAAAAAC54/vF1gUGn89yInUvaC4nvwZpnzIeeLDwIbwCLcB/s1600/banner_mystery.jpg" /></a></div><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DoNotShowMarkup/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/335461127-top-smashwords-mystery-&amp;-detective" target="_blank">Mystery and Detective</a> (click to view active serializations; new titles and chapters from the list below are appearing daily).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The list is alpha-sorted by author first name.</div><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="MsoNormal"><i>For Sale In Palm Springs</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AlbertSimon" target="_blank">Albert Simon</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Profile of Evil</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AlexaGrace" target="_blank">Alexa Grace</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Pecos Valley Revival</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/aliceduncan" target="_blank">Alice Duncan</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Cliffhanger</i> (The Belinda &amp; Bennett Mysteries, Book One) by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/amy_saunders" target="_blank">Amy Saunders</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Fascinating Rhythm</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AnneLouiseBannon" target="_blank">Anne Louise Bannon</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Devil's Grin</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Annelie_Wendeberg" target="_blank">Annelie Wendeberg</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Sketch of a Murder</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AyaWalksfar" target="_blank">Aya Walksfar</a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Dead in a Dumpster: Leah Norwood Mystery #1</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/blblair100" target="_blank">B. L. Blair</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Don't Call Me Baby</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BettyByers" target="_blank">Betty Byers</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>My Sister's Keeper</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BBenners" target="_blank">Bill Benners</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Played to Death</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BVLawson" target="_blank">BV Lawson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Shot in the Bark</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CANewsome" target="_blank">C. A. Newsome</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Killer Twist (Ghostwriter Mystery 1)</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CALarmer" target="_blank">C.A. Larmer</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Armed and Fabulous</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CamillaChafer" target="_blank">Camilla Chafer</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Justified</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CarolynArnold" target="_blank">Carolyn Arnold</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Losing Charley</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorCasey" target="_blank">Casey Peeler</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Tastes Like Murder</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Catherine Bruns</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Cypher</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CathyWrites" target="_blank">Cathy Perkins</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Crime in the Community</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/cecilia_writer" target="_blank">Cecilia Peartree</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Tax Assassin, a Seth and Ava Mystery</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ClaudiaC" target="_blank">Claudia Hall Christian</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Sweet Masterpiece: The First Sweet’s Sweets Bakery Mystery</i>by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/authorconnieshelton" target="_blank">Connie Shelton</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Look Before You Jump</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/dabale" target="_blank">D.A. Bale</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Eye of the Witch</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/encyber" target="_blank">Dana E. Donovan</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Bird in the Hand</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Dane McCaslin</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Dangerous Woman</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DebraLee0" target="_blank">Debra Lee</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Case of the Bygone Brother</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DianeBurtonAuthor" target="_blank">Diane Burton</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Not Without You</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DianneVenetta" target="_blank">Dianne Venetta</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Clearwater Journals</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/alrennie" target="_blank">Doc Holiday</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Desperate Acts</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BevSlopen" target="_blank">Don Gutteridge</a>&nbsp; <br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>What Doesn't Kill You, The Mystery</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/donnahmurray" target="_blank">Donna Huston Murray</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Birds in Paradise</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DorothyStJames" target="_blank">Dorothy St. James</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Bounty</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/elisesax" target="_blank">Elise Sax</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Who P-p-p-plugged Roger Rabbit?</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Wolfmangart" target="_blank">Gary K. Wolf</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Hollywood Scandals</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Gemma Halliday</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Murder Takes Time</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/4720560-murder-takes-time" target="_blank">Giacomo Giammatteo</a>&nbsp; <br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Dose of Death</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Gin Jones</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Dark Places</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/HonADawson" target="_blank">H A Dawson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Seniors Sleuth</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/jenjchow" target="_blank">J.J. Chow</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Dream Doctor</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JamesDiBenedetto" target="_blank">J.J. DiBenedetto</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Pies &amp; Peril</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Janel Gradowski</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Kindred Crimes</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Janet479D" target="_blank">Janet Dawson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lost Cause (A Daisy Dunlop Mystery ~ Book 1)</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/jlsimpsonauthor" target="_blank">JL Simpson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Wolves of the Northern Rift</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JonMessenger" target="_blank">Jon Messenger</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JoshLanyon" target="_blank">Josh Lanyon</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Gift for Murder</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/karenmccullough" target="_blank">Karen McCullough</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Moonlighting In Vermont</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KateMGeorge" target="_blank">Kate George</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KateMGeorge" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Castle Cay</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/leeagain2/about" target="_blank">Lee Hanson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>No Accounting for Murder</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LeeannBetts" target="_blank">Leeann Betts</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Not Famous in Hollywood</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/leoniegant" target="_blank">Leonie Gant</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Merit Badge Murder</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Leslie Langtry</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Bluejay Shaman</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LiseMcClendon" target="_blank">Lise McClendon</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Daddy's Little Killer</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LSSygnet" target="_blank">LS Sygnet</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Celtic Riddle</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BevSlopen" target="_blank">Lyn Hamilton</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Prioress' Tale</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Frevisse/" target="_blank">Margaret Frazer</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Diamonds and Cole</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MichaelMaxwell4" target="_blank">Micheal Maxwell</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> <br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Killer Cupcakes</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MildaHarris" target="_blank">Milda Harris</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Miss Spelled</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MorganaBest" target="_blank">Morgana Best</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen: A Dix Dodd Mystery</i>by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/NorahWilson" target="_blank">N.L. Wilson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Genie for Hire</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/NeilPlakcy" target="_blank">Neil S. Plakcy</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Big Blind</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/NPierce" target="_blank">Nicolette Pierce</a><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Hot Tamale</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/PaisleyR" target="_blank">Paisley Ray</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Sign Off</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/PatriciaMcLinn" target="_blank">Patricia McLinn</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Sounds of Murder</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/par2323" target="_blank">Patricia Rockwell</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Be Careful What You Hear</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/paulpilkington" target="_blank">Paul Pilkington</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Life's A Bitch. So Am I.</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/REConary" target="_blank">R. E. Conary</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Slow Curve on the Coquihalla</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/REDonald" target="_blank">R.E. Donald</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Blood Land</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/rguthrie" target="_blank">R.S. Guthrie</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Loose Screw</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/RaeDavies" target="_blank">Rae Davies</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>One Deadly Sister</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/rodhoisington" target="_blank">Rod Hoisington</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>BLACK</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BlakeBooks" target="_blank">Russell Blake</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>When the Dead Speak</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/SandyToo47" target="_blank">S.D. Tooley</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>From the Ashes (Ravenwood Mysteries #1)</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/SabrinaFlynn" target="_blank">Sabrina Flynn</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Death by Chocolate</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/SallyBerneathy" target="_blank">Sally Berneathy</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Atheist</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/sjscribe" target="_blank">Sarah Ettritch</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><i><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Good Knight</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/drsarahwoodbury" target="_blank">Sarah Woodbury</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Collector</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ScottWittenburg" target="_blank">Scott Wittenburg</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Chasing Daybreak</i> by Sherry Ficklin, writing as <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/SherryFicklin" target="_blank">Ranae Glass</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Grand Murder</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/svcase" target="_blank">Stacy Verdick Case</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Diva Las Vegas</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/GemmaHalliday" target="_blank">Stephanie Caffrey</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Claws</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/stevebooth2001" target="_blank">Stephen Booth</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Murder for a Cash Crop</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KregPublish/about" target="_blank">Sue Star</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Death by a Dark Horse</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheaCampbellAuthor" target="_blank">Susan Schreyer</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Deadly Secrets</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MountainGram" target="_blank">Terry Odell</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Tahoe Deathfall</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/toddborg" target="_blank">Todd Borg</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Chorus of the Dead</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/TracyLWardAuthor/about" target="_blank">Tracy L. Ward</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Fatal Mistake</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/WilEmerson" target="_blank">Wil A. Emerson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div></blockquote><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/335461228-top-smashwords-thriller-&amp;-suspense" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.wattpad.com/list/335461127-top-smashwords-mystery-&amp;-detective" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oF0fojCKjSE/V0ik3rUFHZI/AAAAAAAAC58/oSiduq-LgasqOYmRRYvGLIYnZTqWUPBtwCLcB/s1600/banner_thriller.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><b><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/335461228-top-smashwords-thriller-&amp;-suspense">Thrillers</a></b> (click to view active serializations; new titles and chapters from the list below are appearing daily)</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="MsoNormal"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The War Planners</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/wattsandrew" target="_blank">Andrew Watts</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Killing Me Softly</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BiancaSloane" target="_blank">Bianca Sloane</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>LZR-1143: Infection</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/bryanjames1143" target="_blank">Bryan James</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Anonymous</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorChristineBene" target="_blank">Christine Benedict</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Watched</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Watched12" target="_blank">Cindy M Hogan</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Thin Luck</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CoriArnold" target="_blank">Cori Lynn Arnold</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>A Killing Truth</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/dvberkom" target="_blank">D.V. Berkom</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Planck Factor</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DebbiMack" target="_blank">Debbi Mack</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DemelzaCarlton" target="_blank">Demelza Carlton</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Get Charlie Noah</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/narellelindsay" target="_blank">Drew Lindsay</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Survivor Chronicles: Book 1, The Upheaval</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ericastevens" target="_blank">Erica Stevens</a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Saudi Strategy</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorEthanJones" target="_blank">Ethan Jones</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Purgatorium</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/EvaPohler" target="_blank">Eva Pohler</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Marker of Faith</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/FoinahJameson" target="_blank">Foinah Jameson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Tortured Dreams</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/hadenajames" target="_blank">Hadena James</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Murder! Too Close To Home</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JTLewisAuthor" target="_blank">J.T. Lewis</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Dracula Rising</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/jacksonsteinbooks" target="_blank">Jackson Stein</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Puppet Master</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/NikooMcGoldrick" target="_blank">Jan Coffey</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Adjal of Jimmy Temple</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BevSlopen" target="_blank">Jaron Summers &amp; HaroldLivingston</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>America's Fool</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JayAmberg" target="_blank">Jay Amberg</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>World of Mirrors</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/judytraviscopek" target="_blank">Judith Copek</a> <br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>All Fall Down</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JulieCoulterBellon" target="_blank">Julie Coulter Bellon</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Chastity Flame</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KateLaity" target="_blank">KA Laity</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Dying by the Hour</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/koryshrum" target="_blank">Kory M. Shrum</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Through Many Fires</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KylePratt" target="_blank">Kyle Pratt</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Murder On The Mind</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/Lorraine-Bartlett" target="_blank">L.L. Bartlett</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Good Die Twice</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Shapeshifter17" target="_blank">Lee Driver</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span> </div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Seven Sons</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/lilisaintgermain" target="_blank">Lili St. Germain</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Trail of Destruction</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/lindajohnson618" target="_blank">Linda Johnson</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Codename: Moneyman</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/markarundel" target="_blank">Mark Arundel</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Irreparable Harm</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MelissaFMiller" target="_blank">Melissa F. Miller</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>I Know Lucy</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/melissapearl" target="_blank">Melissa Pearl</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Mystery at Sag Bridge</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/PatCamalliere" target="_blank">Pat Camalliere</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>RUN</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/PattiLarsen" target="_blank">Patti Larsen</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Hostile Witness</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/RebeccaForster" target="_blank">Rebecca Forster</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Jesusita</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/RonaldLRuiz" target="_blank">Ronald L Ruiz</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Ethan Justice: Origins</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/SimonJenner" target="_blank">Simon Jenner</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , &quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>The Perfect Game</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/StephenPaul212" target="_blank">Stephen Paul</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Winter Prey</i> by <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/TMSimmons">T.M. Simmons</a> </blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , &quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Enjoy! &nbsp; Thanks to our friends at Wattpad for their awesome support of our awesome authors! </span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/u0_Tsy8IjvY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/u0_Tsy8IjvY/wattpad-smashwords-mystery-thriller-promotion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)10http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/05/wattpad-smashwords-mystery-thriller-promotion.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-1862268866751374500Mon, 25 Apr 2016 22:45:00 +00002016-04-25T15:45:01.803-07:00BookExpo America Embraces Self Publishing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNSKQZQIleo/Vx6ST0iU1FI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/uLSSUtgPUyc-tRICDZeU_2WPoTxxdYl_ACLcB/s1600/bea2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNSKQZQIleo/Vx6ST0iU1FI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/uLSSUtgPUyc-tRICDZeU_2WPoTxxdYl_ACLcB/s200/bea2016.png" width="198" /></a></div><br />BookExpo America, the country's largest publishing industry conference, is stepping up its commitment to self-published authors this May 11-13 at the McCormick West Convention Center in Chicago.<br /><br />For the last five or six years, BEA held uPublishU, their awesome indie-author themed conference, as a sister event the day after the main BEA conference ended.<br /><br />This year in Chicago, BEA is integrating uPublishU programs and exhibitors directly into the main floor of the conference.&nbsp; Now that uPublishU is fully integrated, attending authors can enjoy the full range of main conference's sessions and networking opportunities as part of their conference registration.<br /><br />Smashwords will attend BEA this year as an exhibitor in the uPublishU pavilion.&nbsp; I'll be there with our marketing director Jim Azevedo.<br /><br />I'll also present <a href="http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/en/Contributors/2141601/Mark-Coker" target="_blank">three conference sessions</a>, two of which will be short talks from the uPublishU stage and one of which will be part of the general conference.&nbsp; If you're attending, please stop by and say hello!<br /><br />Here's my speaking schedule:<br /><br /><b>1.&nbsp; Thursday, May 12</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1:30-1:50pm <br /><b>Apple iBooks Merchandising: How to Sell More Books at the World's Second Largest Ebook Retailer&nbsp;</b> <br />Location: uPublishU Stage <br /><br />Description: Operating in 51 countries, iBooks is the world's second largest ebook retailer behind Amazon. In this short session you'll learn how increase the visibility of your ebooks at iBooks, capturing the attention of both readers and merchandising managers alike.<br /><br /><b>2.&nbsp; Friday, May 13&nbsp;&nbsp; </b>11-11:50am<br /><br /><b>Top Ten Trends Shaping the Future of Publishing</b><br />Location:&nbsp; Room W181ab<br /><br />Description: In this 50-minute session I'll reveal 10 trends that are transforming the future of publishing. Learn how and why the playing field in ebooks is tilted to the indie author's advantage.&nbsp; Learn why the former stigma of self-publishing is disappearing as indie authors publish with growing pride, professionalism and success.&nbsp; Learn about the dark clouds looming on the horizon that threaten to devalue books and undermine author independence.&nbsp; Learn what you can do to realize a more successful publishing future.<br /><br /><b>3.&nbsp; Friday, May 13 &nbsp; </b>2:30-2:50pm <br /><br /><b>How to Use Ebook Preorders to Make Your Next Book Launch More Successful</b><br />Location:&nbsp; uPublishU Stage<br /><br />Description:&nbsp; As we revealed for the second year running in our 2016 Smashwords Survey, we found that ebooks released as preorders earn more readers than books simply uploaded the day of release.&nbsp; In this short 20 minute session I'll provide a quick introduction to ebook preorders and share proven strategies for preorder success.&nbsp; <br /><br /><h3>Register Now for BEA!</h3>Smashwords authors and publishers who plan to attend will find registration information at <a href="http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/Show-Info/Interested-in-Attending/">http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/Show-Info/Interested-in-Attending/</a>&nbsp; or <a href="https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=453&amp;campaigncode=CampSE" target="_blank">click here for the direct registration link</a>. If you're considering attending, you'll want to register <u><b>before end of day April 26</b></u> to receive the special early bird pricing of $374, which saves authors and publishers $100 off of the full registration fee.&nbsp; Booksellers, retailers, librarians, bloggers, educators and employees of non-profits are eligible for additional discounts.<br /><br />On May 14, BEA will host their annual BookCon event for readers.&nbsp; The event features panels and Q&amp;A with authors, and readers will gain access to the show floor where they can meet with exhibitors such as Smashwords.&nbsp; Register for Bookcon at <a href="http://www.thebookcon.com/Tickets/" target="_blank">http://www.thebookcon.com/Tickets/ </a><br /><br />Jim and I look forward to meeting Smashwords authors, publishers and readers in Chicago!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/Nshe4QAr5NY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/Nshe4QAr5NY/bookexpo-america-embraces-self.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)2http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/04/bookexpo-america-embraces-self.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-6045616051456091673Mon, 18 Apr 2016 03:46:00 +00002016-04-17T20:46:38.528-07:002016 Smashwords Survey Reveals Insight into the Habits of Bestselling Authors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MACZQu283XM/VxRAtBscSEI/AAAAAAAAC48/SEVdT5QLfUY6-N7JBmMVw9wgYAfaVrkpQCLcB/s1600/SmashwordsSurvey.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MACZQu283XM/VxRAtBscSEI/AAAAAAAAC48/SEVdT5QLfUY6-N7JBmMVw9wgYAfaVrkpQCLcB/s320/SmashwordsSurvey.png" width="320" /></a></div>Welcome to the fifth annual 2016 Smashwords Survey!<br /><br />This is hot off the presses.&nbsp; Last Thursday I revealed the Survey results at the RT Booklovers Convention in Las Vegas.<br /><br />My goal with the Survey is to help Smashwords authors and publishers identify opportunities to reach more readers.<br /><br />The Smashwords Survey takes a data-driven approach to identify potential best practices that can give you an incremental advantage.<br /><br />The Survey also helps us identify habits of the most successful authors.<br /><br />As smart indies understand, there's no single magic bullet to bestsellerdom.&nbsp; The secret to selling more books is to adopt dozens of best practices while avoiding fatal mistakes that can undermine your success.<br /><br />We can't use data to determine the quality of a book's writing or the brilliance of a cover image.&nbsp; However, the quantitative metrics we examine do provide indirect indications of such quality, as well as myriad other indirect clues that help authors view publishing in a completely new light.<br /><br />Each year I add a few new goodies while maintaining most of the prior categories of analysis.&nbsp; This year, thanks to new enhanced metadata capabilities we introduced in recent years, we take a closer than ever look at preorders, box sets and series.&nbsp; <br /><br />The full presentation is embedded below.&nbsp;<br /><br /><span id="goog_797399660"></span><span id="goog_797399672"></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ8lW0ykUbw/VxRDd2kcLpI/AAAAAAAAC5I/mbAlO8YkBq85QbG4JZpT9ePnJ2K2I3-7gCLcB/s1600/arrow.png" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click the<br />swooshy<br />arrow below<br />to share</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="goog_797399673"></span><span id="goog_797399661"></span>To share this presentation, click the swooshy arrow on the lower left of the presentation's frame below, or use this blog post's social sharing features to share this post to Facebook and Twitter.<br /><br />To embed the survey directly on your own blog or website, click the swooshy arrow below, then copy the Embed code, then paste it into your blog or site.<br /><br />Key findings are summarized below the presentation.<br /><br />&nbsp;<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="485" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/j335AhVRmmWpCz" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="595"> </iframe> <div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"> <strong> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/2016-smashwords-survey-how-to-sell-more-books" target="_blank" title="2016 Smashwords Survey - How to sell more books">2016 Smashwords Survey - How to sell more books</a> </strong> from <strong><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords" target="_blank">Smashwords, Inc.</a></strong> </div><br /><h3>Key Findings for 2016 Survey</h3>We looked at actual retail sales over the 12 month period between March 2015 through February 2016.&nbsp; Here are the key findings:<br /><br /><ol><li><b>Fiction dominates</b> - 89.5% of our sales were fiction titles.&nbsp; Despite fiction's dominance, a number of non-fiction titles were among our top performers of the year.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Bestsellers have a greater social media presence</b> - It's not a huge surprise, but better-selling authors are much more likely to have a social media presence in the form of author web sites, blogs and Facebook and Twitter presence.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Romance dominates</b> - Romance continues to dominate sales for Smashwords authors and publishers.&nbsp; Romance accounted for 50% of our sales during the survey period.&nbsp; Writers in other genres and categories can gain much inspiration from romance writers.&nbsp; Romance writers are typically ahead of the curve when it comes to adopting new best practices, and certainly this is underscored by their early adoption of series writing, free series starters and preorder usage.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>New adult romance had the highest average earnings per romance title, but that's only part of the story</b> - For the first time ever we looked at the relative performance of different subcategories of romance.&nbsp; While New Adult, YA and contemporary had the highest average earnings per title within romance, when we examined median performance we found that subcategories of Sci-fi romance, fantasy and erotic romance earned the highest median yields per title.&nbsp; If folks find this analysis useful, maybe I'll do similar analyses of other popular genres.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Box set benefits </b>- We found that although most box sets under-perform the sales of other titles, they appear to provide authors other worthwhile indirect benefits.&nbsp; In fact, measuring box set success by sales performance alone is probably the wrong metric of success.&nbsp; Only four of our top 100 bestselling titles at Smashwords were box sets, but a closer look at the top performers should give authors insight into potential opportunity.&nbsp; The top performing box set during the Survey period was from multi-New York Times bestseller Kristen Ashley, whose box set, <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/491944">The 'Burg Series</a></i>, performed well.&nbsp; It was priced at $17.95 and sports 1.2 million words.&nbsp; The other top-100 performer was R.L. Mathewson's <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/505916">Honeymoon from Hell Box Set</a></i> priced at $4.99 which bundled six short novellas with a combined word count of 140,000.&nbsp; The other two top-performing box sets were limited-time charity box sets organized by Brenda Novak and her annual diabetes fundraising drive. &nbsp; <br /><br />There are typically three reasons authors do box sets:&nbsp; <b>1.</b>&nbsp; Single-author value-priced bundles, such as bundle of a full series.&nbsp; The goal here is to drive sales while giving readers an incentive to commit to a full series or collection of books as opposed to buying books one at a time.&nbsp; <b>2.</b>&nbsp; Multi-author box sets.&nbsp; Here, multiple authors collaborate to cross-promote other authors to their respective fan bases.&nbsp; The best-performing multi-author bundles are usually FREE or priced at $.99, and the objective is to build author awareness among new readers and drive readers into their new favorite authors' books as opposed to earning direct profits from the box set.&nbsp; <b>3.</b>&nbsp; Charity box sets - These are often value-priced.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Free remains a powerful catalyst to drive discovery</b> - Each year, we analyze the effectiveness of free ebooks at generating readership.&nbsp; To keep the numbers apples to apples, we gather the data each year from the same retailer - Apple iBooks, and then compare average downloads per title for free books against the average purchases per title of paid books.&nbsp; This year, the multiplier was 41X, the same result we found in last year's Survey.&nbsp; This means that on average, free books get about 41 times more downloads than books at any price.&nbsp; To learn how to make free work for you, read my recent article at Publishers Weekly, <i><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/69772-the-power-of-free-how-to-sell-more-e-books.html">The Power of Free: How to Sell More Books</a></i>.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Pricing sweet spots</b> - For the last few years, $3.99 was the sweet spot for most indie fiction ebooks.&nbsp; It was the price that maximized both unit downloads and earnings.&nbsp; For the 2016 Survey, $2.99 barely edged out $3.99 for the greatest average unit downloads.&nbsp; However, we observed some shifting on the earnings front.&nbsp; $3.99 retained the mantle for the average price that generates the highest earnings, and $4.99 came in as the second best price, beating out $2.99.&nbsp; I think this speaks to a growing number of professional indie authors finding success migrating to slightly higher prices.&nbsp; In general, most indie authors of full length fiction are probably best served at $3.99 to maximize earnings and unit sales.&nbsp; You'll also see that some strong performing non-fiction titles skewed the earnings data for the higher price ranges.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Box set pricing</b> - For the first time ever, we took a look at how box sets perform at different price points for both unit sales and earnings.&nbsp; The data was a surprise!&nbsp; For unit sales, $.99 blew away the other price points.&nbsp; But for the price point that earned authors the most earnings, $9.99 won out.&nbsp; Please remember this data is based on averages and your book may not conform to the average.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Longer books still sell better</b> - For the fifth year in a row, we found strong evidence that on average, readers prefer longer books.&nbsp; Our top 100 bestsellers averaged 112,000 words, and our top 1,000 bestselling books averaged over 103,000 words.&nbsp; Note that four of the top 100 bestsellers were box sets, and three of those four had high word counts.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Preorder adoption increases</b> - 13.5% of new books released at Smashwords during the Survey period were born as preorders, up from 9.8% in the prior one-year survey period.&nbsp; This means over 85% of authors are still simply uploading their books the day of release. It also means that as an author or publisher looking for an advantage, I'm handing you preorders on a silver platter.&nbsp; Five years from now when everyone is doing preorders, you won't enjoy the same advantage you do now.&nbsp; Based on our data, the authors and publishers that are forgoing preorders are squandering sales opportunities.&nbsp; Why the low adoption?&nbsp; I'll hazard two guesses:&nbsp; <b>1.</b>&nbsp; I think most authors still don't understand how to leverage preorders to maximum benefit.&nbsp; <b>2.</b> Contributing to the confusion, many authors who've tried preorders at Amazon have found them counter-productive because a preorder at Amazon will cannibalize the book's first-day sales rank.&nbsp; I spoke with two authors this week who let their Amazon preorder experience sour their view toward preorders at other retailers.&nbsp; This is a mistake.&nbsp; A preorder at iBooks and Kobo (two of the three largest retailers served by Smashwords) allows accumulated orders to credit toward the first sales sales rank.&nbsp; iBooks is the king of preorders.&nbsp; See the next item...<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Books born as preorders earn more money</b> - Median earnings for books born as preorders were 2.8 times higher than books simply uploaded the day of release, while average earnings were an even greater multiple.&nbsp; This speaks not just to the power of preorders, but it also speaks to the smarts of our bestselling authors, many of whom have now been doing preorders with Smashwords for up to three years. Every preorder gains you incremental benefit in terms of expanded readership, and over the course of years this incremental benefit compounds upon itself like a great investment.&nbsp; This is because the more readers you gain, the easier it becomes to gain even more readers because fans breed more fans through word of mouth.<br /><br />Seven of our top 10 bestselling titles were born as a preorder, as were 55 of our top 100 bestsellers.&nbsp; The strong presence of books-born-as-preorders in our bestseller lists is especially significant considering that only a small minority of books (13.5%) originated as preorders.&nbsp; If you're not releasing preorders with Smashwords, you're missing out!&nbsp; Last June we <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html">announced assetless (metadata-only) preorders</a>, which allow you to list your preorder up to 12 months in advance, even before the book is finished and before you have a cover.&nbsp; As I've been advising now for almost three years, the longer your preorder runway, the more opportunity you have to benefit from preorders.&nbsp; Check out my <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/68748-how-indie-authors-can-use-preorders-to-crack-the-bestseller-lists.html">preorder strategy article I wrote for Publishers Weekly</a> to learn tips on how to integrate preorders into your next book releases.&nbsp; Or visit the <a href="http://smashwords.com/preorder">Ebook Preorder Information</a> page at Smashwords.<br />&nbsp;</li><li><b>Series books outsell standalones</b> - We dug deeper than ever this year to examine how series books perform.&nbsp; Among the top 100 bestselling series with and without free series starters, the series with free series starters continue to earn more sales than series without free series starters.&nbsp; We also found that in general, series books significantly outsell standalones.&nbsp; When we compared the average sales of the top 1,000 bestselling series books against the sales of the top 1,000 standalones, the series books had 195% higher earnings and their median earnings increase was an impressive 127%.&nbsp; As a caveat, keep in mind that our series data is heavily skewed by the popularity of series romance.&nbsp; However, I think the same factors that drive romance readers to love series apply to the readers of genre fiction readers in other categories.&nbsp; Even non-fiction authors can take some inspiration here.&nbsp; Readers love series!&nbsp; There's more in the Survey.&nbsp; And if you're already a series authors at Smashwords, make sure all your series books are linked up in your Dashboard's <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/09/new-smashwords-series-manager-improves.html">Series Manager</a> screen.&nbsp; Series Manager increases the discoverability of your series books at our retailers.</li></ol><h3>Additional background on the Survey</h3>As I caution each year, please remember your book is unique.&nbsp; Your book and your readers may not conform to the aggregated norm.&nbsp; <br /><br />It's simply impossible to use any form of quantitative or qualitative analysis to get inside the minds of readers to understand the multivariate factors that influence their decision to ignore one book but devour another.&nbsp; Readers are probably not even fully conscious of what motivates them.&nbsp; But this impossibility shouldn't stop you - and it won't stop us - from searching for the bread crumbs that lead to useful insights.<br /><br />If you've followed the Survey in prior years, you know the Survey is based upon verified sales data, aggregated from across the Smashwords Distribution Network.&nbsp; This means we included sales data from Apple iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble, Kobo, the Smashwords Store, Scribd, Oyster (now closed), OverDrive and others.<br /><br />Since we distribute only about 300 books to Amazon, it also includes a small amount of data from Amazon.&nbsp; I'd encourage you to consider our data more representative of the book-buying behavior at retailers other than Amazon.<br /><br />For followers of the Smashwords Survey who wish to dig deeper, it's fun to view the results of 2016 within the larger context of our prior surveys.&nbsp; View our prior surveys here: <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.html">Smashwords Survey 2015</a> | <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/07/2014-smashwords-survey-reveals-new.html">Smashwords Survey 2014</a> | <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/05/new-smashwords-survey-helps-authors.html">Smashwords Survey 2013</a> | <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/04/can-ebook-data-reveal-new-viral.html">Smashwords Survey 2012</a>).&nbsp;<br /><br /><h3>Support Future Surveys! </h3>If you distribute with Smashwords, thank you!&nbsp; You are directly contributing not only to our data, but also to our ability to continue bringing you this data. If you don't use Smashwords for distribution, please consider consolidating your distribution with us.&nbsp; We want your sales data, and we want to help you sell more books.<br /><br />Thank you Smashwords authors and publishers!&nbsp; Until next year...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/Hj6B5mzDyv0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/Hj6B5mzDyv0/2016survey-how-to-publish-and-sell-ebooks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)15http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/04/2016survey-how-to-publish-and-sell-ebooks.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-469847528850324424Thu, 07 Apr 2016 03:19:00 +00002016-04-07T10:17:30.760-07:00Smashwords Surpasses 400,000 Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNZYcsJg7kw/VwXPvCHFqGI/AAAAAAAAC4s/ET7A16klRY883pNlPaluUiYm0LIKsAZkw/s1600/four2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNZYcsJg7kw/VwXPvCHFqGI/AAAAAAAAC4s/ET7A16klRY883pNlPaluUiYm0LIKsAZkw/s200/four2.png" width="200" /></a></div>Smashwords on Wednesday surpassed 400,000 books published.<br /><br />It took only eight years and two months. <br /><br />400,000 indie ebooks available for discovery and download.<br /><br />Most of these books are also distributed to major retailers such as iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble, and Kobo, and to library ebook providers OverDrive and Baker &amp; Taylor.<br /><br />These books are here because you put them here.&nbsp; You shared your wordy brilliance with the world.<br /><br />Thank you for inviting Smashwords to join you on your indie authorship journey.<br /><br />mark<br /><br /><br />P.S.<br />Congrats to <a href="https://twitter.com/GoddessPleasure/status/717862949696708608">Goddess Pleasure</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/GoddessPleasure/status/717862949696708608">@GoddessPleasure</a>) for being the first to spot our milestone! <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/oTTQGGytp18" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/oTTQGGytp18/smashwords-surpasses-400000-books.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)13http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/04/smashwords-surpasses-400000-books.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-3611490538401913810Fri, 01 Apr 2016 07:00:00 +00002016-04-13T14:32:15.186-07:00Kindle Power Bucks Solves Book Marketing Challenge (April Fools Satire)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bphOm2O5kPg/Vv166lrXZyI/AAAAAAAAC4E/ioE795BYVYczP8jHY3_fMKwmy5B-G1K_A/s1600/Kindle%2BPower%2BBucks%2Bfinal%2BSmashwords.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spoof of ficticious Kindle Power Bucks service" border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bphOm2O5kPg/Vv166lrXZyI/AAAAAAAAC4E/ioE795BYVYczP8jHY3_fMKwmy5B-G1K_A/s320/Kindle%2BPower%2BBucks%2Bfinal%2BSmashwords.png" title="Kindle Power Bucks - Paid Book Marketing" width="320" /></a></div><i>Note to readers: this post is satire.&nbsp; It was our April Fools post.&nbsp; Whether it's plausible (or already happening as some might argue) I leave you to decide.</i><br /><br />Amazon today announced Kindle Power Bucks, a powerful new ebook marketing program for indie authors.<br /><br />Kindle Power Bucks solves an age-old problem faced by indie authors – most book marketing doesn't work. <br /><br />If you're tired of wasting money on advertising, or sick of prostituting yourself on social media, read on. <br /><br />With Kindle Power Bucks, authors pay only if readers read their books. It’s the most accountable paid marketing tool I’ve ever seen.<br /><br />Here's how it works:<br /><br />To enroll your ebooks, go to your KDP dashboard, click on the new KPB bidding tool, register your credit card or direct bank account for auto-billing, and then click to the book you want to promote.<br /><br />Next, enter the bounty you're willing to pay for each page the reader reads.&nbsp; Amazon calls this the PPP, which stands for Payment Per Page.&nbsp; Rates start at one penny per page.&nbsp; Similar to Google Adwords, the PPP tool will suggest appropriate bids that will get you the best results.&nbsp; As the final step, enter your daily marketing budget for the campaign.<br /><br />Now grab a bowl of popcorn, sit back and watch the real-time graphs flicker and unfold before your very eyes as your ebook earns page-reads in real time.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihMxZ_xiWGU/Vv3puC87qLI/AAAAAAAAC4c/rNrcnPqYTvMuMGKTHh95o8InMqdVP2dCA/s1600/kindlecharts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Do angles exist? Yes, right angles. " border="0" height="257" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihMxZ_xiWGU/Vv3puC87qLI/AAAAAAAAC4c/rNrcnPqYTvMuMGKTHh95o8InMqdVP2dCA/s320/kindlecharts.png" title="Hourly sales chart for DO ANGLES EXIST" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real time Kindle Power Bucks Chart<br />Readers per Hour</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>It’s almost too good to be true. The catch is that this is a paid marketing program.&nbsp; You're paying readers to read your book.&nbsp; But at least you know you're getting read.&nbsp; You're building readership.<br /><br />Based on early indications, readers and indie authors alike are responding with enthusiasm to the new program.<br /><br />Amazon reports that indie authors enrolled over 250,000 books into the Kindle Power Bucks program in the first few hours.<br /><br />The first authors to enroll are already seeing incredible results. <br /><br />As I write this (early morning April 1), 85 of the top 100 best-selling books in the Kindle Store are Kindle Power Bucks books.<br /><br />The program makes free books look expensive by comparison. <br /><br />Kindle Power Bucks offers multiple exclusive program benefits that give you an advantage over authors who choose not to enroll, such as sales rank triple credits.&nbsp; This makes KPB books more discoverable and more desirable to Kindle customers, and earn them more exposure in the also bought recommendations.<br /><br />Amazon counts each completed book as if it's a full sale to a verified customer, and reports this data to the bestseller lists.&nbsp; This all but ensures the most popular KBP books will earn spots in next week’s New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.<br /><br />In another innovative twist, partial reads accrue credit toward full reads.&nbsp; For example, let’s say your book is 200 pages and the first 100 readers quit after two pages.&nbsp; That would equal 200 pages read so you'd earn a full read credit and the triple credit toward sales rank.&nbsp; <br /><br />This means you can start supercharging your sales rank within minutes of enrolling your book in KPB, even if readers never finish your book.<br /><br />To further help drive discovery, Amazon makes it easy for readers to search for the highest-paying books in their favorite genres.<br /><br />Participating authors are reporting that KPB books are earning better reviews than they did prior to enrollment.&nbsp; Perhaps this is because paid readers are happier readers.<br /><h4>Bids Topping $1.00 Per Page </h4>Early bidding is heated as authors compete for readers.&nbsp; Authors in competitive categories are bidding up to $1.00 per page for the highest visibility spots, which means some readers are earning over $300 per book. <br /><br />It'll be interesting to see how KBP influences reading behavior.&nbsp; Will readers of drier subject categories demand higher payments? <br /><br />To prevent program abuse and help authors stretch their marketing budgets, Amazon caps the monthly earnings for each individual reader at $10,000.&nbsp; I've heard rumblings that some romance readers have complained this cap discriminates against them since romance readers are known to read multiple books per day.<br /><br />If your book's popularity exhausts your marketing budget to the point your credit card is maxed out or the available cash in your bank account is consumed, no problem.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7Y2RVAJhGY/Vv16_NtfGvI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/14M5C3iHHjQDkp49IngdqfxOc1UM01-4g/s1600/KDP%2BMortgage.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Write. Publish. Spend!" border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7Y2RVAJhGY/Vv16_NtfGvI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/14M5C3iHHjQDkp49IngdqfxOc1UM01-4g/s200/KDP%2BMortgage.png" title="Amazon Mortgage logo" width="200" /></a></div>Amazon has you covered with an innovative new financing option called KDP Mortgage.&nbsp; Authors can apply online for instant home equity credit lines of up to $500,000.<br /><br />As with all new changes to the KDP Select program, there will be winners and losers.<br /><br />“I’m winning,” said Hugh Barnacle, a writer of dystopian fiction.&nbsp; “For my book launch this morning, I set my marketing budget at $250,000.&nbsp; Within minutes I topped the charts.&nbsp; It’s so easy - anyone with enough home equity can become a bestselling author if they’re committed.&nbsp; If I were a lap-sized poodle, I’d be humping Jeff Bezos’ leg right now.”<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6i_r8Z7KCpY/Vv17I3uNywI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/DwT2bJWWNdYao6YWJ4ZvTx_RI-p8x21kg/s1600/KDP_Select_Banner._V386215164_.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Invest more money. Reach more readers." border="0" height="49" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6i_r8Z7KCpY/Vv17I3uNywI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/DwT2bJWWNdYao6YWJ4ZvTx_RI-p8x21kg/s320/KDP_Select_Banner._V386215164_.png" title="KDP Select logo" width="320" /></a></div>Authors with smaller marketing budgets may find their books disadvantaged in the Kindle store as readers modify their reading habits and decide it’s more profitable to read books than to purchase books.<br /><br />Authors may also decide that reading is more profitable than writing.<br /><br />“I love the new program as a reader, but I hate it as an author,” said April Sunshine, a writer of New Age fiction.&nbsp; “First Kindle Unlimited devalued my books by paying only $1.40 per qualified read. Then they devalued my writing further by paying me less than a half penny per page, which means my earnings dropped to $1.00 for full reads in the US and only 25 cents for my books in India.&nbsp; Then they redefined how they define a page and my earnings dropped again.&nbsp; And now Amazon wants me to pay <i>my readers</i> to read <i>my books</i>?!?!&nbsp; Who’s going to feed my children?&nbsp; I’m quitting writing to become a full-time KPB reader instead. It pays better.&nbsp; Please tell me this an April Fools joke.”<br /><br />Yes, it is.&nbsp; Sorry.<br /><br />Here are links to my prior April First posts:<br /><br />2015 - <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/03/kindle-author-eliminates-need-for.html">New Amazon Service Eliminates the Need for Authors</a><br />2013:&nbsp; <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/03/new-smashwords-weed-service-treats.html">New Smashwords WEED Service Treats Common Author Ailments</a><br />2011:&nbsp; <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/03/smashwords-acquires-amazon.html">Smashwords Acquires Amazon, New Company Called Smashazon</a><br />2009:&nbsp; <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2009/04/jk-rowling-publishes-harry-potter.html">JK Rowling Publishes Harry Potter Ebooks at Smashwords</a> <br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/LnUXRh0Y2Iw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/LnUXRh0Y2Iw/kindle-power-bucks-ebooks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)32http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/04/kindle-power-bucks-ebooks.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-342472894835708032Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:45:00 +00002016-03-10T12:46:05.911-08:00A Call to End the Cuban Book Embargo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALlssYNTjq4/VuHC-sOpgTI/AAAAAAAAC3k/RKywrdOiCPM1tc8eAYXO8rj4NJdF1frCA/s1600/PW%2B16_03_14_Cuba_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALlssYNTjq4/VuHC-sOpgTI/AAAAAAAAC3k/RKywrdOiCPM1tc8eAYXO8rj4NJdF1frCA/s320/PW%2B16_03_14_Cuba_Cover.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The American publishing community joined together today to call on the US Congress and President Obama to end the book embargo against Cuba.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/publishers-petition-white-house-to-end-cuba-book-embargo-1457629202">The Wall Street Journal</a> and <a href="http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/69621-a-letter-from-pw-on-the-cuban-book-embargo.html">Publishers Weekly</a> covered the story earlier today.<br /><br />On Monday, in an unprecedented show of support, Publishers Weekly will print the petition on the front cover of the magazine.&nbsp; You can see a preview of what it will look like at left.&nbsp; Over 45 companies, organizations, associations and individuals signed the Publishers Weekly petition, including the CEOs of three big 5 publishers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/69612-end-the-book-embargo-against-cuba.html">You can view the text of industry petition here</a>.<br /><br />There's also a new, public petition at Whitehouse.gov.&nbsp; Add your support now by <a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba">signing the public petition here</a>.&nbsp; <br /><br />The American writing community is well-represented in the Publishers Weekly petition with backing from Romance Writers of America (RWA), Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), California Writers Club, Sisters in Crime, and the San Francisco Writers Conference.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>"Access to books and literature is a fundamental human right.&nbsp; It's for this reason the California Writers Club, an organization representing over 2,000 writers, is proud to sign this important petition to end the book embargo against Cuba."</i><br />- David George<br />&nbsp; President, CWC.</blockquote><br />Among the publishers and distributors signing are the CEOs of Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Simon &amp; Schuster, Sourcebooks, O’Reilly Media, Kensington, Open Road Integrated Media, Smashwords, Independent Book Group (IPG) and Baker &amp; Taylor.<br />See the end of the blog post for the full petition and the signers.<br /><br /><br /><h3>Americans - Sign the Petition Today!</h3>There are two petitions in this campaign.&nbsp; The first petition is the industry petition in which CEOs and top executives drawn from multiple sectors of the U.S. publishing community voiced their support for an end to the Cuban book embargo.&nbsp; This is the petition that will appear on the front of Publishers Weekly next week.<br /><br />The second petition is a petition for the American public.&nbsp; This petition, hosted at Whitehouse.gov, calls on President Obama to take immediate steps to eliminate the embargo as it pertains to books and educational materials.<br /><br />If you live in the US, please sign it now at <a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba">https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba</a><br /><br />Please sign it and share the link to the petition with everyone you know.&nbsp; Tweet it, Facebook it, bang pots and pans for it!<br /><br />If we attract 100,000 signatures, the Obama administration will be obligated to issue a public response at the link above.<br /><br /><h3>The Story Behind the Petition</h3>I conceived of the petition last month while visiting Cuba as part of 40 member publishing industry delegation organized by Publishers Weekly and Combined Book Exhibit.<br /><br />The delegation was organized by Publishers Weekly and Combined Book Exhibit. You can read about the delegation in the Publishers Weekly stories by Calvin Reid (<a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/trade-shows/article/69463-u-s-cuban-publishing-executives-vow-closer-cooperation.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/69418-in-panels-realities-of-cuban-publishing-market-laid-bare.html">here</a>).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-703rcD5RX9s/VuG29AsFkKI/AAAAAAAAC3U/8jmBRAY30Us-NjoIfFtWxBGAru0RbNWAw/s1600/cubaembargographic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-703rcD5RX9s/VuG29AsFkKI/AAAAAAAAC3U/8jmBRAY30Us-NjoIfFtWxBGAru0RbNWAw/s320/cubaembargographic.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Several days of meetings, held with the support of the Cuban government, represented an historic milestone. The purpose was to build bridges of understanding and explore opportunities for greater cultural and economic collaboration.<br /><br />The American delegates included authors, publishers, distributors, literary agents, service providers, consultants, and independent booksellers. Cuba was represented by officials from the Cuban Book Institute, the Ministry of Culture and the Cuban Writers Association, as well as Cuban authors, publishers, academics, and students.<br /><br />While listening to the Cuban authors and publishers, I was struck by how horribly harmful the embargo is to their authors, publishers and readers.<br /><br />Due to the US embargo, it’s extraordinarily expensive and difficult for Cuban publishers to gain access to even the simplest raw materials of bookmaking, such as paper and ink.&nbsp; And for self-published authors, even if they had access to self-publishing services or book printers, the set-up fees of such print services would be prohibitively expensive.<br /><br />Typical Cubans, whether they’re doctors or janitors, earn the equivalent of less than $20 US dollars per month.&nbsp; This means they don’t have a lot of disposable income to purchase books or publish books.<br /><br />Yet the Cuban people love books.&nbsp; I attended the Havana Book Fair where over the course of a few days hundreds of thousands of Cubans attended.&nbsp; I noticed that the audience skewed toward younger millennials.&nbsp; These kids and young adults are the future of Cuba.&nbsp; They’re bright, well-educated, eager to read more books and they're excited about the warming relations with the US.<br /><br />Cuba has an adult literacy rate that is nearly 100%.&nbsp; Compare that to the the US where adult literacy is only about 80%.&nbsp; Cuba has a rich literary heritage.&nbsp; They value books.<br /><br />Imagine the amazing stories locked between the minds and fingertips of the Cuban people, just waiting to be revealed to the world.&nbsp; This is why I created Smashwords.&nbsp; I want to help these writers and publishers overcome the artificial barriers that prevent their words from reaching reader eyeballs.<br /><br />Of the approximate 45 publishers in Cuba – all state sponsored and cash-starved – they don’t have access to US markets, or to the services and expertise of the American publishing community.<br /><br />If you think about it, much of the enabling infrastructure of global publishing flows through the US.&nbsp; It's where you'll find the major publishers, distributors, literary agents and the myriad other service providers involved in the production, distribution and sale of books and bookmaking technology.<br /><br />The technology and services of Smashwords, for example, could make it fast, free and easy for any Cuban writer or publisher to produce and distribute an ebook.&nbsp; We can provide Cuban writers access to the free tools to reach a global Spanish-language audience.&nbsp; Imagine how transformative even a few dollars in royalties would be to a Cuban writer’s life.<br /><br />For Cuban readers, I want to make our 60,000 free books available to them along with our 350,000 other low-cost ebooks.&nbsp; I want to make it possible for Cuban readers to digitally read the books of Cuban and other Spanish-language writers too.<br /><br />Yet the economic embargo prohibits us from helping writers, readers and publishers in Cuba.&nbsp; The embargo prevents our retailer and library partners from operating in Cuba.&nbsp; Financial restrictions prohibit our payment processor – PayPal – from paying authors and publishers in Cuba.&nbsp; PayPal tells me they want to do business in Cuba but they can’t until the financial transaction restrictions of the embargo are lifted.<br /><br />During our interactions with our Cuban counterparts, it quickly became clear that both sides of the delegation were eager to work with one another, but we all felt powerless to do so due to the embargo.<br /><br />So I started wondering what we could do to fix the problem.&nbsp; Obviously, the answer was to end the embargo.&nbsp; So the crazy idea I came up with was for members of our delegation to take steps to end the embargo.&nbsp; Surely, if the multi-billion-dollar US publishing industry could come together and voice their support for ending the embargo, politicians who are otherwise ignoring their citizen constituents would listen to their corporate constituents, right?<br /><br />I shared my idea with Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly and Joe Matthews of International Publishers Group.&nbsp; They thought it had merit.&nbsp; Soon, word started spreading within the delegation and several people approached me and said they'd support such an effort.&nbsp; And then, as I was participating on a panel the next day, a member of the Cuban delegation asked if there was anything we could do to end the embargo.&nbsp; With that soft ball pitch, I said yeah, maybe, we've been batting around this crazy idea...<br /><br />Following the visit to Cuba, we formed a petition committee of Publishers Weekly (Jim Milliot, Cevin Breyerman, George Slowik, Jr., Calvin Reid) , Combined Book Exhibit (Jon Malinowski and Janet Fritsch) and Jim Azevedo and myself of Smashwords. Publishers Weekly immediately committed to put this on the front of the magazine.&nbsp; I drafted the original petition and then we collaborated to edit and refine it, and then we worked together to set the strategy for the petition.&nbsp; What you see to today is the result of an amazing collaborative effort by my fellow organizers and of course the participation of the petition signers, many of whom understand and appreciate the delicate political environment in the US today.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B_VhfzYo6MM/VuHIEiMSbuI/AAAAAAAAC30/ZYRRDpILBq8Y1LlXwZ9mL8N1jY2LulJuA/s1600/Petition%2Bsigners%2B-%2BCuba_name%2Blistings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B_VhfzYo6MM/VuHIEiMSbuI/AAAAAAAAC30/ZYRRDpILBq8Y1LlXwZ9mL8N1jY2LulJuA/s400/Petition%2Bsigners%2B-%2BCuba_name%2Blistings.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Today, these petition signers made a bold statement that they will stand on the right side of history despite the many voices that seek to perpetuate the past injustices of the economic embargo.<br /><br />A big thanks to Jeffrey Trachtenberg and his editors at The Wall Street Journal who saw fit to give this story the attention it deserved.&nbsp; The Wall Street Journal story has elevated our effort to the attention of the broader American public.&nbsp; The American public now has the opportunity to apply friendly encouragement to their political representatives, challenging our country to stand on the right side of history by lifting the embargo. <br /><br /><h3>The Story Behind the Embargo, and What Comes Next</h3>The US embargo against Cuba has a dark and twisted past.&nbsp; What we in America refer to today as the embargo (and what Cubans refer to as “the blockade”) grew out of a tangled spaghetti mess of presidential executive orders followed by Congressional actions and statutes, and followed by escalating retaliations and rhetoric on both sides.<br /><br />Books have been written on the origins and impacts of the embargo.&nbsp; I'll try to summarize in a few paragraphs.<br /><br />In a nutshell, much of the mess started in 1960 when President Eisenhower decided to cancel 700,000 tons of sugar imports from Cuba to the U.S.&nbsp; The Cuban government then responded by nationalizing American oil refineries without compensation (why do some of America’s biggest world blunders always come back to oil?), and then we added an embargo, and then they became dependent upon Russia for oil and military stuff, and then there was the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis in which the world our parents knew almost ended in a puff of radioactive dust, and then the US Bay of Pigs invasion (oops, sorry), etc etc.<br /><br />Along the way the US has criticized the Castro regime for human rights violations as if this is justification for maintaining the embargo.&nbsp; I don’t doubt such violations (I met a woman on my flight to Cuba whose brother was shot in the ‘60s for trying to escape Cuba), but really, isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black?<br /><br />The US government has been no angel in world affairs.&nbsp; Yeah, we deserve some respect for helping to save humanity from Nazi and Japanese tyranny in World War II.&nbsp; But before and after that we had our fair share of screw ups along the way, like Americans stealing America from the native American Indians, or the dark stain of slavery, or the Iran/Contra deal, or the CIA overthrow of multiple democratically elected governments, or for more contemporary examples just look at how our government allows its own people to be poisoned by lead in Flint just to save a few bucks, or how we allow big corporations to buy politicians, or how we continue to cozy up to autocrats and dictators in oil-rich countries (there's oil again!) who strip their citizens of basic human rights, or who behead bloggers for offending Allah or whatever.<br /><br />But I digress.&nbsp; I love America.&nbsp; We’re a wonderful country with wonderful people but we can be pretty clueless quite a bit of the time.&nbsp; In the case of Cuba, we’ve been stupid for about five decades.&nbsp; Innocent Cubans have suffered.<br /><br />It’s actually pretty amazing the Cuban people don’t hate Americans.&nbsp; Yet you meet with them and what you see are a bright and optimistic people who feel incredibly connected to us, and who want to be more connected.&nbsp; Most Americans who visit Cuba end up feeling the same reciprocal desire to connect.&nbsp; To be ambassadors for a better aspect of America.<br /><br />After all, as any world traveler will tell you, we all have more in common than we have apart.&nbsp; All too often we allow trivial things like politics, religion, race and place of birth to separate us.&nbsp; Engagement leads to peace, understanding, respect and mutual benefit.<br /><br />President Obama realized the embargo was failing to achieve anything productive, and decided that if he could help expose the Cuban people to American culture, tourist dollars and information, he could achieve real progress.<br /><br />No doubt, the relationship to come will be fraught with stumbles, bumbles, squabbles and awkward moments, not terribly dissimilar to teenagers experiencing their first romantic relationship.<br /><br />The Obama administration has reestablished diplomatic relations with the Cuban government.&nbsp; They’ve reopened respective embassies and also made strides to relax travel restrictions and permit limited commercial transactions such as in the field of telecommunications so that the Cuban people can gain increased access to outside information via the Internet.<br /><br />There’s a great exclusive interview with Obama from December at Yahoo News in which reporter Olivier Knox asks Obama to articulate his Cuba strategy.&nbsp; In the interview, Obama talks about how the executive branch (i.e. the President) can make tweaks and modifications to the embargo despite the gridlock and obstruction of current Congressional leaders.&nbsp; It starts with a two minute sample and then jumps in to the full interview.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/politics/obama-really-wants-to-go-to-cuba-but-only-if-the-101913219.html">https://www.yahoo.com/politics/obama-really-wants-to-go-to-cuba-but-only-if-the-101913219.html</a><br /><br />After listening to the interview, I decided that Obama would really want to lift the book embargo if only someone would suggest it to him.&nbsp; After all, when you listen to his criteria for the modifications he’s made to date – providing Cubans access to more information via the Internet, more access to American Culture and business practices, doing things that directly benefit the Cuban people, sharing American cultural and humanitarian values – then it’s quite obvious that books could help him achieve his objectives.<br /><br />Books promote greater cross-cultural understanding and economic development.&nbsp; Books are the most powerful vehicle for knowledge sharing and free expression.<br /><br />Next week on March 17, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-obama-idUSKCN0WA2AB">according to Reuters</a>, the Obama administration is expected to announce further easing of restrictions related to commercial and humanitarian assistance.&nbsp; Their announcement comes on the eve of President Obama’s visit to Cuba March 21-22.<br /><br />We want President Obama to address the book embargo in his March 17 announcement.&nbsp; With your help, this might be possible.<br /><br />In my opinion, the US economic embargo against Cuba is nothing short of a national embarrassment.&nbsp; It accomplished nothing other than harming the Cuban people.&nbsp; It’s anachronistic and antagonistic to basic humanitarian and American values.<br /><br />The American people seem to agree.&nbsp; According to a <a href="http://www.people-press.org/2015/07/21/growing-public-support-for-u-s-ties-with-cuba-and-an-end-to-the-trade-embargo/">Pew poll</a> last year, 72% of Americans now favor an end the US economic embargo against Cuba, including 59% of Republicans.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/1630/cuba.aspx">Gallup</a> has been tracking American sentiment toward Cuba and the embargo for many years, and their findings confirm the Pew finding. Most Cuban-Americans now support an end to the embargo.<br /><br />Only the US Congress has the power to completely abolish the embargo, and despite growing bipartisan support for the embargo’s end, it’s unlikely we’ll see the embargo lifted until after the next election in November.<br /><br />Two of the three Republican candidates for President – Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio – have spoken out against the end of the embargo.&nbsp; Ironically, their parents came from Cuba.&nbsp; To the young Cubans I spoke to, these two are a national embarrassment.<br /><br />But Cruz and Rubio come from a different generation, a generation whose parents fled Cuba in the '60s for political reasons.&nbsp; It’s this influential generation of Cuban-Americas that has made it politically impossible for rapprochement in the past.&nbsp; Though according to polls, even this older generation is slowly warming to the idea of normalized relations with Cuba.<br /><br />The more recent waves of Cuban immigrants coming to America since the 1980s have come for economic opportunity.&nbsp; These younger Cubans are much more in favor of normalized relations with Cuba, and much more in favor of ending the embargo.&nbsp; It's this new generation of politically influential Cuban-Americans that give American politicians the political cover they need to chart a new course.<br /><br />According to a December 2015 survey conducted by the research firm <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article50333010.ece/binary/Read%20the%20full%20survey">Bendixon and Amadi</a> and referenced by the <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article50333245.html">Miami Herald</a> - 77% of Cuban-Americans age 18-49 support normalized relations between Cuba and the United States.&nbsp; Fully 53% of Cuban-Americans now support an end to the US embargo, and among 18-49 year olds, the percentage is 66%.<br /><br />Last year, Donald Trump went against his own party by expressing support for Obama’s efforts to normalize relations.&nbsp; Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are also in favor of ending the embargo.&nbsp; One of these individuals is likely to become our next president.<br /><br />So while Congressional action is unlikely in the near term, President Obama has authority under the executive branch to make immediate modifications to the embargo.<br /><br />We think it’s time to add books to the list.<br /><br />Please join our campaign by signing the public petition today at Whitehouse.gov.&nbsp; The link is <a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba">https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba</a><br /><br /><br /><b>The two petitions follow below</b><br /><br />The Industry Petition to appear in Publishers Weekly:<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b>END THE BOOK EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA</b></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/69612-end-the-book-embargo-against-cuba.html"><b>View list of signers at Publishers Weekly</b></a></div><br />In February 2016, a delegation of approximately 40 American publishing industry representatives met with their publishing counterparts in Havana, Cuba. The two days of meetings, held with the support of the Cuban government, represented an historic milestone. Its purpose was to build bridges of understanding and explore opportunities for greater cultural and economic collaboration.<br /><br />The American delegates included authors, publishers, distributors, literary agents, service providers, consultants, and independent booksellers. Cuba was represented by officials from the Cuban Book Institute, the Ministry of Culture and the Cuban Writers Association, as well as Cuban authors, publishers, academics, and students.<br /><br />The undersigned companies and individuals - drawn from the American delegation as well as other leading U.S. publishing industry participants - hereby call upon the U.S. Congress and President Obama to lift the economic embargo against Cuba as it pertains to books and educational materials.&nbsp; This call is consistent with the will of the American people, who, according to a 2015 Gallup and Pew polls, overwhelmingly support the elimination of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. <br /><br />Our position:<br /><ul><li>We ask Congress and the President to lift the US trade embargo against Cuba related to the production, distribution and sale of books and educational materials.</li><li>The U.S. trade embargo is harmful to book culture and runs counter to American ideals of free expression.</li><li>Books are catalysts for greater cross-cultural understanding, economic development, free expression, and positive social change.</li><li>Cuba boasts a rich and proud literary tradition with much to contribute to book culture.</li><li>Cuba's adult literacy rate-nearly 100%-is among the highest in the world.</li><li>Exciting commercial opportunities exist for the American and Cuban publishing communities to collaborate for the benefit of readers and writers everywhere.</li><li>The American book publishing community stands ready to help Cuba's writers and publishers gain access to the global book market, and to help the Cuban people gain greater access to the amazing diversity of books published by American publishers.</li></ul><br /><br />The Public Petition at Whitehouse.gov (<a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba">Click here to sign today!</a>)<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-book-embargo-against-cuba">End the Book Embargo Against Cuba</a></h3><br /><ul><li>On the eve of his historic visit to Cuba March 21-22, we call on President Obama to utilize executive powers to immediately lift the economic embargo against Cuba as it pertains to books and educational materials.</li><li>As a basic human right, readers everywhere deserve greater access to books and literature.</li><li>Books promote cross-cultural understanding, economic development, free expression and positive social change.</li><li>The book embargo runs counter to American ideals of free expression.</li><li>Cuba's adult literacy rate – at nearly 100% - is among the highest in the world.</li><li>Cuba boasts a rich literary heritage.</li><li>End the embargo to make the works of American and Cuban writers more accessible to readers in each country.</li><li>72% of Americans support an end to the trade embargo against Cuba (Pew, 2015)</li></ul><br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/jPm6TQ4SgkE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/jPm6TQ4SgkE/a-call-to-end-cuban-book-embargo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)40http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/03/a-call-to-end-cuban-book-embargo.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-6921085618877271980Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:54:00 +00002015-12-31T14:57:22.939-08:00Smashwords Year in Review 2015 and Plans for 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQafPqLJ_Pc/VoV9UnJd9qI/AAAAAAAAC2A/s3wHW3Nbj7M/s1600/sw%2Bgrowth%2Bchart.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQafPqLJ_Pc/VoV9UnJd9qI/AAAAAAAAC2A/s3wHW3Nbj7M/s320/sw%2Bgrowth%2Bchart.png" width="320" /></a></div>Each year I write an annual Smashwords year in review and then preview what's coming for the new year. Welcome to the 2015/2016 edition!<br /><br />The short version of this post is that amid a general slowdown in the ebook market, characterized by a glut of high-quality low-cost ebooks and flat or declining sales industry-wide, <br />Smashwords is focused on the long term.<br /><br />Although we've been in business for almost eight years, we still feel like we've only begun to scratch the surface of what's possible. We're looking ten years ahead and laying the groundwork today to enable a better long term future for the constituencies we serve - authors, publishers, retailers, libraries, readers, and book culture. <br /><br />A quick introduction for the thousands of authors and publishers who are new to Smashwords this year: I founded the company in 2008 to make it fast, free and easy for any writer, anywhere in the world, to self-publish an ebook. In 2009 we began distributing our books to major retailers starting with Barnes &amp; Noble. Today we've grown to become the world's largest distributor of self-published ebooks. Over the years we've opened up exciting new sales channels for indie authors and small indie publishers that were previously inaccessible or didn't exist. <br /><br />Smashwords tools help you manage the complex digital logistics of ebook distribution from a single console. These tools help you publish and distribute with greater pride, professionalism and success. We've developed an amazing global distribution network backed by strong relationships with great partners that help put your books in front of more readers than ever before. <br /><br />A mere eight years ago, back in the dark ages of publishing and before the advent of Smashwords, publishing was a print-centric business where print accounted for 99.5% of book sales. A few large gatekeeper publishers in New York controlled which writers could become authors, which books could be read by readers, and which books reached bookstores. Bookstores, constrained by limited physical shelf space, could only stock a small fraction of available books.<br /><br />Those print books were static objects. They rarely changed their form post-publication, and most new releases were quickly forced out of print to make way for the next batch of books. <br /><br />Contrast the conventional print book with today's self-published ebooks. Self-published ebooks are dynamic, living and immortal creatures, constantly evolving with new metadata, new cover images and new book content, as the author or publisher iterates to make their book more visible and more desirable to readers. Indie ebooks never go out of print. Ebook stores will stock them forever.<br /><br />Ebook self-publishing has transformed publishing for the better. Thanks to ebook publishing platforms such as Smashwords and the retailers and library partners who have embraced indie ebooks with a passion, every writer in the world now has the freedom to publish and the freedom to be discovered, read and judged by their readers. Readers are the new gatekeepers. <br /><br />The good news for indie authors and the small indie presses we serve is that the transformation is still in its infancy. Indies are capturing market share.&nbsp; Few in the traditional publishing industry appreciate the revolutionary changes yet to come thanks to self publishing. Indie authors know what's coming, as do our retailers and library partners. They see that every year, more and more readers are turning to self-published ebooks. Most readers don't know or care if a book is self published. They want a great read and a fair price. Indies are publishing great reads at great prices.<br /><br />At Smashwords, we work for you. Unlike publishing services that earn income selling expensive services and packages to authors, we don't sell anything other than ebooks. I designed the Smashwords business model so our interests are 100% aligned with the interests of our authors, publishers, retailers, and library partners. If we help you connect books to readers then we earn a small commission and a seat at your table.<br /><br />We're working to create competitive advantages for Smashwords authors and publishers. Every day we're asking ourselves how we can add more value so that you can be more successful distributing with us than without us.<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;">Smashwords 2015 Year in Review</h3><br />Here's a summary of noteworthy events and milestones of interest to the Smashwords community in 2015.<br /><h3><b>SERVICE MILESTONES</b></h3><b>Expanded global distribution</b> - Smashwords expanded the reach of our global distribution network in 2015. In October we announced a deal with Gardners which will deliver our books to over 2,000 public and academic libraries, and to over 400 small ebooks stores powered by Gardners. Earlier this month we added three new distribution partners with Odilo, Tolino and Yuzu, further expanding the global reach of Smashwords titles in North America, South America and Europe.&nbsp; These last three partners improve our reach to libraries, retailers and college bookstores.<br /><br /><b>Assetless preorders</b> - In June we <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html">announced assetless preorders</a>, our most ambitious new feature since we launched Smashwords in 2008. It was an enormous technical undertaking that involved our entire engineering team and over one year of beta testing and development. It couldn't have happened without the close collaboration and support of our awesome retailer partners, especially iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo. It was a pretty radical idea to give self-published writers the ability to establish preorder listings up to 12 months in advance, even though the retailer had no assurance that the author would deliver the book on time. We developed flexible policies and systems to automatically help authors meet deadlines, or to modify onsale dates as needed.<br /><br />Suffice it to say the new assetless preorder capability has reaped incredible results for many of our authors. If you don't have your next 12 months of book releases up on assetless preorder today, do yourself a favor and make it happen ASAP. As we found in the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.html">2015 Smashwords Survey</a>, books born as preorders earn more sales than books uploaded the day of release.&nbsp;&nbsp; The longer preorder runway enabled by assetless gives you additional time to market your book and accumulate orders.<br /><br />To learn how to make assetless preorders work for you, check out the links to my various blog posts, articles and best practices training materials at the <a href="http://smashwords.com/preorder">Smashwords Preorder page</a>.<br /><br /><b>Faster shipments</b> - In support of the assetless preorder launch, we redesigned our shipment systems, and as a result our shipments are faster and more reliable than ever. For iBooks, we're now shipping continuously 24X7 and it's not uncommon for our books or metadata updates to appear in their store within an hour of shipment. For Kobo, we now provide them hourly shipments 24X7. For Barnes &amp; Noble, we still ship once daily on business days, but thanks to improvements on their end, they're now listing our books and preorders faster than ever, usually within about 30 hours of our delivery. Thank you retail partners!&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Better alerting on book status</b> - In May we introduced automated email notifications that alert you the moment your books are reviewed for Premium Catalog distribution, which means you're immediately aware of status and next steps. In October we introduced a new monthly alert to help you identify books that are awaiting modification prior to distribution. Combined, these two tools help authors and publishers obtain full distribution as quickly as possible.<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Widgets</b> - This summer we released Smashwords Widgets. This new tool makes it easy for you and your readers to build attractive and dynamic book promotion widgets for placement on blogs and web sites. The widgets are customizable. To utilize our widget builder for your books, click to any book page, then click the "Create Widget" link below the shopping cart. Or, <b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/widgets?bookId=305">click here to play with the widgets now for the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide</a></b>.<br /><br /><b>Improved retailer merchandising for Smashwords authors and publishers</b> - For many years now, we've worked behind the scenes with our retailers to help them identify great Smashwords titles that are worthy of merchandising love on their store's home page. Hundreds, if not thousands of Smashwords authors have benefited from these efforts. For the last two years, we've provided iBooks weekly "hot lists" of our top-performing titles as well as other titles we think deserve merchandising love based on the author's track record or performance at other Smashwords retailers.<br /><br />In 2015 we began delivering customized hot lists to the merchandising teams of Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo. In 2016 you'll see us continue to enhance our ability to help retailers identify the titles that merit additional feature love. The best thing about our merchandising support is that it's entirely merit-based. Leveraging our unique vantage point as your distributor, we can track audited sales and preorders (iBooks and Kobo) across multiple retailers so we can surface titles and authors we know will please readers and perform well if given additional love. <br /><br />For example, if your book is performing well at iBooks but hasn't been discovered yet by readers at Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo, your strong iBooks performance alone could get your book surfaced and recommended to the merchandising managers at the other retailers.&nbsp; Or let's say you're having a huge breakout at Kobo, which is a smaller retailer than iBooks and Barnes &amp; Noble. Your success at Kobo can increase your visibility to the merchandising teams at iBooks and B&amp;N.&nbsp; It's yet another reason to consolidate your distribution with Smashwords!<br /><br /><b>More free best practices resources</b> - As I mentioned in my <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/2016-book-publishing-predictions.html">2016 Publishing Predictions</a> post last week, an author's ability to implement best practices is what separates the strong sellers from the poor sellers. Best practices implementation isn't a static, one-time activity. Instead, we view best practices as a continuous approach to publishing in which you're ever-evolving and always working to do everything better. Better covers, better books, better book descriptions, etc.&nbsp; Best practices are the great equalizers of the publishing world.<br /><br />Every indie author has the opportunity to implement dozens of best practices. Each best practice, well-implemented, gives you an incremental competitive advantage for discoverability and sales. We invest a lot of effort each year to light your path. Whether its Jim Azevedo (our marketing director) or myself teaching classes at writers conferences, libraries or in online webinars, or through my writings here on the blog or my free ebooks (<i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431">The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/305">The Smashwords Book Marketing Guide</a></i>) and elsewhere, we teach you how to implement best practices.<br /><br />In July I presented a six-hour ebook publishing intensive at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference. Following the conference, I posted the complete slides with additional annotations of the presentation here on the blog in a post titled, <b><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/07/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.html">How to Publish Ebooks</a></b>. In it you'll find an introduction to ebook publishing; a summary of 16 of the most important best practices; a guide to ebook preorder strategy; and a guide to iBooks merchandising (much of what I teach about iBooks merchandising will help you maximize your chances of getting merchandising love at other retailers as well).&nbsp; The slide deck of 283 slides has already been viewed over 25,000 times.<br /><br />For a good collection of links to the best of our best practices training materials, visit the <b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords">How to Publish and Distribute with Smashwords</a></b> page and scroll down to section at the bottom labeled, "Great Resources to Help You Publish Like a Pro." <br /><br /><b>Daily sales chart improved</b> - Back in June 2014 we introduced a cool new Dashboard sales reporting feature called <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/06/smashwords-adds-daily-sales-reporting.html">Daily Sales</a> that allows authors to view attractive same day and next day sales charts across multiple retailers and OverDrive. The tool originally provided 30 days of historical trending information. In 2015 we enhanced the charts to go to 90 days, and then a few months back we extended it to 180 days. By mid-year 2016 the charts will capture 12 months.<br /><br /><b>Enhanced metadata</b> - Metadata is the data about your book (such as price, description, category) that helps retailers make your book discoverable to readers.<br /><br />In March we added support for a couple dozen more book categories, and in May we added an option for authors and publishers to tag their books as box sets. This latter feature, although not adopted by retailers, has helped dozens of box sets and their hundreds of contributing authors receive extra merchandising love at retailers. For example, if a retailer asks us to provide them a list of the 20 top-selling romance box sets published over the last six months priced over $4.99, we can provide them that list, and it's entirely enabled by this new metadata option.<br /><br />If you have published a box set, learn how to add this <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/05/smashwords-introduces-new-metadata.html">enhanced metadata here</a> or if you're new to box sets and want to learn how you can collaborate with fellow authors on a box set, check out my blog post titled, <i><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/08/how-to-do-box-sets-at-smashwords-for.html">How to Do Box Sets at Smashwords for Audience Building, Charity and Profits</a></i>.<br /><br /><b>Improvements at the Smashwords Store</b> - Smashwords is somewhat unusual in that we operate a small ebook store.&nbsp; Our store is a vestige of our early days in 2008 before we became a full-fledged ebook distributor.&nbsp; Although our store accounts for only a small fraction of our authors' sales, many readers prefer to shop at the store because one purchase gets them multi-format, DRM-free access to their book, and the store is accessible to customers worldwide.<br /><br />In 2015 we made a number of improvements to the Smashwords Store to facilitate improved book discovery. We introduced a new search engine for faster and more robust search results; added support for automated suggestions to appear as you're typing out your search query; and added intelligent context-sensitive book recommendations on book pages that go beyond the conventional "people who bought this also bought this" algorithms.&nbsp; These are labeled our "Readers of This Book Also Read" recommendations. On book pages we also added "Related categories" links to facilitate deeper drill-downs into adjacent categories.<br /><br /><b>Pre-emptive opt-outs</b> - Most Smashwords authors tell us they appreciate our policy of automatically opting their books in to new Smashwords sales channels. In fact, it's a service promise we make in the Smashwords Terms of Service. However, to accommodate authors and publishers that don't want their books automatically shipped to new channels, we introduced a preemptive opt out feature which you'll find at the bottom of the Channel Manager page.<br /><br /><h3><b>BUSINESS MILESTONES</b></h3><b>Books published</b> -&nbsp; Smashwords now publishes 388,100 books, up 15% from 336,400 this same time last year.<br /><br /><b>Words published</b> - Smashwords now publishes a 14 billion words (we hit this milestone today!!), up about 2 billion words from the same time last year.<br /><br /><b>Authors/pen names published</b> - Smashwords now works with over 116,000 authors and small independent presses, up from about 100,000 a year ago.<br /><br /><b>Profitability</b> - 2015 will be our fifth consecutive year of profitability. Profitability matters because it means we'll be around in the future to serve you.&nbsp; We've got a solid, debt-free balance sheet giving us the freedom to weather the inevitable ups and downs of a cyclical market.<br /><br /><h3><b>MISCELLANEOUS MILESTONES</b></h3><b>Dearly departed retail partners</b> - In all competitive markets, it's to be expected that some players will succeed while other fail. In 2015 a couple notable Smashwords sales outlets faltered. Txtr, a small European retailer, went bankrupt. Its assets were purchased by Media-Saturn, a large German consumer electronics retailer that plans to leverage the technology to launch an ebook offering some time in 2016. In late August we announced that our relationship with Indian retailer <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/08/smashwords-and-flipkart-to-end.html">Flipkart</a> was ending after a nearly two-year run, and then a couple weeks later they announced they were exiting the ebook market entirely. I recently learned that Kobo is acquiring Flipkart's ebook customer base. In September <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/09/oyster-and-kdp-select-train.html">Oyster announced</a> they were acquired by Google and would exit the ebook subscription business. Oyster will close in mid January. <br /><br /><b>Amazon Author on April 1st</b> - A few times over the years I've published an April Fool's prank on the blog. This year I wrote about Amazon Author, a fictious new service from Amazon that replaces authors with a system called Amazon Author, which creates machine-generated books.<br /><br />I knew the post was outlandish, but like all good satire, it was grounded in a few facts. I was surprised by the reaction.&nbsp; I heard from many authors who found it so believable they suffered a War of the Worlds moment where my ficticious story caused them to see their author dreams flash and crash before their eyes. My apologies to my loyal readers who felt this fiction hit too close to home.<br /><br />I think more than anything the reaction spoke to the legitimate concerns authors have about their long term ability to maintain their independence and value within this fast-changing world of publishing. It also spoke to the fears many authors have about Amazon. Is Amazon a benevolent player, or will their business strategy of disintermediation lead to a darker future where even authors are disintermediated?<br /><br />If you missed my fictional post, you can read it with a fresh set of eyes here: <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/03/kindle-author-eliminates-need-for.html">New Amazon Service Eliminates the Need for Authors</a>.<br /><br /><b>A publishing legend passes</b> - In November Dan Poynter passed away. I consider Dan the father of modern day self publishing. He was great friend to me, to Smashwords, and to every indie author who had the privilege to meet him, to hear him speak or to read his books. As as we learned in the comments in to my tribute to Dan, he changed the lives of a lot of people. Read the post and the rememberances here (and if you were touched by Dan's work, please add your memories): <b><i><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/dan-poynter-father-of-self-publishing.html">Dan Poytner, The Father of Self Publishing, Passes Away</a></i></b>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><h3><b>Smashwords Plans for 2016</b></h3>In broad brushes, here's what we have planned for 2016:<br /><ul><li>More distribution to more global retailers and libraries</li><li>New tools to help readers connect with the authors they love</li><li>Improvements that make our tools easier to use</li><li>More tools to manage pricing and promotions</li><li>More best practices education because best practices knowledge - and learning how to apply that knowledge - is what helps you reach more readers</li><li>Surprises</li></ul><h3>A Final Word of Thanks</h3>Thank you to the fine authors, publishers, retailers, and library partners that make our job possible.&nbsp; It was our honor to support you in 2015 and we look forward to many more years of service and partnership.<br /><br />To our authors and publishers, thank you for distributing with Smashwords.&nbsp; We realize you have multiple distribution options including direct uploads to retailers.&nbsp; When you consolidate your distribution with Smashwords, not only will you save time, gain more time for writing and benefit from the myriad service advantages we offer, but you're also supporting our ability to continue investing in innovations on behalf of the entire indie publishing community.<br /><br />Have a safe New Year's celebration and we look forward to working with you in 2016!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/N1vifdWTN7E" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/N1vifdWTN7E/smashwords-year-in-review-2015-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)19http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/smashwords-year-in-review-2015-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-1655223440769864400Thu, 24 Dec 2015 00:41:00 +00002015-12-28T14:01:27.289-08:002016 Book Publishing Industry Predictions: Myriad Opportunities amid a Slow Growth Environment<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZcEiNGhKEc/Vnrq5DmvggI/AAAAAAAAC1w/slIMOOSWZTE/s1600/2016%2B-%2B2%2Bcrystal%2Bball.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZcEiNGhKEc/Vnrq5DmvggI/AAAAAAAAC1w/slIMOOSWZTE/s200/2016%2B-%2B2%2Bcrystal%2Bball.jpg" /></a><br />Welcome to my annual book publishing industry predictions.<br /><br />I went overboard for 2016.&nbsp; In addition to 10 prediction topics that were at the top of my mind, I also asked friends on Facebook to suggest additional questions for my crystal ball.&nbsp; So in addition to my first 10 below, I take a stab at 29 additional questions. Yikes.<br /><br />Predictions are fun, even when I get them wrong.&nbsp; By thinking about the future we can prepare for it in all its glorious uncertainty and complexity.&nbsp; By thinking about the future it helps us adapt to the many unexpected events that will hit us all in 2016.&nbsp; Predictions also help us understand what might be, what can be and how we as an indie author community can directly shape the course of the future today.<br /><br />You'll see I back each prediction with copious background on my thought process.&nbsp; I invite you, my dear reader, to add your insights in the comments below.&nbsp; What did I get right, and what did I miss?&nbsp; The goal here is to spark thought and conversation.&nbsp; Help me and your fellow authors, publishers and readers see the future through a sharper, more accurate lens.<br /><br />Here's one thing I'm absolutely certain of:&nbsp; Indie authors are the future of publishing.&nbsp; The decisions indie authors make today will continue to reshape the future of publishing for better or worse.&nbsp; You're in control.&nbsp; Now let's have some fun.<br /><br /><h3>Mark's Annual Publishing Industry Predictions</h3><b>1.&nbsp; Indie ebook authors will gain market share at expense of large publishers</b><br /><br />It’s difficult to determine the percentage of the ebook market now controlled by indie authors. Only the retailers know this, and it varies dramatically from one retailer to the next. Back in early 2014 I proposed a model in which I forecasted that indie authors would capture 50% of the US ebook market by the year 2020. I <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/03/sizing-self-publishing-market-10.html">blogged about it here</a> and provided a downloadable spreadsheet so anyone could plug in their own numbers.&nbsp; From a unit market share perspective today, indie authors probably control 15-20% of the ebook market with much variation across retailers and categories. Because indie ebooks are priced lower than traditionally published ebooks and print books, the dollar market share is probably in the 4-8% range. However, eyeballs matter most in the long run because readership builds author brand and reader trust, and reader purchases flow to trusted authors. Put another way, every year readers are spending more hours reading books from indie authors.&nbsp; Reader eyeballs will continue to transition to indie ebooks in 2016. The growth in indie ebook market share in 2016 will be propelled by several strong macro trends that have been solidly in place for a few years now: <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><ul><li>Compared to traditionally published ebook authors, the competitive landscape for ebooks is tilted to the indie author’s advantage. Indies enjoy full and often superior distribution to retail and library sales; faster time to market; greater creative control; marketing and promotion flexibility; 4-5 times higher ebook royalties; and the ability to price dramatically lower. Most indies are pricing between $2.99 and $3.99, whereas most traditional publishers are still pricing their front list books above $10.00.&nbsp; Based on our <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.html">Smashwords Survey</a>, the average $3.99 ebook will get three to five times more buyers than a book priced over $10.00.&nbsp; Large publishers are over-pricing, and in the process they're harming their authors' ability to build readership.<br /><b>&nbsp;</b></li><li>Retailers are giving indie authors more seats at the merchandising table. Every major retailer now promotes indie ebooks on their home pages. iBooks has certainly been a star player here the last few years given the enormous number of Smashwords titles receiving feature promotion each month. Kobo and Barnes &amp; Noble also stepped up efforts in 2015 to provide high profile merchandising love to indie ebook titles and I expect their efforts to increase in 2016.&nbsp; We spend a lot of time every day at Smashwords helping our authors earn merchandising visibility at these stores and we'll ramp up these efforts further in 2016. <br />&nbsp; <b><br /></b></li><li>Each year, indie authors become smarter, more sophisticated and more adept at implementing professional publishing best practices. Best practices are what separate the indie author amateurs from the indie author professionals. Bestselling indie ebooks are indistinguishable from traditionally published books (aside from indies' more reader-friendly pricing) with brilliant cover designs, great writing, professional editing, and creative marketing and promotion. <br /><b>&nbsp;</b></li><li>Indies continue to leverage the power of free as a promotional tools for stand alone books and series starters. This incredibly powerful promotion tool remains the exclusive domain of indies (good for indies, bad for traditionally published ebook authors).&nbsp;<b>5.</b> More traditionally published authors will continue to experiment with self-publishing. Once these authors get a taste for self publishing they typically want to direct more of their future production to the indie realm.</li></ul><br /><b>2.&nbsp; The overall market for ebooks will shrink in dollar terms, but unit volume will increase</b><br /><br />Many indies and traditional publishers alike reported flat or lower sales in 2015. The go-go days of exponential ebook market growth of the early days (2008-2012) are over. As I shared in my November 2014 post, <i><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/11/ebook-publishing-gets-more-difficult.html">Things Get More Difficult from Here – Here’s How to Succeed</a></i>, a key factor in the slowdown is an emerging equilibrium for consumption of print and ebook formats. Due to the law of large numbers, ebook sales growth (or declines) will begin to more closely mirror the overall market for all books. The book market is mature and is therefore a slow or no-growth industry.&nbsp; Additionally, there’s an ever-increasing glut of high-quality low-cost ebooks that will never go “out of print.” These continuing factors paint a picture for a more competitive landscape for authors in 2016 and beyond. Every author will face more competition today and tomorrow than they faced yesterday. In addition to the factors I outlined above and in the "Things get more difficult" post, the growth of Kindle Unlimited presents a new existential threat to the industry (more on this in the next item).<br /><br /><br /><b>3.&nbsp; Kindle Unlimited will gut single-copy sales and drive greater ebook commoditization</b><br /><br />Earlier this year I <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/amazon-lowers-kindle-unlimited-payouts.html">blogged</a> how Amazon’s merchandising pages encourage Kindle customers to read books for free as part of a Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime subscription. Most of the publishing industry remains oblivious to the long term ramifications of Amazon’s strategy here (not a surprise, because despite Amazon operating with amazing transparency and predictability, most industry watchers and media still don’t understand Amazon’s long term self publishing strategy). The issue of immediate concern is that Amazon's merchandising tactics discourage readers from purchasing single copy ebooks. Amazon is training Kindle customers to view even 99 cent ebooks as too expensive when other books can be read for what feels like free. Amazon’s success with Kindle Unlimited, which now offers over 1 million books almost exclusively supplied by indie authors is going to gut the market for single copy sales at Amazon. It'll be death by a thousand small cuts.&nbsp; The pain will be felt by four publishing industry constituencies. In descending order of pain, and in order of who will feel it first, these constituencies include traditionally published authors and their publishers which I’ll consider as a single group; non-exclusive indie authors; Amazon-exclusive authors; and competing retailers.<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Here's more detail:&nbsp; <b><br /><br />1. </b> Traditionally published authors and their publishers will suffer most in 2016 because the perceived price disparity between KU’s “Feels like free” is greatest when customers compare it against the trad publishers' high ebook and print prices. I wrote about this in <a href="http://www.digitalpw.com/digitalpw/frankfurt_show_daily_october_15_2015?pg=32#pg32">Publishers Weekly.</a>&nbsp; Amazon is using the self-published ebooks in KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited to marginalize the collective bargaining power of large publishers. What do I mean by collective bargaining power? I’m referring to a large publisher’s ability to negotiate on behalf of thousands of authors. Think back to Hachette's public battle with Amazon in 2014 in which Hachette ultimately prevailed in what <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/11/the-amazon-hachette-dispute-comes-to.html">I labeled a pyrrhic victory</a> (with the pyrrhic part now being realized by KU with does an end run around agency pricing).&nbsp; Large publishers don’t realize it yet, but KDP-S is eventually going to hollow out their ebook businesses. Every large publisher lacks a viable indie or even pseudo-indie ebook offering for their authors that could counter this pressure (and those publishers in bed with Author Solutions and ASI’s sock puppet spawn are all swimming in the exact wrong direction and are on the wrong side of history if they want to protect their ebook businesses from Amazon). <b><br /><br />2.&nbsp; </b> Non-exclusive indie authors – authors who aren’t in Amazon KDP-S – will feel the next greatest pain in 2016 because their $2.99 and $3.99 ebooks will feel prohibitively expensive to Kindle customers as Kindle customers modify their reading habits in favor of KU titles. As I <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/amazon-lowers-kindle-unlimited-payouts.html">described here in November</a>, one bestselling Smashwords author reported having received hate mail from fans who refuse to read his $2.99 and $3.99 ebooks unless they can read them for free within their Kindle Unlimited subscription.&nbsp; <b><br /><br />3.</b> Next, the pain will be felt by KDP-S authors.&nbsp; I’m reminded of the&nbsp; “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...">First they came..</a>” poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller.&nbsp; No, Amazon are not Nazis, but the underlying lesson of Niemöller can be applied to any situation where certain segments of the public remain silent as other segments are harmed.&nbsp; Eventually what goes around comes around.&nbsp; There's a complicity in silence.&nbsp; After Amazon comes after large publishers and non-exclusive authors, KDP Select authors are next.&nbsp; Amazon's business model, which is predicated upon offering customers the greatest possible value, demands this of all products in the form of lower consumer prices.&nbsp; The burden of lower prices will be borne by Amazon's authors (the suppliers).&nbsp; KDP Select is powered by indie authors.&nbsp; Indies enroll because it makes their books favored citizens within the Kindle ecosystem where they exchange the downsides of exclusivity for the upsides of greater merchandising visibility and sales rank advantage. Authors who refuse to enroll in KDP Select are disadvantaged in the form of fewer tools and less discoverability.&nbsp; Yet despite the harm KDP-S and KU are causing fellow authors and the rest of the industry, indies continue to enroll in KDP-S to receive these privileged benefits, thereby perpetuating the inevitable cycle of destruction of single-copy sales.&nbsp; With more authors moving to KDP-S, it means more readers will funnel into Kindle Unlimited as they’re presented with the opportunity to read these books for free as part of their KU or Prime subscription.&nbsp; Amazon controls KU payouts, which means Amazon can decide to pay authors less at any time, or can decide to demand even greater concessions in exchange for future program benefits.&nbsp; Imagine a ship at sea with not food to feed the passengers.&nbsp; So food (in this case reader eyeballs) is rationed among a small subset of passengers (authors) who agree to make the biggest concessions (exclusivity), and the rest of the passengers are thrown overboard to fend for themselves.&nbsp; With over 1 million books enrolled in KDP-S already, it’s only a matter of time before even KDP-S becomes overcrowded and Amazon is forced to increase the fee-for-passage in the form of even greater concessions.&nbsp; And then more authors go overboard.&nbsp; Amazon has a consistent track record of policy changes with KU – changes that have already lowered KU payouts for some writers and increased payouts for others.&nbsp; Amazon announced in late October that payouts will decline further in some countries.&nbsp; See my November blog post, <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/amazon-lowers-kindle-unlimited-payouts.html">Amazon Lowers Kindle Unlimited Payouts</a> (also linked above) for more.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>4.</b> Amazon’s retail competitors will feel greater pain in 2016 due to KU because no other retailer has a viable alternative to KU, nor the market dominance to make such a program work. The beauty of KU from Amazon’s perspective is that they have 1 million + books that can’t be purchased at other retailers, and these books feel like free to KU subscribers. This means other retailers are starved of this important inventory, and it means their remaining books which can only be purchased as a single copy will feel more and more expensive to readers. This will motivate additional customers to bleed away from Amazon’s competitors and migrate to the greater selection and lower prices of Amazon.&nbsp; If even only 2% of every retailer's customer base migrates to Amazon for KU each year, it will have serious consequences for the long term viability of Amazon's competitors.&nbsp; Amazon plays the long game better than anyone.&nbsp; Skeptics of my prognostication might counter that KU is only a problem for self published authors.&nbsp; That's mostly true for now, but if you believe as I believe that indies are the future of publishing, and that indies will continue gaining ebook market share, then you begin to see how KU is the worm that will slowly eat the publishing industry from the inside out.</blockquote><br /><b>4.&nbsp; The ebook subscription model will experience a backlash in the indie author community (but will it matter?)</b><br /><br />The indie author community has always maintained a healthy skepticism of the ebook subscription model for fear that subscriptions could devalue books, both from the perspective of reader perceptions of what a book is worth and also in terms of author earnings. When Scribd and Oyster came on the scene with their industry-leading services, these concerns were somewhat mollified by the business models of Scribd and Oyster in which they're obligated to pay authors and publishers retailer-level rates.&nbsp; This means a Smashwords author that earns 60% list on the sale of their $5.99 ebook at iBooks or Barnes &amp; Noble will also earn 60% list if a reader reads their book at Scribd or Oyster. Due to the necessity of the subscription service maintaining profitability if they want to have a long term viable business, their business model creates a powerful check against devaluation, because if the subscription service allows aggregate readership to consume more than $9.99 worth of books per month, the service would lose money and cease to exist. Earlier this year, when romance readers began reading more books than Scribd's business model could sustain, Scribd reduced the number of romance titles available.&nbsp; I expect Scribd will eventually modify their subscription terms, possibly by adding reading limits, so that they can again accommodate more romance titles. Oyster announced a couple months ago they were exiting the ebook subscription business, probably because they lacked the resources to make the model work. That leaves Scribd as the leading ebook subscription service with an author-friendly business model that won’t lead to devaluation. &nbsp; Oh, then there’s Kindle Unlimited, which plays by completely different – and decidedly publisher-unfriendly - rules than Scribd and Oyster. As I’ve written many times here at the Smashwords blog, Kindle Unlimited represents Amazon’s end run around agency pricing (under agency pricing, publishers and indie authors set their own retail prices, and retailers don’t discount). With Kindle Unlimited, the book’s retail price is irrelevant to Amazon’s calculation of author earnings. Amazon sets the compensation rates for KU authors after the fact, which means Amazon determines the value of a read and determines how a read is measured. If Amazon decides to price their KU service at $3.99, as they’ve done in India, it means, as Amazon quietly informed authors in late October, those participating books by necessity will earn much much less for each read. When indies enroll in KU, they surrender pricing power and margin control.&nbsp; More importantly, these indies are surrendering their independence to Amazon. This story won’t end well, because by surrendering pricing power to a retailer whose modus operandi is to continually drive supplier prices lower and lower in a religious zeal to offer consumers ever-greater value. This is great for consumers, but not so great for authors when they face declining earnings. So in 2016, more authors will come to recognize that the industry's largest ebook subscription service is at once lowering author payouts and commoditizing books. This will lead to a backlash. But the bigger question is, “will it matter?” I’m afraid to say it probably won’t matter. For four years now, I and thousands of others have been speaking out against the risks and inevitable industry harm caused by Amazon’s exclusivity strategy, but to what effect? Despite the fact that most indies hate and resent the idea of exclusivity, I talk with authors each month who feel forced to succumb to it simply because Amazon controls access to the greatest number of readers. Back in September when I blogged about the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/09/oyster-and-kdp-select-train.html">pending closure of Oyster</a>, I shared the story of a fantastic author I met in St. Louis who despised KDP Select exclusivity yet she was all-in because she feared she couldn't pay her mortgage otherwise. Amazon knows that most authors are eager to reach more readers, and for every author who sticks to their guns and refuses to go exclusive on principle alone; there will be three more writers who will surrender to KDP Select if they believe it will help them reach more Amazon readers. My concern is that some of these authors would rather earn a penny per read than nothing at all.&nbsp; That's the ultimate problem, and why I wouldn't be surprised if someday Amazon offers KU or a KU derivative that's completely free, or free to Amazon Prime subscribers.&nbsp; In Amazon, we have the world's largest global seller of ebooks exerting enormous influence over which books are read and which are buried.<br /><br /><b>5.&nbsp; Print will remain steady, though those sales are the sole domain for authors of traditional publishers</b><br /><br />Print books today account for approximately 70% of the book market. The percentage varies by genre, category and country. Print showed staying power this year, as evidenced by reports from publishers and brick and mortar retailers, and aided by the adult coloring book craze. In Barnes &amp; Noble’s latest earnings conference call, the company disclosed that they closed fewer stores than expected due to improving performance of some stores. A recent story <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/12/barnes_noble_is_dying_waterstones_in_the_u_k_is_thriving.html">in Slate</a> examined how Waterstones, the large UK retailer that many recently had on death watch, is now growing again, opening new stores and turning a profit. Indie authors for the most part don’t participate in significant print sales because they lack distribution to physical stores. I think Amazon’s recent experiment opening a brick and mortar bookstore in Seattle points to even Amazon acknowledging the durability and importance of physical stores. I don’t think the prospects of print will change significantly in 2016. Print won’t go away. Traditional publishers and brick and mortar bookstores will continue to hold their own. Even if you only publish exclusively in digital (as many indies do), it’s still in your best interest that print remain a strong and viable reading format because for many readers, print is the gateway to digital. The long term fate of print books is inextricably tied to the fate of brick and mortar retail because nothing sells print like in-person browsing. What remains to be seen is what happens when the adult coloring book fad fades.<br /><br /><b>6.&nbsp; Many full time indies will quit or scale back production in 2016</b><br /><br />During the early days of the indie ebook revolution, it was relatively easy for a quality writer to earn good income self-publishing low-priced ebooks. The market was doubling and tripling each year, readers hadn't really seen 99 cent ebooks before, and everyone was happy.&nbsp; As I mentioned in the “<a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/11/ebook-publishing-gets-more-difficult.html">Ebook publishing gets more difficult from here</a>” post, the exponential growth masked challenges that market's maturation has now brought to light. Many indies who quit their days jobs to pursue writing full time will find they need to return to a "real" job in 2016, especially authors for whom writing is their sole source of income and they're already feeling challenged to make the monthly rent. This means production will decline among the indie midlisters. As I’ve been telling the audiences for my ebook publishing workshops for the last seven years, if you want to make a lot of money publishing ebooks get a job at McDonalds instead. Publishing has always been a tough business. Witness the fact that most traditionally published authors must maintain day jobs. Ebook publishing is NOT the path to riches except for a very few authors. Yes, I’ve been pleased see the many Smashwords authors whose indie ebook earnings have allowed them to pay off mortgages, buy homes and save for retirement. These stories inspire me, yet we must remember these are the exceptions, not the rule. In 2015 I witnessed a growing desperation among many bestsellers, some of whom – I can imagine due to their prior successes with indie publishing - had might have changed their lifestyles or quit their day jobs. These authors are now feeling the financial and emotional pain of struggling to make ends meet. I hate to see this pain and anguish. As I’ve advised in the past, your prior success is no guarantee of future success. If you’re among the many Smashwords authors who’ve been blessed and have done well, or if you’re fortunate enough to sell well in the future, please bank that money when it comes. Pay off your debts and be conservative with your savings so you can build up your rainy day fund. <br /><br /><b>7.&nbsp; Preorder usage will experience a dramatic increase</b><br /><br />Among emerging best practices that separate the high performers from the poor performers, ebook preorders are at the top of the list. As we disclosed in the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.html">Smashwords Survey for 2015</a>, ebooks born as preorders sell significantly more on average than books that are simply uploaded the day of release. During the 2015 Survey period which ran from April 2014 to March 2015, only 9.8% of books published at Smashwords were released as preorders, yet this small percentage accounted for fully two thirds of our top 200 bestsellers. In October, I refreshed the trailing 12 month numbers (approximately November 2014 through October 2015) and found the number born as preorders at Smashwords had increased to 13%. I think by the end of 2016 we’ll see preorder usage exceeding 20%, which would represent a more than 50% increase in usage yet is still an unacceptably low number considering that preorders enable more successful book launches. Why leave readers and money on the table? We’re doing our part to encourage greater usage with our continuing education initiatives. Our launch this year of our assetless preorder feature is a good example. With assetless preorders (<a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html">read all about it here</a>), authors can get their books listed as preorder up to 12 months in advance, even without a finished manuscript or cover. If you'd like to learn how to use ebook preorders to your advantage, visit the <a href="http://smashwords.com/preorder">Smashwords Preorders page</a> for links to my many training resources, including my article last month in Publishers Weekly, <i><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/68748-how-indie-authors-can-use-preorders-to-crack-the-bestseller-lists.html">How Indie Authors Can Leverage Ebook Preorders to Crack the Bestseller Lists</a></i>.&nbsp; Share it with a friend!<br /><br /><b>8.&nbsp; Library ebook sales will increase for Smashwords authors</b><br /><br />Smashwords has made great progress over the last four years to open up public libraries to the ebooks from Smashwords authors and publishers. In 2016, library ebook sales will be a bright spot in an otherwise moribund ebook retailing market. While I don’t expect library ebook sales to eclipse retail sales any time soon (if ever), libraries will be an area of growth and opportunity for indie authors in the new year. In 2015 we added thousands of new libraries to the reach of the Smashwords distribution network by announcing new partnerships with <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/10/smashwords-announces-distribution-to.html">Gardners in the UK</a> (2,000+ libraries) and <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/smashwords-signs-odilo-tolino-yuzu.html">Odilo</a> (2,100+ libraries). These partners join our existing library partners <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/05/smashwords-and-overdrive-to-bring.html">OverDrive</a> (20,000+ libraries) and <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/03/smashwords-to-distribute-to-blio-and.html">Baker &amp; Taylor Axis 360</a> (2,500+ libraries). We’ll build our library distribution further in 2016. As indie ebooks continue to hit an ever-greater number of bestseller lists, library patrons are demanding more indie ebooks. Libraries also represent an untapped marketing opportunity for indie authors. All indies should encourage their fans to contact their local libraries and request those libraries to add their favorite indie authors’ ebooks to their collections. Libraries are generally quite responsive to patron requests.<br /><br /><b>9.&nbsp; More series writers will adopt perma-free series starters</b><br /><br />In the 2015 Smashwords Survey we found strong evidence that series with free series starters earn more than series without. As smart indie authors work to become more competitive in 2016, I think we’ll see free series starters gain recognition as an essential best practice, much in the way that preorders are gaining that recognition. <br /><br /><b>10.&nbsp; Wattpad will be acquired</b><br /><br />Okay, I’m going out on a long flimsy limb here, and I’m doing it without the benefit of inside knowledge. I’ve always been a fan of WattPad. They’re truly a self-publishing phenomena. They facilitate live publishing from writers around the world, and often from writers who aren’t yet even thinking of becoming published authors. WattPad is the training ground for the next generation of authors, and they're increasingly being used by established Smashwords authors and traditional publishers alike that want to reach WattPad’s burgeoning readership. The most likely acquirer is Amazon, and if that happens the future for large traditional publishers will be in even greater peril than it is today (I’m thinking how large publishers probably kicked themselves for not acquiring Goodreads before Amazon snapped them up). If the large publishers are smart, they’ll snap up WattPad because WattPad will give them early access to future bestsellers. But so far, the large publishers have proven themselves bewildered by the indie author movement, and oblivious to what’s driving it and how it will disrupt their businesses in the future. [<b>Two quick tips for large publishers:</b> <b>1. </b>Self-publishing isn’t just for authors who can’t get a publishing deal. <b> 2.</b> An increasing number of writers aspire to indie-publish as their option of first choice, which means these authors will never enter the slush pile.]&nbsp; Traditional publishers’ self-publishing clueless-to-date is illustrated by <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/07/how-traditional-publisher-could-harm.html">Pearson/Penguin’s acquisition of Author Solutions</a>, and the many publishers that have since invited the ASI sock puppet foxes to enter their hen houses under the guise of powering their assisted publishing imprints). Amazon understands, and we at Smashwords agree, that the future of publishing is self-publishing. This is why Amazon, or possibly another smart retailer like Apple, are the most likely acquirers of WattPad. It’s also worth noting that WattPad has received over $60 million in venture funding. Venture investors want liquidity events – either in the form of acquisition or IPO.<br /><br /><h3>Questions Answered by Special Request</h3>And now for something completely different. As mentioned above, I invited my friends on Facebook to pose questions to my imaginary 2016 crystal ball. Below, I’ll share 29 of their questions in the form of a Q&amp;A. <br /><br /><b>Q: Will Amazon do something more to monopolize the market? (via Susan C.)</b><br /><br />Yes. See my analogy above about the starving passengers on the ship. KDP Select has been a tremendous business success for Amazon. Yet it’s facing overcrowding with over 1 million books which we can assume comprises around 25% of all the books listed at Amazon. Soon, it’ll be so overcrowded that any benefits of exclusivity will become diluted by the massive enrollment. Amazon will need to exact more pounds of flesh in the form of greater author concessions.<br /><br />Here are some potential ideas (you’re welcome Amazon), none of which would surprise me: <b></b><br /><b><br /></b><blockquote class="tr_bq"><b>1.</b> Amazon reduces the payment per page read, which is currently hovering around ½ of one cent. <br /><br /><b>2.</b> Amazon reduces the price of a Kindle Unlimited subscription from $9.99 per month in the US to something lower (thus giving a reason to pay authors less, as they announced in late October for the $3.99 subscription price for KU in India). <br /><br /><b>3.</b> Amazon may demand that all KDP-S books must be published first within KDP-S. Although this is already happening, to require this KDP-first publishing would be devastating to Amazon’s competitors because most purchases of most new books occur in the first few months of release. <br /><br /><b>4. </b> Amazon could increase the mandatory enrollment period from three months to six or 12 months, or offer new perks to do so, all in the name of allowing Amazon to invest in its service. <b><br /><br />5. </b> Keep an eye on Amazon’s Kindle Scout program. Kindle Scout is like WattPad in the sense that writers can publish there and gather feedback from real readers. The difference is that Kindle Scout requires exclusivity. This program allows Amazon to snap up commercially promising writers for a song (a paltry $2,000 advance) before the writer has had a chance to discover what their book would have earned them either through full distribution at Smashwords retailers, or through a traditional publishing deal. And if Amazon acquires Wattpad only to roll it into Kindle Scout, then… Big loss for the industry.&nbsp;</blockquote>Maybe I should start writing post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction set in the publishing industry.&nbsp; On second thought, no thanks.&nbsp; I'm an optimistic person, really I am!<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Amazon’s brick and mortar stores add or detract from their success in general and/or affect book sales? (via Susan C.)</b><br /><br />Earlier this year, Amazon opened a brick and mortar concept store in Seattle. The reviews I read were generally favorable. As mentioned above, I think it speaks to the enduring importance of print books, and how print books sell best when readers can pick them up and browse. If they roll these stores out across the country or around the world, it’ll be a mixed bag. While more bookstores is always a good thing because it will expose more readers to more books, these stores will likely only feature or favor Amazon-exclusive books.&nbsp; This means they’ll be islands of exclusivity (good for Amazon-exclusive and Amazon-published authors, not so helpful to authors with print books at Barnes &amp; Noble).<br /><br /><b>Q: What genres/subgenres will get a boom [in 2016]? (via Emma Hart, Alta Hensley and Amy Miles)</b><br /><br />Wow. Three people asked this question, and it’s the one question where I feel the least qualified to answer without spending a week to crunch the latest numbers.&nbsp; Come on smart readers, pipe in on this one and help me!&nbsp; So here goes...&nbsp; I think romance and its micro-targeted subgenres will continue to dominate. Romance is about half our sales. Romance authors do micro-targeting really well, starting with the cover. The popularity of romance will be somewhat offset by the glut of high quality low cost romance titles. Beyond romance, I’ll go out on a limb and say I think the readers will want more YA post-apocalyptic fiction where the world is destroyed by the short term thinking of adults (kind of like what’s happening today) and only the kids (must have strong female and male protagonist heroes) have the fresh perspective and independence necessary to rebuild human society into a kinder-gentler-more loving-more accepting-less tribal form necessary to prevent the extinction of humanity. Books with a hopeful message that acknowledge that today’s youth have the power to fix what we adults messed up. At least that’s what I’d like to read if I had more time to read (My all-time favorite series, aside maybe from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker series, is John Christopher’s YA Tripod Trilogy in which young adults save the world from alien tripod lizard creatures after their parents screwed everything up by watching too much television). “What should I write” is a common question I get at writers conferences. For any author wondering what they should write in the new year, my advice is to write what you have the most passion for because that will be your best writing, and your best writing is what's most likely to find an audience. If you write what you have passion for, you’ll be writing for the right reasons and you’ll have the strength to power on despite inevitably poor sales that most writers experience when they’re first getting started (the only way to guarantee failure is to quit writing, so never quit!). Our top selling authors for 2015 were mostly romance and YA authors, but mixed in that list, one of our all-time most consistent bestsellers ever is <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/02/smashwords-author-profile-shayne.html">Shayne Parkinson</a> who writes historical fiction set in New Zealand around the time of World War 1. She's often landing in our monthly bestsellers list for Publishers Weekly.&nbsp; Publishers in New Zealand told her no one outside of NZ would want to read her stories. So she self published and found a massive worldwide audience. Ignore what’s hot and what’s not, and write the story your soul is screaming at you to write. <br /><br /><b>Q: Will more authors go hybrid, and will the ones that are currently hybrid stay that way or lean more toward one route or the other (via Emma Hart)</b><br /><br />I’ll answer this from a couple different angles. But first, for those new to the term “hybrid,” it means those authors who both self-publish and work with traditional publishers. Hybrid authors can come at it from either direction. Some start as an indie author, and then thanks to their great sales a publisher comes to them with an offer they can’t refuse (here’s a big wad of money and these are all the great things we’ll do for you, among which include print distribution to bookstores!). Others start as a traditional author and then publish some of their works as an indie. I think there are tremendous synergies between self-publishing and traditional publishing. You can use your indie ebooks to drive success of you trad books, and you can use your trad books to drive success of your indie books. I’m somewhat unusual among certain circles of the self publishing community in that although I love self-publishing and think it’s the future of authorship, I also love traditional publishers and want to see a future where traditional publishers are successful too. I see a future where all authors consider themselves indie authors because it’s their choice which publishing option they choose (I talked about this in the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/04/indie-author-manifesto.html">Indie Author Manifesto</a>). Why do I love traditional publishers? Because the more successful traditional publishing is, the more opportunities will open up for great indie authors.&nbsp; Self publishing is a lot of work, and many writers would prefer to partner with a reputable traditional publisher.&nbsp; If a big New York publisher comes along and offers you a deal where they can do more for you than you can do for yourself, you’d be silly to not consider it. By the same token, as ebooks continue to gain market share, it’s going to become more and more difficult for publishers to add value. Witness the story of multi-time NYT-bestselling Jamie McGuire who was a successful indie before she had a hugely successful run with traditional publishers, and despite her love for trad publishers she ultimately decided to orient her publishing around self-publishing.&nbsp; I interviewed her on the blog earlier this year in post titled, <i><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/02/why-jamie-mcguire-returned-to-self.html">Why Jamie McGuire Returned to Self Publishing</a></i>.&nbsp; So there’s no one size fits all answer. If a publisher does a great job for you and makes you happy, keep with them! No shame in that.&nbsp; But even if they are awesome, you'll find that side projects in indieville can support your overall success.&nbsp; <b>So here’s a prediction:</b> I think the siren call of indie publishing will ring loudly in the ears of traditionally published authors in 2016, and many of them will transition to indieville which will make them hybrid. And many indies will also go traditional because all publishers are using the indie ebook bestseller lists to acquire the most commercially promising authors. And Emma, congrats on your publishing deals!<br /><br /><b>Q: What will happen in the world of indie short story sales? (via Tom Hopp)</b><br /><br />Short story writers enjoyed a great run at Kindle Unlimited up until a few months ago when Amazon changed the payouts to redefine how a qualified read is measured and compensated. I think all writing has a bright future on the strength of the story alone, regardless of length. That said, for four years now we’ve seen strong evidence in the Smashwords Survey that readers prefer longer form works. I think short story writers in 2016 and beyond will do better with single-author anthologies rather than publishing individual single shorts, due to the mere fact that the ebook purchase process (find title, read description, decide to download sample, decide to buy title, purchase the title, open the title) takes time and creates friction. If I was a prolific writer of short stories, I’d make a few of my very best stories available as single-copy shorts priced at free, and then I’d create topically-organized or theme-based anthology collections of my other stories. This way, you can use free to earn the reader’s trust and loyalty, and then they can go on to purchase and enjoy your great collections.<br /><br /><b>Q: Subscription services. Where are they going?</b><br />All surviving subscription services will face a tougher road ahead as they battle against Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.&nbsp; Amazon determines author earnings per read which means Amazon has the ability to their control their expenses.&nbsp; This means Amazon can lower author payouts if readers consume too much whereas Amazon’s primary competitor Scribd doesn’t have that flexibility. In Scribd’s favor, none of the books listed in Scribd’s massive catalog are offered in Kindle Unlimited.&nbsp; This means some power readers may subscribe to more than one service, much in the same way many in the US are subscribed to multiple video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Video because there's so much great content that's only available in these individual silos. It remains to be seen if iBooks will launch their own ebook subscription service. They have experience in subscription services following their acquisition of Beats and the launch of the Apple Music streaming service. If they do launch an ebook subscription service, it remains to be seen if they’ll follow the KU model of paying from a pool, or the Scribd model where authors and publishers are paid agency-level rates. Large publishers are resistant to pool-based models because such models represent the slippery slope to devaluation. To date, Smashwords has refused to sign distribution deals with the various pool-based subscription services for this very reason. <br /><br /><b>Q: Will this author win the Nobel Prize this year? Or a million dollar contract? ‘Cause that would be awesome (via Kymberlie Calkins Ingalls)</b><br /><br />I think the million dollar contract is a tiny tad more likely than the Nobel Prize.&nbsp; Aim high and try for both!<br /><br /><b>Q: World peace: Possibility or writing device? (via Linton Robinson)</b><br />Total world peace is probably an impossibility in 2016 given the human race’s proclivities toward tribalism, religious sectarianism, greed, blood lust and struggles over limited resources. Yet as we’ve seen in recent months, the worst in people can bring out the best in people. You can’t help but feel optimistic when the vast majority of peace-loving people stand up for peace and love. As a writing device, let’s hope more writers of fiction and non-fiction alike continue to inspire readers around the globe to celebrate our cultural differences and sprint in the direction of peace.<br /><br /><b>Q: It’s difficult to get noticed. Is there any hope for us small time authors to actually make a name for ourselves in this industry? (via Crissi Langwell)</b><br /><br />Yes, there’s definitely a chance. New Smashwords authors are breaking out into the bestseller lists every month. However, the sad truth of the matter is that most authors will sell poorly. 2016 will be more challenging than ever for all writers. Yet despite the challenges, there’s still never been a better time for writers to publish. A mere 10 years ago the publishing industry was mired in the dark ages when most writers had little chance of getting published.&nbsp; It was a time when a small number of gatekeepers acted as the bouncers as the pearly gates of authordom, denying writers the freedom to publish and deciding what readers could read. Still, most of their chosen books were flops. Today, thanks to the democratization of ebook distribution where every author can get their ebook carried at all the major ebook stores, and thanks to free professional publishing tools like Smashwords, more writers than ever have a chance at discovery. Yet due to the glut of high-quality low-cost immortal ebooks, it’s increasingly difficult for writers to find their readers. And the competition will only grow more intense in 2016. The good news is that the secret to reaching readers isn’t such a secret – it’s all about best practices. It’s also worth noting that the vast majority of authors fall short on best practices (witness the low adoption of ebook preorders, even though preorders are proven to sell more books, or witness the large number of self published authors who design amateur-looking cover images despite the dearth of low-cost professionals who for $200 or less can make their cover look amazing). With so many authors falling short on best practices, it means that those who do implement best practices well have a significant advantage. The authors who do the best job of implementing best practices will get discovered. One common trait among the bestsellers is that their constantly working to improve every aspect of their publishing, especially the quality of their writing and covers. The most important best practice is to write a book that takes the reader to an emotionally satisfying extreme. Good isn’t good enough anymore. A super-fabulous book with horrible marketing and a horrible cover can still become a bestseller, but a mediocre book with fabulous marketing and an awesome cover is unlikely to become a bestseller.&nbsp; Great books spark word of mouth. &nbsp; If a book doesn’t make a reader go WOW, if it doesn’t touch the reader’s soul, it won’t turn readers into superfan evangelists and it won’t spawn passionate word of mouth. I identify 15 other best practices in my <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/07/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.html">How to Publish Ebooks</a> presentation. Or, check out my free ebook, <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431">The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success</a>. Each well-implemented best practice will yield you a small incremental advantage in the marketplace. Those incremental advantages can add up. Smart authors know that there’s no single magic bullet to bestsellerdom. It’ll all about implementing dozens of best practices, and then constantly iterating and improving each one until the point where your book can turn one reader into another reader. An important factor in success is honest self-assessment. I’ll often hear from authors who claim they’ve implemented all the best practices yet they’re still failing to sell well, but when I examine their covers they’re obviously homemade, or they’ve fallen short on any number of other factors. A few years ago I wrote a blog post with a short self-assessment checklist. <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/03/six-tips-to-read-reader-tea-leaves-how.html"> Read it here</a>.<br /><br />Here are a couple of the top tips for every author: <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><b>1.</b> <b>What’s your average review rating across all the retailers?</b> If you’re averaging 4.5 to 5 stars out of 5, you’re doing great. If you’re averaging less than four stars, it’s probably time for a major revision because you’re not taking readers to that point of passion where they become evangelists for your book. If you haven’t earned a critical mass of reviews, price your book to free for a few months to get more reviews so you can learn what readers really think. <b><br /><br />2. Look at your cover.</b> Is it micro-targeted to that subset of readers who will find more joy in the book than anyone else? Did you hire a professional designer so your cover looks as good or better than the bestsellers in your genre or category? Take a serious look at the covers of the top 20 bestsellers in your category at Amazon or iBooks and honestly ask yourself if your cover belongs alongside them. Professional cover design is not expensive, yet so many authors fail to take advantage of what’s probably their lowest cost yet highest-impact investment. <b><br /><br />3.</b> &nbsp; <b>Look at your distribution.</b> Are you opted in to all the sales channels at Smashwords?&nbsp; Even some bestsellers at Smashwords are leaving sales on the table by not opting in to some of our smaller and midsize channels.</blockquote><b>Q: Any idea what’s going to happen in the romance market? KU appears to have gutted sales there (via Jessica Scott)</b><br /><br />Romance will continue to be a strong market in 2016, but KU will sap a lot of the single-copy sales for romance authors at Amazon for the reasons I outlined above. Romance readers tend to be power readers, so the value proposition of unlimited reading in KU is quite appealing to them which makes the transition of these power readers to KU all the more painful for romance authors. I think the most successful romance writers in the future will be those that maintain full uninterrupted distribution across all sales channels so they can build diversified global readership, and who build platforms they control (especially private mailing lists) so they can reach their most loyal readership which will be more immune to the temptation of only reading KU books. If authors dabble in KU by cycling books in and out, they should understand that they’re training readers to wait until the book lands in KU.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will brick and mortar stores continue to decline, or will they fight back? (via Pauline Christou)</b><br /><br />Brick and mortar stores will continue to face challenges in 2016, but there are signs they’re fighting back and holding their own. Small independent bookshops have led the way by hosting local book events, author talks and seminars that can’t be easily reproduced online, and even the larger stores are following this tact. I think the next opportunity for physical bookstores is to embrace their local indie community by carrying more POD books of local authors and hosting more indie author events.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will the other retailers grow in a way that that will help us counter Amazon/KU? (via Karen Weinberg Drogin)</b><br /><br />When I look at the universe of booksellers from a high level, I see see retailers in two camps – the ancillary players and the pure players. The ancillary players are companies like Amazon, iBooks and Google for whom books are an add-on – an ancillary service that makes their platforms more valuable for consumers. These companies’ businesses are so diversified that they don’t need to earn a profit selling books to keep the lights on. For Amazon, book readers can be sold a wide range of physical and digital goods. For Google, a company that profits by streaming targeted ads in front of eyeballs, readers can be advertised to, and readers' use of the Android operating system on smart phones enriches the Android ecosystem which also benefits Google. For iBooks, books cause readers to spend more hours connected to their iPhones and iPads which helps make these devices more indispensable and more valuable. And then I look at the pure plays like Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo, or ebook subscription services like Scribd, for which their businesses are almost entirely dependent upon their ability to sell books at a profit. Amazon is the fly in the ointment. Their business model is entirely dependent upon them commoditizing everything they sell, all in the interest of lowering consumer prices. With KU, they have the ability to lower the effective prices of books as low as they want because they have a stranglehold on the world’s largest online community of book buyers. With KU, the agency pricing system where authors and publishers set the prices and books aren’t discounted is neutered. Since agency pricing benefits indie authors too, it means all books outside the KU service – especially for power readers – are more expensive. As I’ve written previously, I think there are three primary drivers of consumer behavior – price, selection and convenience. Thanks to KU, Amazon dominates on price.&nbsp; And because of the 1 million + titles in KDP Select, Amazon has the best selection of exclusive and non-exclusive books. Other retailers only have non-exclusive books. This means many readers around the world will continue to migrate to Amazon. It also means that across these three consumer drivers, Amazon’s competitors have the most opportunity to add value on the convenience side, such as improving automated book recommendations, or making their stores better at discovery and reader recommendations, or for the physical stores, hosting community-building events that are best experienced in the flesh. But that’s tough because Amazon is no slouch on the convenience side either.<br /><br />But all it not lost. Pew Research came out with a study in 2015 that indicated that readers are migrating away from single-purpose e-reading devices. This could be Amazon’s Achilles heel, because so far they’ve failed to make a huge dent in smart phones and tablets. It means that iBooks with its more than one billion iOS device users, and other stores with strong apps will be able to leverage this trend as a counterbalance to Amazon. Another weakness of Amazon is that they lack an international footprint of brick and mortar stores. This is a strength of stores like Barnes &amp; Noble in the US, Waterstones and WH Smith in the UK, and other physical booksellers such as Thalia in Germany or Livraria Cultura in Brazil, all of which carry (or will soon carry) Smashwords titles in their online stores. Yet another vulnerability of Amazon is that the large New York publishers which still control most bestselling books are not big fans of Amazon’s business practices. If publishers figure out a way to build alternative sales channels that limit their dependence upon Amazon, it’ll help the entire publishing industry build and support counterbalances.<br /><br />I’m not betting against Amazon, but I’m doing my best to support a thriving ecosystem of multiple sales outlets. The more successful booksellers are out there, the more books will be sold and the more players will be competing for the good graces of the indie community. That, my friends, it the secret to bright future for all authors. It would be a sad day if all 95% of all bookselling consolidated around one or two players. That’s the day authors become tenant farmers with no power.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Barnes &amp; Noble survive or go out of business in 2016? (via Sarah Ettrich and AC Adams)</b><br /><br />They’ll definitely survive in 2016 and for many years to come.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will B&amp;N drop all ebooks and/or implode and go under? (Julie York)</b><br /><br />B&amp;N is in the business of selling books which means the ebook business is core to their future. They won’t implode or go under this year, but like every ebook retailer struggling in this flat environment, they’ll need to think out of the box to find new ways to connect readers with books. To B&amp;N’s credit, their divestiture of the college business (Yuzu, now also a Smashwords partner!), their decision to get out of the hardware manufacturing business, and their buyout of Microsoft’s stake in the company will give them more bandwidth to refocus on books. Their brick and mortar footprint and massive customer base give them a huge strategic advantage when it comes to reaching readers.&nbsp; B&amp;N might be one of the unsung success stories of 2015.&nbsp; Here's hoping!&nbsp; They've certainly been a great partner for Smashwords authors, and they continue to sell a lot of our books.&nbsp; They were the first retailer back in 2009 to carry our books when we decided to become a distributor.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Amazon relax the exclusivity requirements for Kindle Unlmited in 2016? (via Sarah Ettrich)</b><br /><br />I think it’s unlikely they’ll loosen their exclusivity requirements for KU because then it would lose its exclusivity. Already, the program has become so full of titles that its losing some of its air of exclusivity. Refer to my example above about how there’s not enough food (reader eyeballs) to sustain all the authors. Exclusivity is a way for Amazon to extract concessions from a minority of authors who can then enjoy the spoils and bounty of more eyeballs concentrated on a smaller group of authors.&nbsp; I think Amazon will figure out a way to tighten the screws AND attract more authors.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Google Play introduce a subscription model in 2016? (via Sarah Ettrich)</b><br /><br />I’m going to guess no for 2016, even though Google acquired Oyster.&nbsp; I've met with the good folks at Google.&nbsp; They're smart people and genuine book lovers, and they want to do well in the market but I think their corporate overlords have stymied them from achieving their full potential.&nbsp; This is my impression, not what they told me.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Google Play put their significant weight toward becoming a big force in eBooks, and counterbalance to Amazon? (via Aaron Compton and Julie York)</b><br /><br />See the answer above.&nbsp; I wish the answer was yes, because next to Apple, Google is among the small cohort with the financial resources to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to build a massive counterbalance without putting their business in jeopardy.&nbsp; At Google, one billion dollars is practically a rounding error.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Disney call me? (via John Dony)</b><br /><br />Maybe they’ll call you now that they know you’re awaiting their call.<br /><br /><br /><b>Q: Will Kindle Worlds go international and multi-lingual</b><br /><br />I don’t have an opinion here. If you have an opinion, comment below!<br /><br /><b>Q: “Digital refund policies… will [Amazon’s policies] be reworked to prevent [their liberal return policies from ] being used as an ebook library?” (Marianne Morea)</b><br /><br />No, I think policies will stay the same. Authors are simply suppliers to Amazon, and at Amazon customers come first.<br /><br /><b>Q: What’s happening with China and India with ebooks over the coming years? (Des Greene)</b><br /><br />We had high hopes for <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/08/smashwords-and-flipkart-to-end.html">Flipkart in India</a>, but sadly they missed their opportunity.&nbsp; That leaves Amazon, and with the $3.99-priced Kindle Unlimited in India to dominate.&nbsp; This will have a chilling effect on the ability for future Indian retailers to attract the biggest books.&nbsp; I'm eagerly awaiting the day iBooks enters both India and China with a bookstore.&nbsp; Kobo is in India but they're not much of a factor there yet.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will iBooks try to take on the Zon by releasing a multi-platform app? (Julie York)</b><br /><br />I’d love to see iBooks do this but I don’t think it will happen. Android phones, for example, would benefit from an iBooks app. iBooks would also do well to create a web-accessible customer experience so readers can browse and buy from any browser or device. People with personal computers can buy music with iTunes, so why not be able to buy books with iBooks?<br /><br /><b>Q: How much will the standard agent/publisher cut shrink in the face of the superior economics of self publishing? (Elise Ackerman)</b><br /><br />I don’t think agents will reduce their cuts. The agents I know work hard for their 15%, and the most progressive agents are extremely supportive of their clients' self-publishing efforts, and some agencies even provide ebook publishing assistance as a service to their clients. Smashwords works as the ebook distributor for many such agents. Publishers, on the other hand, will feel increased pressure to address paltry ebook royalties – something that has become a major grievance for authors who are increasingly reluctant to give up their rights in exchange for only 25% of the net. It’s likely some publishers start increasing that percentage to 50% (and if they don’t, there are digital-only specialty publishers that will do it for 50% net, and of course Smashwords is here to provide 85% net!).<br /><br /><b>Q: What percent of new authors will decline a standard agent/publishing deal and go it alone? (Elise Ackerman)</b><br /><br />Oh boy, I won’t even hazard a guess on the percentage here. I don’t know. But there is a broader macro trend at play where more and more authors are aspiring to indie publish as the stigma of self-publishing disappears, and many of these authors are self-publishing without ever bothering to shop their books to agents and publishers. There’s also what we should call the Jamie McGuire trend (I don’t know if it’s a trend yet but let's hope it becomes one!) where indie authors who tried trad publishing are migrating back to indie publishing because indie publishing suits the author’s economic and personal interests better (Here's a link again to&nbsp; my <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/02/why-jamie-mcguire-returned-to-self.html">interview with Jamie</a>). I will predict that whatever that percentage of authors was in 2015 that rejected publishing offers, the percentage will increase in 2016 unless publishers enact reforms. Author want higher royalty rates, lower ebook pricing (indie authors offer much more competitive pricing, enabling greater readership building and sales), and some authors would like to see publishers abandon DRM. As you can imagine, from the publisher’s perspective it’s doubly difficult for them to wrestle with the concept of lowering ebook prices while increasing author payouts. Can it be done? Yes. Would it reduce publisher profits? Probably.<br /><br /><b>Q: Will new promotion-oriented businesses emerge to help new authors, and what will these look like? (Elise Ackerman)</b><br /><br />Hundreds of services have sprung up to serve the burgeoning business of self publishing, and promotion-oriented services are certainly well-represented. The challenge with marketing and promotion is that it’s every expensive, and since most self-published books won’t sell well it creates a situation where many authors that pay for publicity services or advertising will never earn back their expenses. I think the most successful publicity services out there will be those that connect authors with knowledge that helps them market more efficiently for the long term, and provide services that get their books read by the right readers. I think our friends at <a href="https://redcoatpr.wordpress.com/">Red Coat PR</a> do a great job here.&nbsp; In book advertising, BookBub is the gold standard with their curated advertising model (they only accept advertisements from authors with proven track records), and many authors get great results.&nbsp; I hear Facebook advertising is working for some authors. If readers have promotion-oriented recommendations based on their personal experiences, please comment in the comments below and share what works!<br /><br /><b>Q: Will Smashwords introduce a POD offering in 2016? (Cynthia Seasons Christaskis)</b><br /><br />Extremely unlikely.&nbsp; I would be surprised.<br /><br /><b>Q: Predict when indies will be allowed into brick and mortars (Gwen Steel)</b><br /><br />I think you'll see all brick and more retailers make greater efforts this year to accommodate indie authors.&nbsp;&nbsp; This is purely based on the fact that indie ebook authors at hitting the national bestseller lists every week, so it's only natural that more of these books find their way to stores.<br /><br /><b>Q: How long will the coloring book craze continue, what effect will it have on the overall book market, and how can indie ebook authors participate? (Selina French and Jacquie Biggar)</b><br /><br />I think the craze will peak in 2016 and then diminish, but I also think these books are here for good because they open up a new opportunity for innovative publishers, artists and book designers to take things to the next level.&nbsp; It's good for indie authors because anything that brings more consumers into bookstores is good.&nbsp; I think there's certainly an opportunity for indies to help drive the innovation on the POD side of things, and then if you can prove the commercial market for your book it'll open up more distribution opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp; I don't see any opportunity on the reflowable ebook side of things but who knows, technology has a habit of breaking rules all the time.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Q: Is there a place where I can see all your past predictions altogether? (Cheri Lasota)</b><br /><br />Yes! Right here:<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/12/2015-book-publishing-industry.html">2015 Predictions from the Smashwords Blog</a>&nbsp; (Published December 31, 2014)<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/12/2014-book-publishing-industry.html">2014 Predictions from Smashwords Blog</a>&nbsp; (Published December 30, 2013) and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-coker/2014-book-publishing-indu_b_4533411.html">Huffington Post</a> (Published January 7, 2014)<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/12/mark-cokers-2013-book-publishing.html">2013 Predictions at the Smashwords blog</a> (published Dec 21, 2012)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/publishing-predictions-for-2011-from-smashwords_b18421">2011 Predictions at GalleyCat by Mark Coker</a> (published Dec 28, 2010)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/smashwords-book-publishing-10-years-in-the-future_b10814">10-Year Predictions at GalleyCat By Mark Coker</a> (published Jan 4, 2010) <br /><br /><h3>The Road Ahead</h3>I hope you enjoyed my epic-length predictions.&nbsp; Please share your thoughts, feedback and epiphanies below.&nbsp; Thanks to the authors credited above for augmenting this post with their questions (and sorry to those of you whose questions I didn't answer - there were too many!).&nbsp; <br /><br />Things change in this industry every day.&nbsp; If you're like me, you probably find it bewildering at times.&nbsp; But take heart.&nbsp; Some things never change.&nbsp; The most important thing that will never change is that books are magical containers for delivering stories and knowledge.&nbsp; You create magic.<br /><br />The industry will change - players will go out of business and others will rise and fall and rise again - but books will always remain.&nbsp; Authors will always remain.&nbsp; You are the captain of your personal adventure in publishing, and the course you chart is rife with opportunity.<br /><br />The global book publishing is a <a href="http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/global/global-book-publishing.html">$100 billion market</a>. Despite anemic growth, and even if the market shrinks, there’s still incredible opportunity for every new, future and veteran author alike to reach thousands if not millions of readers.&nbsp; Best practices will separate those who reach a lot of readers from those who reach few.<br /><br />Luck plays a factor as well, but only for those who implement best practices first.&nbsp; Best practices prepare you to capture lightning in a bottle when luck strikes.&nbsp; Luck strikes all the time.&nbsp; It's word of mouth.&nbsp; It's a blog post or a tweet or a Facebook mention or a review that recommends your book.<br /><br />The books you have in you are important. Your books are important to the future of book culture and humanity.&nbsp; Don't let anyone or anything discourage you from putting your book out into the world.<br /><br />If you're new to self-publishing, or you're looking for a few fresh ideas to take things to the next level, check out the Powerpoint deck I uploaded here to blog titled, <b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/07/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.html">How to Publish Ebooks - An Ebook Publishing Intensive</a></b>.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/eDpagNqcOP0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/eDpagNqcOP0/2016-book-publishing-predictions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)26http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/2016-book-publishing-predictions.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-7947550104692323429Fri, 11 Dec 2015 23:18:00 +00002015-12-15T13:19:12.638-08:00Smashwords Expands Global Ebook Distribution with Odilo, Tolino and Yuzu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EWP89n0Mpfo/Vmsz7rcrqPI/AAAAAAAAC1A/nuMaEtWqeoI/s1600/sw%2B%252B%2Btolino%2B%252B%2BOdilo%2B%252B%2Byuzu.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EWP89n0Mpfo/Vmsz7rcrqPI/AAAAAAAAC1A/nuMaEtWqeoI/s320/sw%2B%252B%2Btolino%2B%252B%2BOdilo%2B%252B%2Byuzu.png" width="320" /></a></div>Smashwords today announced three new partners that further expand the reach of the Smashwords ebook distribution network in the US, Europe and South America.<br /><br />The new agreements with Odilo, Tolino and Yuzu span three continents and will allow over 300,000 Smashwords titles to reach new readers at retail, in higher education and at public libraries.<br /><br />Here are details for each the three agreements:<br /><h3>Odilo brings Smashwords expanded library distribution in North America, South America and Europe </h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wt1Fs4nuEKc/Vms3mr6v2LI/AAAAAAAAC1M/8cTNFJ2zT34/s1600/odilo%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wt1Fs4nuEKc/Vms3mr6v2LI/AAAAAAAAC1M/8cTNFJ2zT34/s1600/odilo%2Blogo.png" /></a></div>Odilo is a leading ebook supplier to over 2,100 public libraries in 43 countries across Europe (1,000 libraries), Latin America (1,000 libraries) and North America (100 libraries). In October, they <a href="http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=a6828f6cda9da70692c83ea4c&amp;id=dbcf65b04c">announced</a> a deal with the ministry of culture in Spain to provide ebook services to over 15 million library card holders in Spain. The company is also running preliminary pilots to expand into Australia and New Zealand.&nbsp; About 40% of Odilo's ebook sales are books in English, 40% Spanish, 15% French and 5% German.&nbsp; Odilo's Smashwords catalog will exclude erotica.&nbsp; With the addition of over 200,000 titles from Smashwords, Odilo's offering to public libraries will grow to over one million titles.&nbsp; Smashwords authors and publishers will earn 45% list from Odilo sales, the same as from Smashwords library aggregators OverDrive and Baker &amp; Taylor Axis 360.&nbsp; The Odilo announcement follows Smashwords' <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/10/smashwords-announces-distribution-to.html">announcement</a> of a library distribution relationship with Gardners' Askews &amp; Holts library service in October.&nbsp; Similar to Gardners, but unlike <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/05/smashwords-and-overdrive-to-bring.html">OverDrive</a>, Odilo will support FREE as a price at which libraries can acquire certain Smashwords books.&nbsp; At Smashwords, authors and publishers set the price of their books, and many have used the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/08/smashwords-pricing-manager-tool-enables.html">Smashwords Pricing Manager</a> feature to provide libraries lower pricing, including pricing books at free for libraries that ordinarily carry a price at retail.&nbsp; Learn more about Odilo at <a href="http://www.odilo.es/">http://www.odilo.es/</a><br /><h3>Tolino Brings Smashwords Books to Multiple Major German Ebook Retailers</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Phb9rF7vTcY/Vms7hWMOCeI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/Sgerc1SYIsM/s1600/tolino2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="83" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Phb9rF7vTcY/Vms7hWMOCeI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/Sgerc1SYIsM/s200/tolino2.png" width="200" /></a></div>Tolino powers the ebook stores of several of Germany's largest ebook retailers including <a href="http://www.thalia.de/shop/home/show/">Thalia</a>, <a href="http://www.thalia.de/shop/home/show/">Welbild</a>, <a href="http://www.hugendubel.de/de/">Hugendubel</a>, <a href="http://www.derclub.de/">Der Club</a>, <a href="http://www.buch.de/shop/home/show/">Buch.de</a>, <a href="http://www.buecher.de/">Bücher.de</a>, and <a href="http://ebook.de/">eBook.de</a>, among others.&nbsp; It's estimated that Amazon is the largest ebook seller in Germany, followed by the Tolino network of retailers, followed by other players such as iBooks, Google Play and Kobo which are estimated to be smaller in Germany.&nbsp; With the addition of Tolino, Smashwords authors and publishers now reach the German market with Tolino, iBooks and Kobo.&nbsp; Tolino markets its own dedicated Tolino-branded e-reading device through the brick and mortar stores of its retail partners, which tether the retailer's ebook store to the device.&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn more about Tolino at <a href="https://www.tolino-media.de/home">https://www.tolino-media.de/home</a><br /><h3>Yuzu® Brings Smashwords to Higher Education Market</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSxnV0BJrTM/Vms7m1OV-PI/AAAAAAAAC1g/aT82Akkm9KA/s1600/yuzu.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="66" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSxnV0BJrTM/Vms7m1OV-PI/AAAAAAAAC1g/aT82Akkm9KA/s200/yuzu.png" width="200" /></a></div>Yuzu® is the digital education platform and retailer operated by Barnes &amp; Noble College, which operates 743 college bookstores serving 5 million college students and faculty members.&nbsp; The agreement will make it easier for a wide range of Smashwords Premium Catalog books to be assigned for classroom use by educators.&nbsp; Students can also purchase Smashwords titles for their own enjoyment outside of the classroom in the Yuzu eBook store.&nbsp; I'm optimistic about the long term possibilities of the relationship.&nbsp; The higher education market has been slow to adopt self-publishing, but I think this is bound to change over time as an ever-greater number of educators around the world begin self-publishing their original learning materials as digital books.&nbsp; Many college instructors have already developed proprietary methods, lesson plans and teaching guides that could easily be transformed into low-cost ebooks for the benefit of students and instructors around the world.&nbsp; Learn more about Yuzu at <a href="https://yuzu.com/">https://yuzu.com</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">--&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Smashwords books will begin appearing on these new partners' platforms during the first quarter of 2016.<br /><br />Initial shipments to these partners will begin in early January.&nbsp; Smashwords authors who wish to opt out of any of these channels (not recommended!) may do so in their Dashboard's Channel Manager.&nbsp; Authors and publishers who have chosen to proactively opt out of new channels will not be able to reach these new partners unless they visit their Channel Manager and manually opt in. All other Smashwords authors and publishers will receive automatic distribution of their Premium Catalog titles to these new platforms, with the exception of erotica titles which are excluded from the the Odilo channel.<br /><br />Smashwords provides ebook distribution to over 100,000 self-published authors and small independent presses around the world.&nbsp; To learn learn how to publish and distribute with Smashwords, sign up for free at <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/">www.smashwords.com</a> or visit our services overview page at <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords">How to Publish and Distribute with Smashwords</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/D9uJgE8kYcA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/D9uJgE8kYcA/smashwords-signs-odilo-tolino-yuzu.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)19http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/smashwords-signs-odilo-tolino-yuzu.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-2511555386180064448Thu, 03 Dec 2015 23:51:00 +00002015-12-06T09:48:12.574-08:002015 Smashwords Survey Reveals Insights to Help Authors Reach More Readers<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/2015-smashwords-survey-how-to-sell-more-ebooks"><img alt="http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/2015-smashwords-survey-how-to-sell-more-ebooks" border="0" height="241" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S0Pa0JiB-v4/VmCttRqDqrI/AAAAAAAAC0g/vkZggbLb5vc/s320/Smashwords%2BSurvey%2B2015.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Welcome to the fourth annual 2015 Smashwords Survey.<br /><br />As long time followers of the Smashwords Survey know, we examine real sales data to extract potential insights about best practices that give indie authors and publishers incremental advantages in the marketplace.<br /><br />You want to reach more readers.&nbsp; This Survey might help.<br /><br />First, an apology of sorts.&nbsp; I first shared the survey results you are about to learn in the embedded presentation below at the RT Booklovers conference in Dallas in May.&nbsp; Despite my best intentions to publish this soon after here on the blog, I'm tardy in bringing you the full results.&nbsp; But here today for your reading pleasure, today I hunkered down, turned off my email and locked myself in a room until it was completed.&nbsp; Whew!<br /><br />Although I'm bringing this to you later than expected, for followers of the blog, I've already been previewing the most important findings here in my regular blog posts since May. <br /><br />The survey is based on over $25 million in actual verified ebook sales data, aggregated across the Smashwords distribution network between April 2014 and March 2015.&nbsp; During this period, the following retailers and library partners contributed sales data in the form of sales reports for Smashwords books:&nbsp; Apple iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble, Kobo, the Smashwords Store, Scribd, OverDrive, Amazon (a small subset of our titles), Baker &amp; Taylor Axis 360, Blio, Oyster, Flipkart and Inktera.<br /><br />At first glance, one might think this data is dated.&nbsp; Yes, it's coming to you nearly six months after it was first released, but I think if you take a look you'll see that it contains some important nuggets that will help you increase the visibility and sales of your books, as well as new findings that might help you either reinforce or evolve your views on certain best practices.<br /><br />The Survey reveals a couple industry firsts (see the summary of findings below the embedded presentation below) that will help Smashwords authors and publishers publish with greater professionalism and success in the months ahead.<br /><br />For students of the Smashwords Survey who wish to take the time, there's also much to be learned by viewing the results within the larger context of our prior surveys (View our prior surveys here: <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/07/2014-smashwords-survey-reveals-new.html">Smashwords Survey 2014</a> | <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/05/new-smashwords-survey-helps-authors.html">Smashwords Survey 2013</a> | <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/04/can-ebook-data-reveal-new-viral.html">Smashwords Survey 2012</a> ).&nbsp; It's almost as interesting to observe what hasn't changed as it is to observe the new findings.<br /><br />Several of the new findings are enabled by tools we've released over the last couple years including the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/09/new-smashwords-series-manager-improves.html">Smashwords Series Manager</a> which allows us to look closer at the factors driving series performance, and <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html">Smashwords Preorder Distribution</a> which was first announced in 2013 but has now given us a wealth of information we can now mine and share.&nbsp; And looking ahead to the Smashwords 2016 Survey which we'll release in six months, our new <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/05/smashwords-introduces-new-metadata.html">enhanced metadata for box sets</a> will allow us to share new insight about box set performance.<br /><br />Here's the Slideshare deck.&nbsp; Please feel free to embed it in your own blog or share it with a friend.&nbsp; You can also view it at <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/2015-smashwords-survey-how-to-sell-more-ebooks">Slideshare here</a>, where you find additional links to share it or download it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="485" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/7Pn7TU06yzt5Le" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="595"> </iframe> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><b> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/2015-smashwords-survey-how-to-sell-more-ebooks" target="_blank" title="2015 Smashwords Survey - How to Sell More Ebooks">2015 Smashwords Survey - How to Sell More Ebooks</a> </b> from <b><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords" target="_blank">Smashwords, Inc.</a></b> </div></div><br />So let's look at the key findings.<br /><h3>Key Findings of the 2015 Smashwords Survey</h3><br /><b>1.&nbsp; Wow, preorders.</b>&nbsp; For the first time we analyzed the percentage of books born as preorders (as opposed to simply uploaded the day of release) and compared the sales of preorder-birthed books to non-preorder books.&nbsp; During the survey period, less than 10 percent of books were born as a preorder, even though this feature has been available to Smashwords authors since mid 2013.&nbsp; Yet despite the low usage, <b>two thirds of our top 200 bestselling titles were born as preorders</b>.&nbsp;&nbsp; That's right folks.&nbsp; That small tiny minority of preorder books accounted for the majority of our bestsellers. &nbsp; On a median basis, ebook born as preorders earned the authors 3 1/2 times more income than books that were simply uploaded the day of release.&nbsp; The average was even more stunning.&nbsp; The survey contains a full page of caveats about these numbers and why I think they're exaggerated so I hope you take the time to read that.&nbsp; The bottom line, however, is that about 90% of indies are failing to take full advantage of this amazing tool.&nbsp; If you don't have your next 12 months of planned releases listed as preorders today, then you're leaving readers and money on the table.&nbsp; I'll go a step further:&nbsp; Preorders are such an essential best practice that it's simply dumb not to take the time to learn how to use them to your advantage.&nbsp; I make it easy to learn because I've written multiple article on preorder best practices.&nbsp; Learn more about our new <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html">Assetless Preorder</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> feature here</a>,&nbsp; access the<a href="http://smashwords.com/preorder"> Smashwords preorder page</a> here (includes links to my blog posts on preorders) or check out my <b>NEW article</b> I wrote last month on <b><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/68748-how-indie-authors-can-use-preorders-to-crack-the-bestseller-lists.html">ebook preorder strategy for Publishers Weekly</a></b>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vrLgIHdTguU/VmR0scned1I/AAAAAAAAC0w/TEWY62KHUyc/s1600/chart%2Bfree%2Bvs%2Bpaid%2Bseries%2Bstarter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vrLgIHdTguU/VmR0scned1I/AAAAAAAAC0w/TEWY62KHUyc/s200/chart%2Bfree%2Bvs%2Bpaid%2Bseries%2Bstarter.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>2.&nbsp; Series with free series starters earn more money.</b>&nbsp; For the first time we analyzed the difference in sales between series with free series and starters and series without free series starters.&nbsp; We looked at our 200 bestselling series with a free series starter and our 200 bestselling series without free series starters.&nbsp; Then we added up the numbers and compared them.&nbsp; First we looked at the average.&nbsp; The free series starter group earned 66% more.&nbsp; Impressive.&nbsp; And then, assuming that maybe a few big sellers were skewing the average, we looked at the median.&nbsp; The median is the midpoint if you arrange the sales results from highest to lowest.&nbsp; Often in big data sets, the median can give you a more typical result.&nbsp; The result?&nbsp; Exactly the same!&nbsp; The median title in the free series starter group earned 66% more.&nbsp; This is the strongest quantifiable evidence that I'm aware of to date that proves what many of our authors already know by personal experience over the last several years.&nbsp; If you write series and you haven't yet experimented with perma-free series starters, then give it a try!<br /><br /><b>3.&nbsp; Free still works to build readership.</b>&nbsp; For each survey year, we've looked at how free ebook downloads compare to paid downloads using iBooks as our apples to apples comparison each year (bad pun, sorry!).&nbsp; In the 2014 Survey, we found that free books got 39 times more downloads than priced books, down dramatically from 91x in 2013 and 100X in 2012.&nbsp;&nbsp; I expected the power of free to fall further this year, given that this secret - which I've been advocating for nearly eight years - helps authors earn more money.&nbsp; <u><b>The result for 2014?&nbsp; 41x.&nbsp;</b></u> The effectiveness of free increased despite the glut of free books.&nbsp; I think a couple things are going on here.&nbsp; First, I think more and more readers are using free as their primary discovery path to try new, unknown-to-them authors, especially with free series starters.&nbsp; Second, iBooks, more than any other retailer, provides amazing merchandising support for free books and free series starters.&nbsp; Third, it's a multi-step path to build a loyal readership of superfans who will buy everything you write.&nbsp; Superfans are your evangelists.&nbsp; They trust everything you write to be super-awesome.&nbsp; You earn them one by one, word by word.&nbsp; If you reverse engineer the trust building process, it starts with discovery which leads to a reader trying you for the first time, and then your book must earn the reader's continued attention from word one forward.&nbsp; A free book allows a reader to try you risk free, and if you're offering them a great full length book, that's a lot of hours the reader has spent with your words in which you're earning and deserving their continued readership.&nbsp; Free works!<br /><br /><b>4.&nbsp; Longer books sell better than shorter books.&nbsp;</b> This finding is consistent with each of the prior year's surveys, though as I mention in the presentation, this year's finding comes with a lot more caveats.&nbsp; In a nutshell, I suspect the rise of multi-author box sets, often at deep discount prices, is probably throwing off the data this year, and as I discuss in the presentation, some of the dynamics will cause it to understate impact of longer books and some will cause it to overstate it.<br /><br /><b>5.&nbsp; $3.99 remains the sweet spot for full length indie fiction.</b>&nbsp; For the third year in a row, authors sold more units and earned more overall income with books priced at $3.99.&nbsp; This is significant because it counters the concern of some authors that the glut of high-quality will lead to ever lower prices.&nbsp; For great authors, readers are still willing to pay.&nbsp; The pricing, earnings and unit sales data we share has been remarkably consistent now for four years, expecially when you consider how this translates to a competitive advantage for indie ebook authors compared to traditionally published ebook authors.&nbsp; Indies still have the ability to price lower, net more per sale and reach more readers thanks to the lower pricing.&nbsp; But traditional publishers are now making greater use of lower pricing, so this advantage will diminish in the years to come (more on that in my 2016 predictions to come).<br /><br /><b>6.&nbsp; 99 cents is still good for building readership</b>, but not as good as $2.99 and $3.99.&nbsp; And from an earnings perspective, 99 cents underperforms the average of all other prices by about 65%.<br /><br /><b>7.&nbsp; Avoid $1.99.&nbsp;</b>&nbsp; For the fourth year in a row, $1.99 was a black hole in terms of overall earnings.&nbsp; On a unit sales basis, although $1.99 books outperformed all books priced $5.00 and above, it dramatically underperformed on overall earnings, earning 73% less than the average of all other price points.&nbsp; If you write full length fiction and you have books priced at $1.99, trying increasing the price to $2.99 or $3.99, and if your book performs as the aggregate does, you'll probably sell more units.&nbsp; Or if it's short and $2.99+ is too high, try 99 cents instead because the data suggests you'll earn more and reach about 65% more readers.&nbsp; I'm not entirely certain why this is the case.&nbsp; It's not because our retailers pay lower levels for sub-$2.99 books.&nbsp; They don't.&nbsp; Our retailers pay the same for $1.99 as they do for $9.99.&nbsp; There's something about the price point that readers don't like.&nbsp; Who knows, maybe readers see 99 cents as an enticing promotional price, $2.99 and up as a fair price, and $1.99 as the price for lesser quality books that couldn't make the $2.99 grade.&nbsp; Your theory is as good as mine.<br /><br /><b>8.&nbsp; Bestselling authors and social media.</b>&nbsp; Bestselling authors are more likely to have a presence on Facebook and Twitter, and more likely to have a blog.&nbsp; Not a huge surprise, though it's worth noting there are plenty of successful authors who have minimal presence on social media.<br /><br /><b>9.&nbsp; Top 10 Fiction categories during the one year period:</b>&nbsp; 1.&nbsp; Romance.&nbsp; 2.&nbsp; Erotica.&nbsp; 3.&nbsp; YA and teen fiction.&nbsp; 4.&nbsp; Fantasy.&nbsp; 5.&nbsp; Mystery &amp; detective.&nbsp;&nbsp; 6.&nbsp; Gay and lesbian fiction.&nbsp; 7.&nbsp; Science fiction.&nbsp; 8.&nbsp; Historical.&nbsp; 9.&nbsp; Thriller &amp; suspense.&nbsp;&nbsp; 10.&nbsp; Adventure.<br /><br /><b>10.&nbsp; Top 10 Non-fiction categories during the one year period:</b>&nbsp; 1. Biography.&nbsp; 2.&nbsp; Health, wellbeing and medicine.&nbsp; 3.&nbsp; Business &amp; economics.&nbsp; 4.&nbsp; Self-improvement.&nbsp; 5. Religion &amp; spirituality.&nbsp; 6.&nbsp; Relationships and family.&nbsp; 7.&nbsp; Sports and outdoor recreation.&nbsp;&nbsp; 8.&nbsp; Education and study guides.&nbsp; 9.&nbsp; New age.&nbsp; 10.&nbsp; Computers &amp; Internet.<br /><br />Check out the complete <b><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/2015-smashwords-survey-how-to-sell-more-ebooks">2015 Smashwords Survey at Slideshare</a></b> for more!<br /><br /><h3>Notes and cautionary caveats about the data</h3>I want to help you be as informed as possible, and that includes helping you understand the potential limitations of the data and our findings.<br /><ol><li>The data above is aggregated across multiple Smashwords retailers, library partners and the Smashwords Store.&nbsp; I'm not aware of any other survey that is based on such a large volume of real, verified sales.&nbsp; For this reason alone, some of this data has a potential weight and statistical significance that is much more useful than the anecdotal data learned from one's own personal experience, from friends and from Internet heresay.&nbsp; But as such, the is not without its flaws and limitations, and it does not invalidate your personal experiences because every author and every book is different. </li><li>iBooks and Barnes &amp; Noble are our largest ebook sales channels, so you can assume these stores had an outsize impact on our results.</li><li>Smashwords sales are heavily skewed toward fiction (as is the entire industry) and romance (romance is huge in ebooks, but I expect our exposure to romance is greater than most traditional publishers).&nbsp; Therefore, if you write non-fiction, some of these findings will be useful and some may be less relevant.</li><li>Smashwords offers a massive catalog approaching 400,000 books, and most of these titles are over one year old.&nbsp; Most books get the lion's share of their sales in the first few months (one reason Amazon KDP is a three month cycle).&nbsp; In this Survey, we don't different titles by age (but maybe we should in future surveys!).</li><li>Numbers are dangerous.&nbsp; Although averages and medians can give you useful information, your book may not conform to the average or median.&nbsp; So use caution when basing your publishing decisions on these findings.&nbsp; The best price point for the aggregate of indie ebooks may not be the best price point for your book.&nbsp; Your book is unique.&nbsp; Use this data as one of only multiple inputs that you use in your decision process.</li><li>Correlation does not necessarily equal causation.&nbsp; Just because we see patterns in the data doesn't mean that one thing caused the other.&nbsp; As is the truth in all life, there are typically dozens or hundreds of factors that can conspire to create certain results, and it's nearly impossible to capture these factors in data alone.&nbsp; For example, longer books often sell better than shorter books.&nbsp; That doesn't mean that it's impossible for your short novella to hit the New York Times bestseller list, nor would such a wonderful occurrence invalidate the usefulness of our data.</li><li>This was our first Survey year where subscription ebook services became a factor in the market.&nbsp; Between Scribd, Oyster and Kindle Unlimited, subscribers to these services aren't necessarily exposed to the price of the book, which means retail price isn't a decision factor, and we don't separate out subscription sales from our data set.&nbsp; It means some of the pricing data is potentially skewed.</li><li>Although we include some sales data from Amazon, it's only for a small subset of our catalog, and none of these titles were enrolled in KDP Select or Kindle Unlimited.&nbsp; Therefore, although most of our findings will be useful to Amazon authors, it would be most accurate to think of these findings as more relevant to the non-Amazon retailers.</li><li>We're looking at a snapshot of data over a 12 month period, and I'm bringing it to you six months later.&nbsp; The implications of this are discussed above. </li></ol><br />So that's it!&nbsp; I hope you enjoy the Survey.&nbsp; I'll release the 2016 Smashwords Survey at RT Booklovers in Las Vegas in April, and next year I'll try to get the Survey out quicker for all to see.<br /><br />If you're not yet publishing with Smashwords, check out this <i><b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords">How to Publish and Distribute with Smashwords</a></b></i> page.&nbsp; We look forward to working with you.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/MXK2fZb5c3Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/MXK2fZb5c3Q/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)14http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5908814179434306876Thu, 05 Nov 2015 19:51:00 +00002015-11-05T18:37:33.466-08:00Kobo Features 200 Smashwords Titles in Massive Site-Wide Promotion<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3-WNjKC0558/VjuTsMHQvoI/AAAAAAAACzs/DxVS3_KLPzU/s1600/kobosmashwords%2Bpromo%2Bsmall.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3-WNjKC0558/VjuTsMHQvoI/AAAAAAAACzs/DxVS3_KLPzU/s400/kobosmashwords%2Bpromo%2Bsmall.png" width="400" /></a></div>Our friends at Kobo today launched a massive site-wide promotion featuring 200 titles exclusively supplied by 159 Smashwords authors.<br /><br />It's a "<b>3 for the Price of 2</b>" promotion where customers can purchase two participating titles and get the third title for free.&nbsp; The promotion runs now through November 9 in Kobo's US and Canada stores.<br /><br />The promotion is tightly integrated throughout the Kobo store.&nbsp; It's quite impressive how they're handling it.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div>The promotion is prominently featured at the top of the <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/">Kobo home page</a> and on a dedicated promotion page at <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/p/SW3f2US">https://store.kobobooks.com/p/SW3f2US</a>.&nbsp; The promotion will also be promoted in multiple email blasts to Kobo customers and integrated within customer shopping carts.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-43q4MYoJLr8/VjucD5wNAAI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/J9QdwhmHQ9w/s1600/promo%2Bpage%2BKobo%2BSmashwords.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-43q4MYoJLr8/VjucD5wNAAI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/J9QdwhmHQ9w/s320/promo%2Bpage%2BKobo%2BSmashwords.png" width="320" /></a></div>The promotion page at <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/p/SW3f2US">https://store.kobobooks.com/p/SW3f2US</a> is impressive in its design.&nbsp; The page presents large beautiful images of the covers.&nbsp; A one-click search filter makes it easy for customers to view participating titles by bestseller rank (the default view), by highest rated, by alpha-sort or by date of publication.<br /><br />Beside each title is a little "add to shopping cart" icon.&nbsp; A simple click adds the book to the customer's shopping cart without taking the customer away from the promotion page.&nbsp; This makes it easy for customers to go click-click-click as they fill their carts with these amazing books.<br /><br />Customers browsing the individual book pages of any of the 200 participating books will also be drawn in to the overall promotion because participating books are noted by a green tags.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgFm7bDO1ek/VjuYoU1L6jI/AAAAAAAAC0A/3tGDJ6VGCK4/s1600/jamieKobo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgFm7bDO1ek/VjuYoU1L6jI/AAAAAAAAC0A/3tGDJ6VGCK4/s320/jamieKobo.png" width="320" /></a></div>At left, I share a screen shot of how the individual book pages look, using a participating title from Jamie McGuire as an example.<br /><br />Merchandising language above the title of each participating book encourages the customer to buy this and other books participating in the promotion.&nbsp;&nbsp; So if you think about it, all 200 of these books will be driving customers into the promotion and promoting the other 199 books.<br /><br />Juicing the promotion further, many of the participating authors will be promoting the promotion to their fans who shop at Kobo, thereby introducing their fans to 199 other great books from 158 other great Smashwords authors.&nbsp; <br /><br />My hat goes off to our friends at Kobo for the months of work that went into the planning and launch of this fabulous promotion.&nbsp; I'm also thankful for all the great work they do every day to support Smashwords authors and publishers.<br /><br />This is one of our most ambitious and complex promotions to date with a retail partner.&nbsp; At the bottom of this post, I'll share some details on how these titles were selected.<br /><br />Please join me in congratulating the authors with titles selected for this promotion.&nbsp; I've noted the participating authors below along with the featured titles.&nbsp; Please visit <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/p/SW3f2US">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/p/SW3f2US</a> and buy these books!<br /><br />Participating Authors and Books in the Smashwords/Kobo <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/p/SW3f2US"><i><b>3 for the Price of 2</b></i></a> Promotion:<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DoNotShowMarkup/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style><![endif]--><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , &quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AEK">A. Wendeberg</a> - Moriarty (Anna Kronberg Bundle)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Annie605">A.M. Hargrove</a> - The Edge Series Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Hartoin">A.W. Hartoin</a> - Away From Whipplethorn Box Set (Books 1-3, plus a bonus prequel)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/addisonmoore">Addison Moore</a>- 3:AM Kisses Boxed Set (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adriennebell">Adrienne Bell</a>- The Agent Next Door<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AhrenSanders">Ahren&nbsp; Sanders</a> - Reed's Reckoning<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/admin/viewUsers/LyricalLitPublishing">Alexia Purdy</a> - Reign of Blood Omnibus<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AmityCross">Amity Cross</a> - Beat (#1 The Beat and The Pulse)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/amyabartol">Amy A. Bartol</a>- Inescapable (The Premonition Series, Volume 1)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/amyharmon">Amy Harmon</a> - The Law of Moses<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/amymiles">Amy Miles</a> - The Arotas Trilogy Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/angelaroquet">Angela Roquet</a>- Pocket Full of Posies<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AngelaWhiteLaw">Angela White</a>- The Price We Pay<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnOmasta">Ann Omasta</a> - Making Choices (Book 2 of The Davis Twins Series)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/annalisagrant">AnnaLisa Grant</a>- The Complete Lake Series<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/annemarienovark">Anne Marie Novark</a> - Damsels in Breeches Regency Series Boxed Set Vol. 1 (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/diaryofanoxygenthief">Anonymous</a>- Chameleon On A Kaleidoscope (The Oxygen Thief Diaries) ; Diary Of An Oxygen Thief (The Oxygen Thief Diaries)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ashleystoyanoff">Ashley Stoyanoff</a> - Deadly Mates (Deadly Trilogy, Book 2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bandqalston">Brandon Alston</a>- Brown Eyes (Book Two, The Forever Trilogy)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/davies">Brenda K. Davies</a> - A Stolen Heart ; The Vampire Awakening Series Bundle<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BrianSPratt">https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BrianSPratt</a>&nbsp;- Brian S. Pratt - Ring of the Or'tux ; The Morcyth Saga Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cjduggan">C.J Duggan</a> - Summer Series Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/clbevill">C.L. Bevill</a> - Bubba and the Ten Little Loonies<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CamillaC">Camilla Chafer</a> - Lexi Graves Mysteries Omnibus Volume One<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/carolinehanson">Caroline Hanson</a> - The Valerie Dearborn Trilogy<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kcmarie823">Casey Peeler</a> - Covering the Carolinas<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chandahahn">Chanda Hahn</a> - Forever ; An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Boxed Set (Books 1-4)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chaelenglish">Charlotte E. English</a> - The Malykant Mysteries Compendium (Books 1-4) ; Draykon: The Complete Series<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cheryldouglas">Cheryl&nbsp; Douglas</a> - End Zone (Texas Titans #2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CerylMcIntyre">Cheryl McIntyre</a>- Dirty (The Five-Part Serial Bundle)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/christicaldwell">Christi Caldwell</a> - Loved by a Duke<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cloverautrey">Clover Autrey</a>- Highland Sorcery Boxed Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colleenhoover">Colleen Hoover</a>- HOPELESS ; Never Never<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CindiMyers">Cynthia Sterling</a>- Great Caesar's Ghost, A Ghostly Romance<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/529712">Dale Wiley</a> - The Intern ; Sabotage<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DanelleFCG">Danelle Harmon</a>- The Beloved One<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DelShereeG">DelSheree Gladden</a>- Intangible<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DerrickJaxnn">Derrick Jaxn</a>- A Cheating Man's Heart 2<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DianaFraser">Diana Fraser</a>- The Mackenzies Boxed Set (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dianehenders">Diane Henders</a>- The Spy Is Cast<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ELTODD">E. L. Todd</a> - Beautiful Entourage (Beautiful Entourage #1)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/authorednah">Ednah Walters</a>- Runes (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ElisaBraden">Elisa Braden</a>- The Madness of Viscount Atherbourne (Rescued from Ruin, Book One)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/elizabethhunterwrites">Elizabeth Hunter</a> - The Elemental Mysteries: Complete Series<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ElizabethKelly">Elizabeth Kelly</a> - Willow and the Wolf (Book One)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/pipero">Erica Stevens</a> - The Captive Series Bundle<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ETL">Eugene Lee</a> - My Brother's Keeper<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/evapohler">Eva Pohler</a> - The Purgatorium Box Set ; The Gatekeeper's Saga Boxed Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/fveaux">Franklin Veaux</a> - More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RunningMeterPress">Gary Reilly</a>- The Enlisted Men’s Club<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GemmaHallidayPublishing">Gemma Halliday</a> - International Cozy Mysteries ; Diva Detectives (Boxed set of 3 full length mysteries)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/georgesiedel">George J. Siedel</a>- Negotiating for Success: Essential Strategies and Skills<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GingerScott">Ginger Scott</a>- Wild Reckless<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/gjwalkersmith">GJ Walker-Smith</a>- The Wishes Series Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ADenBoer6">Grace Draven</a> - Radiance<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ConfidenceBuilder">Gregg Michaelsen</a> - To Date a Man, You Must Understand a Man: The Keys to Catch a Great Guy (Relationship and Dating Advice for Women)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HadleighOCharles">H. O. Charles</a> - The Fireblade Array: 4-Book Bundle ; Voices of Blaze (Volume 5 of The Fireblade Array)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HarrisonDrake">Harrison Drake</a>- Blue Rubicon (Detective Lincoln Munroe, Book 2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/heatherhildenbrand">Heather Hildebrand</a> - Dirty Blood Boxed Set, Includes: Dirty Blood, Cold Blood, Blood Bond, &amp; Blood Rule<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hpmallory">HP Mallory</a> - The Dulcie O'Neil Boxed Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JAHornbuckle">J.A. Hornbuckle</a>- The Possibility of Trey (A Hellion MC Novel)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JamieMcGuire">Jamie McGuire</a>- Beautiful Redemption: A Novel ; The Providence Trilogy Bundle<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jdnixon">JD Nixon</a> - Heller's Revenge<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wizard12311">Jeff Gunzel</a> - Legend of the Gate Keeper: Omnibus Volumes 1-3<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jenikasnow">Jenika Snow</a> - Her Best Mistake<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jessicasor1116">Jessica Sorensen</a> - The Certainty of Violet and Luke<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Jongb35">Jonathan Bales</a> - Fantasy Baseball for Smart People: How to Profit Big During MLB Season<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jonihahn">Joni Hahn</a> - The D.I.R.E. Agency Box Set, Books 1 - 3<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jrlallo">Joseph R. Lallo</a> - The Book of Deacon Anthology<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/juliecarobini">Julie Carobini</a>- The Chocolate Beach Collection:&nbsp; The Chocolate Series of Inspirational Beach Romances (Boxed Set)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/juliejohnson">Julie Johnson</a>- Not You It's Me<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KahlenAymesAuthor">Kahlen Aymes</a> - The Remembrance Trilogy - Complete Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kaitlyndavis">Kaitlyn Davis</a>- The Spirit Heir (A Dance of Dragons #2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/klynch21">Karen Lynch</a> - Refuge<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/katewhitsby">Kate Whitsby</a>- Montana Brides - 3 Book Bundle Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/katieashley">Katie Ashley</a>- Music of the Heart ; The Proposition Complete Series ; Search Me <br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mooneymama">Kelly Mooney</a> - Southern Comfort Series<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kimholdenbooks">Kim Holden</a>- Bright Side<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kimballlee">Kimball Lee</a> - Legal Action: Box Set Edition<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kirasaito">Kira Saito</a> - The Arelia LaRue Series Novels 1-4<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kirsty1000">Kirsty Moseley</a>- The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window ; Nothing Left to Lose ; Always You <br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/korymshrum">Kory M. Shrum</a>- Dying for a Living Boxset<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Krispearson">Kris Pearson</a>- First 3 novels - The Wellington Series ; Taken by the Sheikh<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kristenashley">Kristen Ashley</a>- The 'Burg Series:&nbsp; The Complete Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KymGrosso">Kym Grosso</a> - Immortals of New Orleans Box Set (Books 1-4)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Smiley317537">L.P. Dover</a> - Love, Lies and Deception<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LMWeatherford">Lacey Weatherford</a> - Allure<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/laurieroma">Laurie Roma</a> - 3013: Mated<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leehanson">Lee Hanson</a> - Swan Song<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LeeannM">Leeanna Morgan</a> - All of Me (The Bridesmaids Club, Book 1) ; Montana Brides Boxed Set (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leylahattar">Leyah Attar</a> - The Paper Swan<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lillianaanderson">Lilliana Anderson</a> - A Beautiful Bundle (Beautiful Series books 1-4)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LindaGillard">Linda Gillard</a>- Cauldstane ; The Glass Guardian ; Emotional Geology <br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lindakage">Linda Kage</a> - Price of a Kiss<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lizfielding">Liz Fielding</a>- The Beaumont Brides Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LizzyFord">Lizzy Ford</a> - The Anshan Saga ; First Books (Romance Box Set)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/WakeMeUp">Lyn Ragan</a> - Wake Me Up! Love And The Afterlife<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mkeidem">M.K. Eidem</a> - Grim<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Monicabullock">M.L. Bullock</a>- Moonlight Falls on Seven Sisters<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/angrymary">Madeline Sheehan</a>and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ClaireCRiley">Claire C. Reilly</a> - Thicker than Blood<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MareeAnderson">Maree Anderson</a>- Freaks Series Bundle ; The Crystal Warriors Series Bundle ; Liminal ; The Seer Trilogy Bundle <br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/markmanson">Mark Manson</a> - Models: Attract Women Through Honesty<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/martinturnbull">Martin Turnbull</a> - The Trouble with Scarlett<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MelissaHaag">Melissa Haag</a>- (Mis)fortune<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/melissawrightbooks">Melissa Wright</a> - The Frey Saga (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/miadymond">Mia Dymond</a> - Treasure Me (Alpha Four, Book 1)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/micaleasmeltzer">Micalea Smeltzer</a> - Never Too Late<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kreelanwarrior">Michael R. Hicks</a> - Final Battle (In Her Name: Redemption, Book 3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MicheleGMiller">Michele G Miller</a> - Last Call<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/michellehowardwrites">Michelle Howard</a> - Torkel's Chosen<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/morganrayne">Morgan Rayne</a>- Let Me Love You<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nancysgeise2015">Nancy Geise</a>- Auschwitz #34207 - The Joe Rubinstein Story<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NatalieAnderson01">Natalie Anderson</a> - Breathe For Me (Be For Me 1: Xander)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/natashapreston">Natasha Preston</a> - Save Me ; Second Chance<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nickpirog">Nick Pirog</a> - Gray Matter (Thomas Prescott 2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/charliej">Nicky Charles</a> - Alphas and Rogues - a Law of the Lycans box set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NicolaMarsh">Nicola Marsh</a>- World Apart Boxed Set (Books 1-3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nicolettepierce">Nicolette Pierce</a>- Cashing Out (Nadia Wolf Novel #3)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NikkiJefford">Nikki Jefford</a>- Duplicity (Spellbound #2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PaulineObrayn">Pauline O`Brayn</a>- ¿Quién decide cuánto duran los besos?<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/QuinnLoftis">Quinn Loftis</a>- Grey Wolves Series Starter Bundle<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rebutler">R.E. Butler</a> - The Alpha's Heart (Wilde Creek Two)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rlmathewson">R.L. Mathewson</a>- The Neighbor From Hell Collection I<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/reckless">Rachel Higginson</a>- Love and Decay, Season Two Omnibus: Episodes 1-12<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RachelMorgan">Rachel Morgan</a>- The Faerie Prince (Creepy Hollow, #2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rvd">Rachel Van Dyken</a> - The Seaside Series (New Adult Rocker Romance Boxed Set) ; The Ruin Series Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KSMpatrick">Rachel Vincent</a>- Lion's Share<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RanaeRose">Ranae Rose</a> - Inked in the Steel City Series Box Set #1: Books 1-3<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/theconnectedseries">RaShelle Workman</a> - Blood and Snow Collection I: Book One, Two, and Three plus Cindy Witch, The Hunter's Tale, Gabriel, and After the Kiss<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Rebeccaforster">Rebecca Forster</a> - The Witness Series Bundle: 7 Josie Bates Thrillers<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/reneebernard">Renee Bernard</a>- Black Rose Trilogy Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/richardlsanders">Richard L. Sanders</a> - The Phoenix Rising<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Redameter">Rita Hestand</a> - Family Ranch (The McKay's Series)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RobynPeterman">Robyn&nbsp; Peterman</a> - Hell On Heels (Book 3 The Hot Damned Series)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ruthannnordin">Ruth Ann Nordin</a>- His Convenient Wife<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/shkolee">S.H. Kolee</a> - Shadow Series Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/stbende">S.T. Bende</a> - The Elsker Saga Box Set (Books 1-3 + novella)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/samcrescent">Sam Crescent</a>- Betrayal ; Death's Dirty Demands ; Blaine: Christmas at The Skulls ; Devil's Charm ; Whizz ; Killer ; Runt of the Litter<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/samtowle">Samantha Towle</a> - Revved ; Trouble ; Revived <br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MayberrySarah">Sarah Mayberry</a>- Anticipation<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/savannahyoung">Savannah Young</a>- The Wilde One<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/shannonmayer">Shannon&nbsp; Mayer</a> - Recurve (The Elemental Series, Book 1) ; The Nevermore Trilogy<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/simplyluxurious">Shannon Ables</a>- Choosing The Simply Luxurious Life: A Modern Woman's Guide<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ShawnChesser">Shawn Chesser</a>- Soldier On: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/shaynep">Shayne Parkinson</a>- Daisy's War<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/shellycrane">Shelly Crane </a>- Wide Awake Series Boxset ; Devour Boxset<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SimonGoodsonAuthor">Simon Goodson</a> - Wanderer - Echoes of the Past<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/skyewarren">Skye Warren</a> - Wild Dirty Secret ; Love the Way You Lie: A Dark Romance Novel<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SophieSummers">Sophie Summers</a>- This Broken Beautiful Thing<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/staceymariebrown">Stacey Marie Brown</a> - Fire In The Darkness (Darkness Series #2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SteveStoneSAS">Steve Stone</a>- Afghan Heat: SAS Operations in Afghanistan<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sydneylandon">Sydney Landon</a>- Fractured (Lucian &amp; Lia 2)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TIWADE">T I Wade</a> - AMERICA ONE Series of Seven Novels&nbsp; ; Altruism<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tmnielsen">T.M. Nielsen</a> - The Heku Series (Complete Boxed Set)<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tarrynfisher">Tarryn Fisher</a>- Mud Vein ; Marrow ; The Opportunist <br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tenayajayne">Tenaya Jayne</a>- The Legends of Regia Box Set<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Mtmetalwriter">Terry Compton</a>- The Alcantaran Series&nbsp; Box set of 4<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/toryrichards">Tory Richards</a>- Wild Marauders MC Lynch<br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TraceyAlvarez">Tracey Alvarez</a>- Melting Into You</span><br /><br /><b>How the titles were selected:</b>&nbsp; One of the biggest challenges authors face is discoverability, so you might be curious to learn how we surfaced the titles above from among the 380,000 titles at Smashwords.&nbsp; It's my hope that by sharing some of my process below, Smashwords authors can get a better idea for how to not only utilize our tools to improve their chances of us nominating their books for future retailer promotions, but also how to make their books more discoverable to readers across all our retailers.&nbsp; So here goes...<br /><br />It was tough but fun project that spanned multiple months of work.&nbsp; A few months ago, Kobo asked me to recommend up to 200 titles for the promotion.&nbsp; Unlike many retail promotions where we're often looking for free, discounted or low-cost books, or top-performing preorders, for this promotion we favored published books priced $3.99 and higher.&nbsp; So this excluded free series starters as well as follow-on series books because it wouldn't make sense to fill the promotion with a lot of "Book #2s" in a series.&nbsp; We wanted to help authors put a great foot forward under the assumption that for many Kobo customers, they'll be discovering these authors for the first time.&nbsp; We want to put smiles on the faces of Kobo customers! Series starters with a price of $3.99 or higher were welcome and received some priority because what better way than a great series starter to introduce readers to a new author?&nbsp; Smashwords authors who linked their series with the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/09/new-smashwords-series-manager-improves.html">Smashwords Series Manager</a> tool had an advantage here because it made it possible for us to surface our bestselling series that have series starters priced $3.99 or higher.&nbsp; On top of this, we also wanted box sets within the price parameters because a box set would allow us to give Kobo customers a complete introduction to these these great writers.&nbsp; Authors who followed our previous recommendations and tagged their box sets with our <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/05/smashwords-introduces-new-metadata.html">enhanced box set metadata</a> option had a big advantage here because it made it easy for us to identify our bestselling box sets within the parameters mentioned above.&nbsp; <br /><br />To narrow our search from 380,000 titles to 200, we analyzed the recent 6-month sales track records of Smashwords authors with books that fit our parameters.&nbsp; This allowed us to apply the fairest selection criteria based on merit.&nbsp; Authors who fully distribute with Smashwords had an advantage here, because if an author uploads direct to B&amp;N or iBooks, we can't verify and count their sales, and if we don't distribute them to Kobo we obviously couldn't include them in the promotion because we didn't have the right to distribute them.&nbsp; Once we surfaced the broad list of candidates, we secured Kobo's approval for our proposed list (they approved all our titles) and then we worked with the authors to secure their approvals.&nbsp; Unfortunately, some of the authors we invited had non-working email addresses attached to their accounts, so those authors were dropped.&nbsp; We also dropped a bunch of other authors because although we nominated (and Kobo accepted) their books early in the process, by the time we contacted them for their aproval some of them had unpublished their books to enroll them in KDP Select.&nbsp; Oops.&nbsp; The silver lining to their missed opportunity was that it opened up more room for other great authors who maintain wide, uninterrupted distribution.<br /><br />Again, my thanks to Kobo for organizing this promotion, and my thanks to the participating authors for their awesomeness!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/oKrTTwlKgyI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/oKrTTwlKgyI/kobo-features-200-smashwords-titles-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)32http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/kobo-features-200-smashwords-titles-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5249576067334896510Wed, 04 Nov 2015 18:06:00 +00002015-11-04T13:33:44.798-08:00Dan Poynter, The Father of Self Publishing, Passes Away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0XUEUmgcLQ/VjpGa6DZ4hI/AAAAAAAACzc/l5oZHVRScKo/s1600/Danpoynter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0XUEUmgcLQ/VjpGa6DZ4hI/AAAAAAAACzc/l5oZHVRScKo/s320/Danpoynter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Sad news.&nbsp; Dan Poynter, the man I consider the father of modern day self publishing, <a href="http://www.dropzone.com/news/People/Legendary_Author_Dan_Poynter_Passes_Away_1160.html">passed away</a> yesterday after a long illness.<br /><br />Dan led the indie author movement long before the movement had a label, and long before many of its current beneficiaries were even born.&nbsp; Tens of thousands of writers over the last three decades have benefited from the best practices wisdom of his Self Publishing Manual, not to mention his hundreds of presentations over the years at writers conferences around the world.<br /><br />Dan was a mentor to me, long before he even knew me.&nbsp; I first read his Self Publishing Manual about 12 years ago, before Smashwords was even a glimmer in my eye.&nbsp; I was drawn to Dan's book because he explained the business and process of publishing.&nbsp; He provided writers the tools to think, act and publish like professional publishers.&nbsp; If you've followed Smashwords at all over the last eight years, you'll see the DNA of Dan pervades much of what we do at Smashwords.<br /><br />Dan was an early ebook reader and ebook advocate, long before it was trendy.<br /><br />I remember when I first spoke with Dan in early 2009.&nbsp; I emailed him and invited him to publish on Smashwords.&nbsp; He invited me to call him at home over the weekend.&nbsp; I remember I felt giddy as a star struck teenager, and I immediately found him to be gracious, selfless, caring and absolutely dedicated to empowering writers with transformative knowledge that he knew would help change the world.&nbsp; I interviewed him for the blog (<a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2009/02/exclusive-dan-poynter-on-future-of-self.html">read my interview with Dan Poynter here</a>) shortly after that conversation.<br /><br />Dan changed the world.&nbsp; All of us - Smashwords and every indie author - are operating in a world that Dan first envisioned and, more than anyone, helped to encourage in his multiple decades of self publishing advocacy and education.<br /><br />Above all, Dan was an incredibly nice guy.&nbsp; He made himself available to every writer any time, whether at a writers conference or on email or when they called him at home.&nbsp; He wanted to help writers achieve their dream.<br /><br />Dan was an early supporter of yours truly and Smashwords, and he went out of his way to open doors for me in the early days when the stigma of self publishing meant that most everyone else greeted me with suspicion.&nbsp; Dan knew my mission was to democratize publishing for the benefit of writers.&nbsp; I had the great honor to present some of my first presentations alongside Dan at the <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/dan-poynter-mark-coker-presentation-print-books-to-ebooks">IBPA</a> and <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/the-ebook-revolution-san-francisco-writers-conference-2010-with-dan-poynter-and-mark-coker">San Francisco Writers Conference</a>.<br /><br />In many ways, the rise of ebooks helped Dan realize his vision too.&nbsp; Ebooks enabled every major retailer to stock self published books, so it was this democratized distribution that finally helped the world realize, appreciate and enjoy the extraordinary talent locked between the minds and fingertips of ordinary writers around the the world.&nbsp; Dan believed in the potential of every writer when the rest of the industry thought most writers weren't good enough. <br /><br />Dan was also stubborn. &nbsp; He was a fighter and an eternal optimist. I learned early on during the course of his illness that he didn't like talking about it with me.&nbsp; He took pride in beating the odds, and he did for a long time.&nbsp; And he never stopped looking forward to publishing his next book, never stopped living and never stopped looking forward to helping the next author be that much more successful.<br /><br />Dan was a living legend.&nbsp; I'll miss you Dan.&nbsp; So long and thanks for your immeasurable contribution to the world of writers, authorship, publishing, books and human decency.<br /><br />If you have memories of how Dan touched you, please honor him by sharing your memories below. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dropzone.com/news/People/Legendary_Author_Dan_Poynter_Passes_Away_1160.html"> Dropzone.com</a></span><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/T7dVA2yRyRY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/T7dVA2yRyRY/dan-poynter-father-of-self-publishing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)52http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/dan-poynter-father-of-self-publishing.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-3633070835606780761Tue, 03 Nov 2015 05:43:00 +00002015-11-03T07:53:23.827-08:00Amazon Lowers Kindle Unlimited Payouts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bIwU1UFioh8/VjgoxG1AgoI/AAAAAAAACy8/Fr4eimKecCM/s1600/KDP%2BIndia%2Bprice%2Bcut%2BIndia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bIwU1UFioh8/VjgoxG1AgoI/AAAAAAAACy8/Fr4eimKecCM/s320/KDP%2BIndia%2Bprice%2Bcut%2BIndia.png" width="264" /></a></div>Last Friday in a bit of news that was missed by most indie authors, Amazon quietly <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/community/ann.jspa?annID=869">announced</a> that because they're pricing their Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription service at $3.00 per month in India, authors will now earn less.<br /><br />I'm sorry to say I predicted such a devaluation back in March in an interview with the International Publishers Association titled, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%28http://www.internationalpublishers.org/market-insights/trends-and-innovation/288-kindle-unlimited-not-all-subscription-services-are-created-equal"><i>Not all Subscription Services are Created Equal.</i></a> In that interview I warned there was nothing stopping Amazon from waking up one day and deciding that their $9.99 subscription service should be priced at $3.00 instead.&nbsp; So now it's happening in India.&nbsp; Amazon hints it will happen in other countries too.<br /><br />Was I prophetic?&nbsp; Not really.&nbsp; None of this should come as a surprise, yet thousands of authors will be surprised once they realize the slippery slope that is <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/12/amazon-shows-predatory-spots-with-kdp.html">KDP Select</a>.&nbsp; It's an inevitable outcome when authors surrender full pricing and compensation control (via their KDP Select enrollment) to a company whose entire business model is predicated upon commoditizing and devaluing products by stripping suppliers of pricing control.&nbsp; Amazon does this in the name of offering customers the lowest possible prices. <br /><br /><b>Is Amazon Working to Kill Single Copy Ebook Sales?</b><br /><br />There's another potentially more insidious form of devaluation taking place, and sadly the indie author community (which supplies the bulk of KU titles) is Amazon's unwitting accomplice.<br /><br />Kindle Unlimited is training readers to think that single-copy ebook purchases are too expensive.<br /><br />In my <i><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/09/oyster-and-kdp-select-train.html">Oyster and the KDP Select Party Train</a></i> post, I shared screen shots of how Kindle Unlimited <b>makes even 99 cent single-copy purchases look expensive</b> when the same book can be read for free under Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pe4fIxGHjg/Vjg9IhEMEDI/AAAAAAAACzM/0SjuueVeYLQ/s1600/Crucified%2Bone%2B-%2Bdeath%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bsingle%2Bcopy%2Bsale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pe4fIxGHjg/Vjg9IhEMEDI/AAAAAAAACzM/0SjuueVeYLQ/s320/Crucified%2Bone%2B-%2Bdeath%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bsingle%2Bcopy%2Bsale.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>Six days following my Party Train post, bestselling indie fantasy author <a href="http://randolphlalonde.blogspot.ca/2015/09/amazon-kdp-asks-me-for-my-opinion.html">Randolph Lalonde reported</a> that he has received hate mail from Kindle Unlimited subscribers who refuse to purchase his books unless he makes them available for free as part of their Kindle Unlimited subscription.&nbsp; Wow. <br /><br />Like many indie authors, Randolph Lalonde prices his full-length series starters at free and prices the rest of his books at $2.99 and $3.99.&nbsp; He writes great books and earns great reviews, but suddenly now for a small but apparently growing subset of readers spoiled by Kindle Unlimited, his books are too expensive.&nbsp; Crazy. <br /><br />Kindle Unlimited is crucifying single copy sales upon the altar of greed and gluttony.<br /><br />Enjoy your single copy sales while they last.<br /><br />As I've written previously, indie authors have the power to prevent this bleak future.&nbsp; All they need to do is stop enrolling their books in KDP Select before it's too late.&nbsp; Spread the word.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/CFfnrYiZfLY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/CFfnrYiZfLY/amazon-lowers-kindle-unlimited-payouts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)82http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/11/amazon-lowers-kindle-unlimited-payouts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-8621849135216971006Thu, 15 Oct 2015 18:58:00 +00002015-10-15T12:23:29.502-07:00Smashwords Announces Distribution to Gardners Books: Expanded distribution to over 400 retail stores, 2,000 public libraries and 400 academic libraries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Kn1dLseHeI/Vh_O0mvYYgI/AAAAAAAACyA/zmhOyeLvgpg/s1600/Smashwords%2Bdistribution%2Bwith%2BGardners.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Kn1dLseHeI/Vh_O0mvYYgI/AAAAAAAACyA/zmhOyeLvgpg/s320/Smashwords%2Bdistribution%2Bwith%2BGardners.png" width="315" /></a></div>Smashwords today announced a comprehensive distribution agreement with Gardners, the UK's largest book wholesaler.&nbsp; <br /><br />The agreement significantly expands the global footprint of the Smashwords ebook distribution network, enabling Smashwords authors and publishers to reach hundreds of online retailers, public libraries and academic libraries.<br /><br />On October 22 Smashwords will begin delivering 230,000 ebooks sourced from the over 100,000 indie authors and small independent presses to 400 ebook stores powered by Gardners operating in 32 countries and serving customers in 138 countries; 2,000 public libraries in the U.K.; and 400 academic libraries in the UK, Europe and Middle East.&nbsp; The agreement excludes Smashwords erotica titles.<br /><br />Gardners clients and their customers will gain access to many of the world's bestselling indie authors, including numerous New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. The Smashwords catalog features a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction titles, and is especially strong in popular genre fiction including romance, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy and science fiction.<br /><br /><h3>Agreement Spans Retail and Libraries</h3>The comprehensive partnership covers both retail and library distribution.<br /><h4>1.&nbsp; RETAIL</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Gardners Extended Retail Distribution</b> - Gardners powers the online ebook store operations of over 400 small and medium-sized booksellers globally as part of its white label ecommerce and <a href="http://www.gardners.com/gardners/include.aspx?I=/gardners/content/company/retailer_services/whitelabelwebsites.html">digital content fulfillment</a> &amp; distribution services.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ALdH977-pWs/Vh_Pb5VIpJI/AAAAAAAACyM/D5J6Of2aeuM/s1600/gardners.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="54" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ALdH977-pWs/Vh_Pb5VIpJI/AAAAAAAACyM/D5J6Of2aeuM/s200/gardners.png" width="200" /></a></div>Notable retailers with ebook stores powered by Gardners include <a href="http://www.hive.co.uk/">www.hive.co.uk</a>, <a href="http://www.books.telegraph.co.uk/">www.books.telegraph.co.uk</a> , <a href="http://www.indieebook.co.uk/">www.indieebook.co.uk</a> in the UK, <a href="http://www.bokus.com/">www.bokus.com</a> in Sweden ,&nbsp; <a href="http://www.takealot.com/">www.takealot.com</a> in South Africa and <a href="http://www.saxo.com/">www.saxo.com</a> in Denmark.&nbsp; Hive.co.uk, which is owned and operated by Gardners, is interesting because it features and supports hundreds of independent brick and mortar retailers.&nbsp; Every sale benefits the consumer's selected shop. Hive features a large range of titles from the Gardners catalog of over five million items which include ebooks, print books, DVDs, audiobooks, stationary supplies and more.<br /><br />Smashwords authors and publishers will earn 60% of the after-VAT list price at Gardners-powered ebook stores, the same terms as they earn with Smashwords at iBooks and other major retailers.<br /><br /><h4>2. LIBRARIES</h4>Gardners library ebook distribution will allow Smashwords authors and publishers to reach both public libraries and academic libraries.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Askews &amp; Holts Library Services</b> - Askews &amp; Holts (A&amp;H) is a sister company to Gardners, and operates the UK's largest library ebook service.&nbsp; A&amp;H currently powers the ebook checkout systems of 81 public library authorities in the U.K. comprised of 2,000+ public libraries.&nbsp; This represents over half of the UK library authorities, serving a local population of 17 million people.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9DGhRBlf1pY/Vh_PjmMsRfI/AAAAAAAACyU/-U3gVG8Q3Rw/s1600/askews%2Band%2Bholts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9DGhRBlf1pY/Vh_PjmMsRfI/AAAAAAAACyU/-U3gVG8Q3Rw/s1600/askews%2Band%2Bholts.png" /></a></div>The A&amp;H library service is really interesting.&nbsp; Unlike conventional library ebook services that require the library to purchase the book prior to allowing the patron to discover and sample it, A&amp;H offers libraries a truly patron-driven service.&nbsp;&nbsp; <i><b>All Smashwords titles will be available and discoverable to library patrons.</b></i>&nbsp; Patrons can search the catalog and when they check out a book it triggers a purchase by the library, assuming it wasn’t previously purchased or checked out at the time.&nbsp; This patron-driven approach to library ebooks solves a significant budgetary challenge faced by all libraries - namely that libraries under other systems routinely waste precious budget to purchase books that are never read.&nbsp; Libraries can set monthly budgets to control costs.&nbsp; Once budgets are met, library patrons are given the option to purchase books that aren't yet in the library's catalog, or that might already be checked out.&nbsp; Also in a significant first, A&amp;H will include all Smashwords books priced at FREE so library patrons can access the books at no cost.&nbsp; By contrast, Smashwords partner OverDrive, the world’s largest library ebook platform, doesn't support free books and prices all sub-$1.99 and free Smashwords ebooks at $1.99.&nbsp; This minimum pricing requirement has disappointed some Smashwords authors and publishers that want to show their support for libraries by offering their books at lower-than-retail prices including FREE.&nbsp; With the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/08/smashwords-pricing-manager-tool-enables.html">Smashwords Pricing Manager</a> tool in the Smashwords Dashboard, authors and publishers can set custom prices for libraries.&nbsp; Similar to our library distribution deals with OverDrive and Baker &amp; Taylor Axis 360, Smashwords authors and publishers will earn 45% of the list price for all library sales.&nbsp; Also similar to our other library deals, once an A&amp;H library purchases a Smashwords title, they own it can check it out to one patron at a time.<br /><br /><b>VLeBooks</b> - Smashwords titles will also be accessible on the <a href="http://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/pages/VLeBooks">VLeBooks</a> service, the ebook platform for <a href="http://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/">Browns Books for Students</a>, another sister company of Gardners that serves academic libraries.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q2LAHyhRcbk/Vh_QG93A22I/AAAAAAAACyY/dPRpbnuWWAc/s1600/VLeBooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="43" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q2LAHyhRcbk/Vh_QG93A22I/AAAAAAAACyY/dPRpbnuWWAc/s200/VLeBooks.png" width="200" /></a></div>VLeBooks is used by 400 schools &amp; colleges in Europe, the Middle East &amp; Asia and 78 universities in the UK, with over 200,000 students registered on the platform. More than 16,000 academic librarians and teachers utilize the platform for their digital and physical book orders.&nbsp; The terms of sale for VLeBooks are the same as for Askews &amp; Holts.<br /><br /><h3>How to Distribute Ebooks to Gardners</h3>Smashwords shipments to Gardners will begin on October 22, seven days from today.&nbsp; If you want your books distributed to these new Gardners channels, your Premium Catalog-approved books (excluding erotica) will automatically flow to them starting in one week.<br /><br />If you wish to opt out of either the Gardners retail or library channels (NOT recommended), you'll find the option in your Dashboard's Channel Manager.&nbsp; Two channels are listed separately, one is labeled Gardners Extended Retail Distribution and the other, which comprises both library channels is labeled Gardners Library Distribution.&nbsp; With distribution beginning in one week, Smashwords estimates that most Smashwords books will be listed at these services within six to eight weeks, although titles may appear earlier or later than anticipated.<br /><br />Thank you Gardners for supporting Smashwords authors and publishers!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/qLp14nNSPsg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/qLp14nNSPsg/smashwords-announces-distribution-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)43http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/10/smashwords-announces-distribution-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-7145729523839557467Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:05:00 +00002015-10-06T17:57:23.465-07:00250 Smashwords Crime Fiction Authors Featured at Bouchercon 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Agbqa1uVk24/VhNG_fHLJHI/AAAAAAAACxs/TbH2O3OCTPs/s1600/boucheronsmashwords.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Agbqa1uVk24/VhNG_fHLJHI/AAAAAAAACxs/TbH2O3OCTPs/s320/boucheronsmashwords.png" width="208" /></a></div>Two hundred and fifty Smashwords authors will be featured this week at <a href="http://bouchercon2015.org/">Bouchercon 2015</a> in Raleigh, North Carolina.<br /><br />Bouchercon, now in its 46th year, is the world's largest mystery convention.&nbsp; It's expected to draw 1,500 readers, writers, publishers, editors, agents, booksellers and other lovers of crime fiction.<br /><br />Included in the conference registration bags will be a Smashwords thumb drive.&nbsp; On that drive will be 430 ebooks from 250 Smashwords authors.&nbsp; The drive features breakout indies, New York Times bestsellers, USA Today bestsellers, hybrid authors that publish both indie and traditionally, and future breakout authors.<br /><br />Invited authors were selected from among Smashwords crime fiction bestsellers, Bouchercon attendees and members of <a href="http://www.sistersincrime.org/">Sisters in Crime</a>. <br /><br />We've done similar drive promotions for RT Booklovers, RWA and Penned Con, and they're always a hit with readers and writers alike.&nbsp; It's a great chance for the industry's most enthusiastic crime fiction fans to discover their new favorite authors.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SKMmx9U4hqc/VhM6m-Me3pI/AAAAAAAACxY/enTyRifObTg/s1600/newthumb.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SKMmx9U4hqc/VhM6m-Me3pI/AAAAAAAACxY/enTyRifObTg/s200/newthumb.png" width="193" /></a></div>Jim Azevedo, Smashwords marketing director, will also be on hand at the conference manning a Smashwords table and participating in workshops.&nbsp;<br /><br />On October 8 at 11:30am, Jim is on the <b>"Changing Face of Publishing for Writers &amp; Readers"</b> panel at the Marriott, room University A/B. Immediately following the panel, Jim will be right down the hall, in room University C, presenting a workshop titled <b>"The Secrets of Best Selling Indie Authors."</b> In this workshop, he'll share best practices of the bestselling indie ebook authors. Consider adding Jim's session to your schedule via the excellent Bouchercon app, which you can get here: <a href="http://bouchercon2015.org/bouchercon-app/">http://bouchercon2015.org/bouchercon-app/</a><br /><br />Here's a summary of the participating authors and their books. <br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Author (click to view profile) - Participating title(s) separated by semicolons.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ajdavidson">A. J. Davidson</a> -&nbsp; An Evil Shadow; Churchill's Queen; Paper Ghosts</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/docholiday">Al Rennie</a> -&nbsp; Clearwater Ambush; Clearwater Diaries; Clearwater Journals</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AlSimon">Albert Simon</a> -&nbsp; Coachella Valley Traffic Jam; For Sale in Palm Springs; Mystery on the Tramway</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/amydsaunders">Amy Saunders</a> - Auf'd (The Belinda &amp; Bennett Mysteries, Book Two); Cliffhanger (The Belinda &amp; Bennett Mysteries, Book One)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AngelaCriderNearyTAP">Angela Crider Neary</a> -&nbsp; Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/annacastle">Anna Castle</a> -&nbsp; - Black &amp; White &amp; Dead All Over; Death by Disputation; Murder by Misrule</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/annalisagrant">AnnaLisa Grant</a> -&nbsp; Five</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MsBriscow">Anne Louise Bannon</a> -&nbsp; Fascinating Rhythm</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/annemariestoddard">Anne Marie Stoddard</a> - Murder at Castle Rock</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AEK">Annelie Wendeberg</a> - The Devil's Grin</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AyaWalksfar">Aya Walksfar</a>&nbsp; - Old Woman Gone; Run or Die; Sketch of a Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BEBrink">Barbara E Brink</a> - Roadkill (Double Barrel Mysteries #1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BarbaraEllen">Barbara Ellen Brink</a> - Entangled (The Fredrickson Winery Novels #1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bjloos">Barbara Loos</a> - Disillusioned; Unidentified Person in Italy</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bobbichukran">Bobbi A. Chukran</a> - Dye Dyeing Dead</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bryanjames">Bryan James</a> - LZR-1143: Evolution; LZR-1143: Infection; LZR-1143: Redemption</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bryceallen01">Bryce Allen</a> - The Spartak Trigger</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/brynabutler">Bryna Butler</a> - Wrong Side of the Grave (Mothman Mysteries)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BVLawson">BV Lawson</a> - Played to Death</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ShaddaMax">C. A. Newsome</a> - A Shot in the Bark; Drool Baby; Maximum Security</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/christinalarmer">C.A. Larmer</a> - A Note Before Dying (Ghostwriter Mystery 6); Killer Twist (Ghostwriter Mystery 1); The Agatha Christie Book Club</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/clbevill">C.L. Bevill</a> - Bubba and the Dead; Veiled Eyes</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cshmurak">Carole B. Shmurak</a> - Deadmistress</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CarolynArnold">Carolyn Arnold</a> - Eleven; Ties that Bind</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kcmarie823">Casey Peeler</a> - Full Circle Series Box Set; Losing Charley</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CathyWrites">Cathy Perkins</a> - Cypher</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/peartree">Cecilia Peartree</a> - Closer to Death in a Garden; Crime in the Community; Reunited in Death</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BoyetteCompoCharlotte">Charlotte Boyett-Compo</a> - Under the Mayhaw Tree</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/caseaton">Chris Seaton</a> - Dairyland Murders Book 1: Head in a Haymow; Dairyland Murders Book 2: Femur in the Fieldstone; Dairyland Murders Book 3: Cop Incognito</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AuthorChristine1964">Christine Benedict</a> - Anonymous</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ClaudiaHallChristian">Claudia Hall Christian</a> - Suffer a Witch; The Fey; The Tax Assassin</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ColinCotterill">Colin Cotterill</a> - Pool and its Role in Asian Communism</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/conniesheltonmysteries">Connie Shelton</a> -Deadly Gamble: The First Charlie Parker Mystery; Legends Can Be Murder: Charlie Parker Mysteries Book 15; Sweet Masterpiece: The First Samantha Sweet Mystery</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CoriLynnArnold">Cori Lynn Arnold</a> - Northern Deceit</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DDVanDyke">D. D. VanDyke</a> - Loose Ends</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/WillTravel">Dale T. Phillips</a> - A Memory of Grief; Crooked Paths; More Crooked Paths</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/encyber">Dana E. Donovan</a> - Eye of the Witch; The Witch's Key; The Witch's Ladder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/danemccaslin">Dane McCaslin</a> - A Bird in the Hand</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DHHenry">David H Fears</a> - Dark Blonde; Dark Lake; Dark Quarry</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DavidHousewright">David Housewright</a> - The Devil and the Diva</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DeanWesleySmith">Dean Wesley Smith</a> - Kill Game</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DebBaker">Deb Baker</a> - Murder Passes the Buck</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DebbiMack">Debbi Mack</a> - Deadly Detour; Five Uneasy Pieces</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/debralee">Debra Lee</a> - Redemption; Taken</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ddavis">Dee Davis</a> - Eye of the Storm</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/deirdreverne">Deirdre Verne</a> - A Countdown To Death; Water Under the Bridge</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DemelzaCarlton">Demelza Carlton</a> - Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dianarchambers">Diana R Chambers</a> - Stinger</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dianeburton">Diane Burton</a> - The Case of the Bygone Brother</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DianeFanning">Diane Fanning</a> - The Trophy Exchange</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dianehenders">Diane Henders</a> - Never Say Spy; The Spy Is Cast</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dianneemley">Dianne Emley</a> - Cold Call</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DianneVenetta">Dianne Venetta</a> - Ladd Springs; Not Without You</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dongutteridge">Don Gutteridge</a> - The Bishop's Pawn</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/donnahustonmurray">Donna Huston Murray</a> - What Doesn't Kill You, The Mystery</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dorothymcfalls">Dorothy McFalls</a> - Birds in Paradise</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/christmasbell">Drew Lindsay</a> - Black Mountain Affair; Coral Sea Affair; Get Charlie Noah</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EdithMaxwell">Edith Maxwell</a> - A Fire in Carriagetown; Just Desserts for Johnny; The Stonecutter</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/elaineorr">Elaine Orr</a> - Behind the Walls</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ecraig21">Elizabeth Spann Craig</a> - A Body in the Backyard; A Dyeing Shame; Progressive Dinner Deadly</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/elleryadams">Ellery Adams</a> - A Fatal Appraisal; A Killer Collection; The Path of the Crooked</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ellieoberth">Ellie Oberth</a> - The Hudson Agency - Chicago Style; Who Murdered The Ghost?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/emilymims">Emily Mims</a> - Never and Always</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EricMeyer">Eric Meyer</a> - Black Ops Heroes of Afghanistan; Fury of the Tiger; Killing Faith (A Gabriel De Sade Thriller)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/gondwana">Eric Wilder</a> - Big Easy; Bones of Skeleton Creek; Primal Creatures</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/pipero">Erica Stevens</a> - The Survivor Chronicles: Book 1, The Upheaval</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/evapohler">Eva Pohler</a> - The Mystery Tomb; The Purgatorium</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/FoinahJameson">Foinah Jameson</a> - Mostly Dead Melvin</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Zipporo">Francesco Zampa</a> - Double Murder for Maresciallo Maggio; There Is Always a Reason, Maresciallo Maggio!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GailOust">Gail Oust</a> - Murder Is Dicey</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Wolfmangart">Gary K. Wolf</a> - Who Censored Roger Rabbit?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GemmaHalliday">Gemma Halliday</a> - Luck Be A Lady (Tahoe Tessie book #1); Spying in High Heels; Unbreakable Bond (Jamie Bond Mysteries #1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/giacomog">Giacomo Giammatteo</a> - Murder takes Time</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ginjonesauthor">Gin Jones</a> - A Dose of Death; Four-Patch of Trouble (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GinaFava">Gina Fava</a> - The Race; The Sculptor</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/fowlerguy1">H H Fowler</a> - Javier</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hadenajames">Haena James</a> - Elysium Dreams; Mercurial Dreams; The Dysfunctional Affair</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jjacksonbentley">J Jackson Bentley</a> - 48 Hours; Chameleon; Shadow of the Burj</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JLSimpson">J L Simpson</a> - Lost Causes (A Daisy Dunlop Mystery ~ Book 1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jrobertkennedy">J. Robert Kennedy</a> - Depraved Difference; Rogue Operator; The Protocol</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jjchow">J.J. Chow</a> - Seniors Sleuth</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/starkllr">J.J. DiBenedetto</a> - Dream Child; Dream Doctor; Dream Student</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JLAbrmo">J.L. Abramo</a> - Catching Water in a Net; Clutching at Straws</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jtlewis">J.T. Lewis</a> - Gabriel's Revenge; kidNAP Inc.; Murder! Too Close To Home</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jakeneedham">Jake Needham</a> - Killing Plato; The Ambassador's Wife</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jamesdbest">James D Best</a> - Murder at Thumb Butte</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jjmurray">James J. Murray</a> - Cuffed; Lethal Medicine; Unforeseeable Consequences</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JanCoffey">Jan Coffey</a> - Silent Waters; The Janus Effect; Trust Me Once</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/janelgradowskiauthor">Janel Gradowski</a> - Christmas Canapés &amp; Sabotage; Pies &amp; Peril (Culinary Competition Mysteries book #1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Catbird531">Janet Dawson</a> - Kindred Crimes; Take A Number; Till The Old Men Die</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaronsummers">Jaron Summers</a> - The Adjal of Jimmy Temple</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JayAmberg">Jay Amberg</a> - Bone Box</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jdnixon">JD Nixon</a> - Blood Ties; Heller</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Jeffrmarks">Jeffrey Marks</a> - Under Investigation</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JennaBennett">Jenna Bennett</a> - A Cutthroat Business; Ditching David; Island Getaway</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jenniferlhart">Jennifer L. Hart</a> - Murder Al Dente</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jenniferoberth">Jennifer Oberth</a> - Married to Murder; Masked Rider: Origins; Mr. E in Cabin 187</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jrobinsonauthor">Jeremy Robinson</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/seanellisthrillers">Sean Ellis</a>&nbsp; - Flood Rising (A Jenna Flood Thriller); Herculean; Prime (A Jack Sigler Thriller)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JoelGomezDossi">Joel Gomez-Dossi</a> - Pursued</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JohnMullen9">John Edward Mullen</a> - Digital Dick</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/johnling83">John Ling</a> - Fallen Angel</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JohnPLocke">John Locke</a> -&nbsp; Promise You Won't Tell</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jwmefford">John W. Mefford</a> - Booker - Blood Ring; Booker - Streets of Mayhem</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jonmessenger1">Jon Messenger</a> - Wolves of the Northern Rift</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JoshLanyon">Josh Lanyon</a> - Winter Kill</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jannbrown">Joyce Ann Brown</a> - Catastrophic Connections: A Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mystery</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wordmonger22">Joyce Mason</a> - The Crystal Ball</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/judycopek">Judith Copek</a>- The Shadow Warriors</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/judyfitzwater">Judy Fitzwater</a> - Drowning in Air; Dying to Get Even; Dying to Get Published</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/judyhogan">Judy Hogan</a> - The Sands of Gower: The First Penny Weaver Mystery</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jchoffman">Julia C. Hoffman</a> - The Enemy Within</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/juliebellon">Julie Coulter Bellon</a> - All Fall Down</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/julielomoe">Julie Lomoe</a> - Hope Dawns Eternal</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KathyOwen">K.B. Owen</a> - Dangerous and Unseemly</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kctansley">K.C. Tansley</a> - The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KGailMcAbee">K.G. McAbee</a> - Double Double Cross; Me and the Bank; The Case of the Sinister Senator</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/katelaity">KA Laity</a> - Chastity Flame</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kainethompson">Kaine Thompson</a> - FemCorps; Nobody</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/karenmccullough">Karen McCullough</a> - A Gift for Murder; A Question of Fire; Unmasking</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Karenrosesmith">Karen Rose Smith</a> - Always Devoted; Her Sister</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KDonovan">Kate Donovan</a> - Trace Elements</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KateGeorge">Kate George</a> - California Schemin'; Crazy Little Thing Called Dead, Take 2; Moonlighting in Vermont</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kathleenbacus">Kathleen Bacus</a> - Calamity Jayne (Calamity Jayne book #1); Calamity Jayne and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Lawn Gnome (Calamity Jayne book #8)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kathrynlong">Kathryn Long</a> - Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kealanpatrickburke">Kealan Patrick Burke</a> - Kin</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kellymcclymer">Kelly McClymer</a> - Shop and Let Die</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kellyrey">Kelly Rey</a> - Motion for Mistletoe (a Jamie Winters Mysteries holiday short story); Motion for Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KenMcClure">Ken McClure</a> - Chameleon; Pandora's Helix; The Lazurus Strain</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/fictionriver">Kevin J. Anderson, editor</a> - Fiction River: Pulse Pounders</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/korymshrum">Kory M. Shrum</a> - Dying for a Living</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kouhei">Kourtney Heintz</a> - The Six Train to Wisconsin</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KrisNelscott">Kris Nelscott</a> - A Dangerous Road</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kristenhoughton">Kristen Houghton</a> - For I Have Sinned A Cate Harlow Private Investigation; Grave Misgivings</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EvansandRhodes">L. Barnett Evans and C. V. Rhoddes</a> - Grandmothers, Incorporated; Saving Sin City; There's Something Wrong with Miss Zelda</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LLBartlett">L.L. Bartlett</a> - Murder On The Mind; We're So Sorry, Uncle Albert</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LarsEmmerich">Lars Emmerich</a> - Balls Deep; Devolution; The Incident</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/laurierking">Laurie R. King</a> - Hellbender; Mrs. Hudson's Case</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Driver">Lee Driver</a> - Chasing Ghosts; Fatal Storm; Full Moon Bloody Moon</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leehanson">Lee Hanson</a> - Castle Cay</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PLSBookworks">Leeann Betts</a> - No Accounting for Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leoniegant">Leonie Gant</a> - Not Famous in Hollywood</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LeslieLangtryauthor">Leslie Langtry</a> - Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas (A Greatest Hits Mysteries holiday short story); Merit Badge Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LHThomson">LH Thomson</a> - Quinn Checks In</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LibbyH">Libby Hellmann</a>, Christine Kling, Sujata Massey, Zoe Sharp, Julie Smith -&nbsp; - Killer Femmes: 5 Irresistible Crime Novels From Around the World</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/liesefabre">Liese Sherwood-Fabre</a> - Corazones</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LillianSCarl">Lillian Stewart Carl</a> - Ashes to Ashes; The Secret Portrait; Time Enough to Die</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LindaJohnson">Linda Johnson</a> - A Tangled Web; Breaking the Cycle; Trail of Destruction</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PhillipsLisa">Lisa Phillips</a> - Bait; Sanctuary Lost</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lisemcclendon">Lise McClendon</a> - Blackbird Fly</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Sygnet">LS Sygnet</a> - Beneath the Cracks; Daddy's Little Killer</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LucindaBrant">Lucinda Brant</a> - Deadly Engagement: A Georgian Historical Mystery</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lynhamilton">Lyn Hamilton</a> - The Xibalba Murders</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MaddieCochere">Maddie Cochere</a> - Murder Is Where the Heart Is; Murder Under Construction; Sunshine Hunter</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Mardtal">Marcia Talley</a> - In Death's Shadow</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MarcusWynne">Marcus Wynne</a> - Johnny Wylde; Too Wylde; With A Vengeance</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mariagrazia">Maria Grazia Swan</a> - Bosom Bodies; Love Thy Sister</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MarieMoore">Marie Moore</a> -&nbsp; - Game Drive</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mlarew">Marilynn Larew</a> - The Spider Catchers (Lee Carruthers # 1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/markarundel">Mark Arundel</a> - Codename: Casanova; Codename: Moneyman; Codename: Santiago</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JustMePublishing">Mark Sublette</a> - Paint by Numbers</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/metroy">Mark Troy</a> - Game Face; Pilikia Is My Business</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MarthaCarr">Martha Carr</a> - The Keeper; The List</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/reedme36">Martha Reed</a> - The Choking Game</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/thedaffodils">Mary Clay</a> - Bike Week Blues; Murder in the Stacks; The Turtle Mound Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marykennedyauthor">Mary Kennedy</a> -&nbsp; Dead Air</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MelissaFMiller">Melissa F. Miller</a> - Irreparable Harm</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MelissaPearlAuthor">Melissa Pearl</a> - I Know Lucy; Set Me Free</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/metteivieharrison">Mette Ivie Harrison</a> - Saving the Moon; Ten Apprentices; The Queen's Truth</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MBalkind">Michael Balkind</a> - Gold Medal Threat; Sudden Death; The Fix</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/havelin">Michael F. Havelin</a> - Ben Bones and the Deadly Descendants</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/michaelmaxwellbooks">Micheal Maxwell</a> - Cellar Full of Cole; Diamonds and Cole; Helix of Cole</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mildaharris">Milda Harris</a> - Adventures in Funeral Crashing; Adventures of a Graveyard Girl; Killer Cupcakes</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MillyReynolds">Milly Reynolds</a> - Happy Deathday To You; The Hanged Cow; The Woolly Murders</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nlquatrano">N. L. Quatrano</a> - Murder in Black and White</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nancirathbun">Nanci Rathbun</a> - Truth Kills</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NancyJCohen">Nancy J. Cohen</a> - Hair Raiser</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mystriterdva">Nancy Jill Thames</a> - Murder in Half Moon Bay</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NancySartor">Nancy Sartor</a> - Bones Along the Hill</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NeilPlakcy">Neil S. Plakcy</a> - Genie For Hire; In Dog We Trust</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nicolettepierce">Nicolette Pierce</a> - Deadly Dancing; The Big Blind</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/denoux">O'Neil De Noux</a> - Grim Reaper; John Raven Beau; New Orleans Confidential</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/friedpickles">Paisley Ray</a> - The Rachael O'Brien Chronicles</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/patcamalliere">Pat Camalliere</a> - The Mystery at Sag Bridge</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JBG79">Patricia Dusenbury</a> - A Perfect Victim</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PatriciaMcLinn">Patricia McLinn</a> - Sign Off</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/patrickmalloy">Patrick Malloy</a> - Bang Bang</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/pattilarsen">Patti Larsen</a> - Freak Show</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PaulDMarks">Paul D. Marks</a> - Angels Flight - A Noir Short Story; White Heat</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/paulpilkington">Paul Pilkington</a> - The One You Love</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PegCochran">Peg Cochran</a> - Confession Is Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AuthorRBarriFlowers">R. Barri Flowers</a> - Dark Streets of Whitechapel: A Jack The Ripper Mystery; Justice Served: A Barkley and Parker Thriller; Murder in Maui: A Leila Kahana Mystery</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/REConary">R. E. Conary</a> - Life's A Bitch. So Am I.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/REDonald">R.E. Donald</a> - Ice on the Grapevine</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rrgilston">R.R. Gilston</a> - World Without Safewords</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RTLawton">R.T. Lawton</a> -&nbsp; 9 Historical Mysteries</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RaeDavies">Rae Davies</a> - Loose Screw</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ranaeglass">Ranae Glass</a> -&nbsp; - Chasing Daybreak</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Rebeccaforster">Rebecca Forster</a> -&nbsp; Before Her Eyes; Hostile Witness; Silent Witness</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/richardlsanders">Richard L. Sanders</a> - Betraying Nexus; The Phoenix Conspiracy; The Phoenix Rising</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RickBylina">Rick Bylina</a> - All of Our Secrets; One Promise Too Many</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RickMofina">Rick Mofina</a> - A Perfect Grave; Every Fear; The Dying Hour</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/robbliss">Rob Bliss</a> - Cut</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rodhoisington">Rod Hoisington</a> - One Deadly Sister; The Price of Candy</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ronaldruiz">Ronald L. Ruiz</a> - Jesusita</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rosscavins">Ross Cavins</a> - Follow The Money</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Tooley">S.D. Tooley</a> - Restless Spirit; The Tunnel; When the Dead Speak</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sjaturney">S.J.A. Turney</a> - The Thief's Tale</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sallyberneathy">Sally Berneathy</a> - Death by Chocolate; The Ex Who Wouldn't Die</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dehelen">Sandra de Helen</a> - The Hounding; The Illustrious Client</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sandraruttan">Sandra Ruttan</a> - Childhood Dreams; Harvest of Ruins</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sarahettritch">Sarah Ettritch</a> - The Atheist</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SRShaber">Sarah R. Shaber</a> - Simon Said</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SarahWoodbury">Sarah Woodbury</a> - The Good Knight; The Uninvited Guest</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wittfoto">Scott Wittenburg</a> - Double Trouble; The Barcode Murders; The Collector</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sejakes">SE Jakes</a> - Catch A Ghost; Free Falling; Long Time Gone</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SheilaC">Sheila Connolly</a> - Relatively Dead</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/smsiska">Sherry Siska</a> - The Divas of Doom; The Floozies of Fate; The Madams of Mischief</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sheynagalyan">Sheyna Galyan</a> - Strength to Stand</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sibelhodge">Sibel Hodge</a> - Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sibelhodge">Sibel Hodge</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/elizabethashby">Elizabeth Ashby</a> -Murder and Mai Tais (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/maxspencer">Simon Jenner</a> - Ethan Justice: Origins</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sjrozan">SJ Rozan</a> - Body English; Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case; Cooking the Hounds</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Sonnjea">Sonnjea Blackwell</a> - Ghost of a Chance; Home Free; Killer Fate</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/StacyVerdickCase">Stacy Verdick Case</a> - A Grand Murder</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/stephaniecaffrey">Stephanie Caffrey</a> - Diva Las Vegas</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/stephenbooth">Stephen Booth</a> - Claws</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/StephenLeather">Stephen Leather</a> - Bangkok Bob and the Missing Mormon; Take Two; The Bestseller</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/sfanderson">Steve Anderson</a> - The Losing Role</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/suestar">Sue Star</a> - Murder In The Dojo</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Froetsch">Susan Froetschel</a> - Royal Escape</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/susanharris1">Susan Harris</a> - Shattered Memories</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SusanMacNicol">Susan Mac Nicol</a> - Love and Punishment</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SusanSchreyer">Susan Schreyer</a> - An Error in Judgment; Death by a Dark Horse; Levels of Deception</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/suzelowden">Suze Lowden</a> - Las Vegas Gamble: A Minkind Thriller</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TamaraWard">Tamara Ward</a> - Private Deception</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TeresaBlue">Teresa Blue</a> - Letters From Inside</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TerryOdell">Terry Odell</a>&nbsp; - Deadly Bones; Deadly Secrets; Seeing Red</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tiacatalina">Tia Catalina</a> - Blue Falcon</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DocE">Tim Ellis</a> - A Life for a Life; Footprints of the Dead</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ToddBorg">Todd Borg</a> - Tahoe Blowup</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/traceconger">Trace Conger</a> - The Shadow Broker</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/traciandrighetti">Traci Andrighetti</a> - Limoncello Yellow (Franki Amato Mysteries #1)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tracydcomstock">Tracy D. Comstock</a> - Murder Is Our Mascot</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tracylward">Tracy L. Ward</a> - Chorus of the Dead</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/vjchambers">V. J. Chambers</a> - Skin and Blond</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VinnieHansen">Vinnie Hansen</a> - Art, Wine &amp; Bullets; Black Beans &amp; Venom; Murder, Honey</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/WendyDingwall">Wendy Dingwall</a> - Celtic Curse; Hera's Revenge</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wilemerson">Wil A. Emerson</a> - Fatal Mistake; Oh Henry</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/willthurston">Will Thurston</a> - The Talent Scout</div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/williamhertling">William Hertling</a> - Avogadro Corp</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Please join me in congratulating these fine authors. </span><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/NPw5ipH0s8U" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/NPw5ipH0s8U/250-smashwords-crime-fiction-authors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)16http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/10/250-smashwords-crime-fiction-authors.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-54523884912948469Wed, 23 Sep 2015 02:10:00 +00002015-09-22T22:16:40.960-07:00Oyster and the KDP Select Party Train<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4X6Xs9J4A7w/VgH23ur4hdI/AAAAAAAACwE/mKHn8CLuC8k/s1600/oysterkdpselect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4X6Xs9J4A7w/VgH23ur4hdI/AAAAAAAACwE/mKHn8CLuC8k/s320/oysterkdpselect.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Word came out yesterday afternoon that Oyster is "sunsetting" their business, a polite euphemism for "closing."<br /><br />I received an update from our friends at Oyster this morning.&nbsp; Here's the scoop:&nbsp; Oyster has been acquired by Google.&nbsp; The Oyster service will continue to operate as normal until sometime in early 2016, at which point it will shut down and cease to exist.<br /><br />Between now and the ultimate closing (exact date TBD), Smashwords will continue to deliver new books and updates to Oyster, and Oyster will continue their great work generating readers and income for our authors.<br /><br />What does this mean for Smashwords authors and publishers?&nbsp; Obviously, it's a sad day when a promising sales outlet such as Oyster exits the market.&nbsp; Although Oyster and Scribd are among our smaller retailers, they were our fastest growing sales outlets in 2014.&nbsp; In recent months, their combined sales have been approximately equivalent to what we sell in the Smashwords store each month.&nbsp; So while we're sad to see Oyster's sales go away, in the short run it's a bump in the road because the lion's share of sales are coming from larger retailers.<br /><br />Longer term, I'm concerned by the macro implications of this.&nbsp; With the loss of Oyster, the retailing ecosystem just became less diverse.&nbsp; Last month indies lost <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/08/smashwords-and-flipkart-to-end.html">Flipkart</a> in India.&nbsp; Today, indies are losing another good partner that treated authors well and paid full single-copy retail rates for their books.&nbsp; Which retailer will fail next?<br /><br />Some might see this as a game of survival of the fittest where weaker less adaptable players fall by the wayside in favor of stronger players.&nbsp; Maybe.&nbsp; Although species extinction is a natural process in any environment, extinctions often signal an increasingly toxic or inhospitable environment for those still struggling to survive.<br /><br />Let's explore this a little further.&nbsp; What killed Oyster?&nbsp; I should preface that what I'm about to share is my personal speculation and opinion, and not based on specific insight from our friends at Oyster.<br /><br />My take is that despite building a beautiful and elegantly designed app that pleased readers, Oyster was unable to make their business model work.&nbsp; The cost of their subscriber's consumption exceeded Oyster's revenue from subscriptions. Oyster faced the same headwinds Scribd is facing - namely that romance and possibly other genres were too popular with their subscribers and therefore too expensive to make profitable under the current model.&nbsp; The solution is you either need to pay authors less, charge readers more (or limit their reading), or something in between.<br /><br />I'm going to speculate that either Oyster's VC backers or Oyster's controlling shareholders were unwilling to give Oyster the necessary time and funding necessary to iterate their model until they could make it work. Scribd, on the other hand, at the time of their <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/scribd-cuts-romance-catalog.html">romance purge</a> signaled publicly that they plan to explore tweaks to their model that would allow them to build a sustainable and profitable business for the common benefit of authors/publishers and subscribers.<br /><br />And then there's the elephant in the room:&nbsp; <b><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/12/is-kindle-unlimited-devaluing-books.html">Kindle Unlimited</a></b>, Amazon's subscription service powered by <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/12/amazon-shows-predatory-spots-with-kdp.html">KDP Select</a>.&nbsp; Unlike Oyster and Scribd which pay Smashwords authors and publishers full agency rates for qualified reads (after the reader reads more than about 10% of the book, it triggers a sale), Kindle Unlimited pays authors by the page, and at a rate that typically works out to only a fraction of the 70% list KDP authors get for single-copy sales.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LyxOsQKQml0/VgH6qrulP7I/AAAAAAAACwo/M3tQDBKIeAE/s1600/kufree.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LyxOsQKQml0/VgH6qrulP7I/AAAAAAAACwo/M3tQDBKIeAE/s1600/kufree.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>On the book pages of Kindle Unlimited books, readers are encouraged to get the book <br />for free with KU or Prime, rather than purchasing at the single copy price</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The Kindle Unlimited pay rate is entirely decided by Amazon.&nbsp; The book's list price is irrelevant to Amazon's calculation.<br /><br />This means Kindle Unlimited books cost Amazon less money than what Oyster and Scribd want to pay authors and publishers, which means Kindle Unlimited can provide readers more reading at less cost to Amazon and to the reader.&nbsp; How can Oyster, Scribd or any bookseller compete when Amazon can pick the pockets of authors and give the savings to readers?<br /><br />This works great for Amazon and its customers, but not so well for authors.&nbsp; Kindle Unlimited devalues books by <b>making even 99 cent single-copy purchases look expensive</b> when the same book can be read for free under Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime.<br /><br />Kindle Unlimited strips authors of pricing power and royalty, and will eventually gut the market for single-copy sales at Amazon.&nbsp; In other words, Kindle Unlimited is slowly killing the market for single-copy ebook sales, not just for indies but for all publishers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQvJiZv2f9Y/VgH8U_IRfzI/AAAAAAAACw0/8ZwdhWXqdSE/s1600/kdptrain3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQvJiZv2f9Y/VgH8U_IRfzI/AAAAAAAACw0/8ZwdhWXqdSE/s200/kdptrain3.png" width="200" /></a></div>KDP Select and its Kindle Unlimited is an out of control train.<br /><br />Inside first class a raucous and extravagant party is underway. It's filled with hundreds of thousands of indie authors who've offered up over one million books enrolled exclusively in KDP Select. Everyone's partying like it's 1999 because in exchange for making their books exclusive to Amazon, these authors are given preferential access to Kindle customers.<br /><br />Authors and publishers who refuse to make their books exclusive to Amazon are on the train too.&nbsp; They don't sell as well as the first class passengers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sNxlH047vb8/VgH_ehQIe_I/AAAAAAAACxA/EaZ6wIHBlL8/s1600/steerage.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sNxlH047vb8/VgH_ehQIe_I/AAAAAAAACxA/EaZ6wIHBlL8/s200/steerage.png" width="127" /></a></div>That's them in steerage. They're in the cattle car at the back. These folks' books don't have preferential discovery, which means Amazon makes their books less discoverable and less desirable to readers. These are the authors and publishers who are trying to support a diverse ecosystem of multiple retailing options.&nbsp; But the world's largest ebook retailer is deliberately directing their readers to Amazon-exclusive books.<br /><br />Indies have the power to stop KDP Select in its tracks before it runs the entire publishing industry off a cliff.&nbsp; Will they? <br /><br />I fear this party won't end well.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/6wsf-IxIBBc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/6wsf-IxIBBc/oyster-and-kdp-select-train.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)130http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/09/oyster-and-kdp-select-train.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-8506247826760059548Tue, 25 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +00002015-08-27T22:40:29.068-07:00Smashwords and Flipkart to End Distribution Relationship - Amazon Scores Victory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tZB9NFXKk5g/Vdx_i_P6DvI/AAAAAAAACvs/2a9ZzAldUGc/s1600/flipkartlogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tZB9NFXKk5g/Vdx_i_P6DvI/AAAAAAAACvs/2a9ZzAldUGc/s1600/flipkartlogo.png" /></a></div>Smashwords and Flipkart are ending their distribution agreement first <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/08/smashwords-distributes-ebooks-to.html">announced</a> in August, 2013.<br /><br />The unfortunate news effectively hands the market for indie ebooks in India to Amazon.<br /><br />A few weeks ago, I notified Flipkart that Smashwords was placing its distribution agreement with Flipkart under review.<br /><br />I provided Flipkart a deadline by which Flipkart was asked to repair certain problems related to the listing and removal of Smashwords titles, and to provide Smashwords an acceptable plan to prevent such issues from recurring in the future.<br /><br />I informed Flipkart that if these requirements were not met that Smashwords would request the immediate removal of all Smashwords titles.&nbsp; The deadline was missed and an acceptable plan was not presented.<br /><br />This morning Smashwords received word from Flipkart that after careful consideration, Flipkart determined their systems are not yet capable of supporting the dynamic nature of the Smashwords catalog.&nbsp; As a result they will begin winding down the relationship with Smashwords and remove our titles.<br /><br />Under the distribution agreement with Smashwords signed in 2013, Flipkart - like all Smashwords retailers - is contractually obligated to process new title deliveries, metadata updates and book removals in timely fashion upon notification from Smashwords.&nbsp; In recent months, Flipkart has not reliably met these requirements. In recent weeks the delays worsened.<br /><br />Unlike the print book market of yesteryear where books were relatively static objects and changed little over time, ebooks are dynamic living creatures.&nbsp; Ebooks evolve over time.&nbsp; At Smashwords, we give our 100,000+ authors and publishers the ability to change any aspect of their book, from metadata updates such as pricing and book descriptions to changing book contents, covers and publishing rights.&nbsp; Every month, Smashwords is shipping out thousands of new books and hundreds of thousands of metadata updates to existing books.&nbsp; To process this deluge of dynamic data, our retailers work in partnership with Smashwords to build sophisticated automated content ingestion systems.&nbsp; These systems - even at the largest retailers - are prone to intermittent error or delay.<br /><br /><h3>The Hand of Amazon KDP Select</h3><br />Our primary concern was Flipkart's delays associated with the removal of Smashwords titles that had been unpublished. Most of these titles were removed because the Smashwords author or publisher made the decision to enroll their book in KDP Select, an ebook self publishing option offered by Amazon that requires authors to make their books exclusive to Amazon.<br /><br />Once authors enroll a title in KDP Select, Amazon requires the author to immediately remove the book from all competing retailers otherwise the book is removed from the KDP Select program and the author is warned that repeated offenses could lead to the termination of their entire KDP account.<br /><br />As you might imagine, these fire-and-brimstone emails from Amazon are unnerving to authors.&nbsp; Here's an email one Smashwords author received from Amazon after removing their book from all retailers worldwide to make it exclusive in KDP Select.&nbsp; Their book was being dropped from KDP Select because it was still lingering at Flipkart:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>As we emailed to you earlier, KDP Select Terms and Conditions require that books enrolled in KDP Select be exclusive to Amazon in digital format. As the following book(s) is not exclusive, it has been removed from KDP Select, but remains live in the Kindle Store. It is no longer eligible to earn a share of the KDP Select fund, however you will be paid for any borrows that your book accrued prior to its removal from the program.<br /><br />{Title redacted} (ASIN: redacted) is available on: http://www.flipkart.com/redacted<br /><br />Once you’ve confirmed your book(s) is no longer available elsewhere, you may re-enroll it into KDP Select. Please always confirm your books are exclusive to Amazon at the time of enrollment as repeated violations of KDP Select Terms and Conditions may result in permanent loss of KDP Select benefits for all books, as well as termination of your KDP account.</i></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">___ </blockquote><br />At Smashwords, we expect our retail partners to honor the rights of our authors and publishers.&nbsp; These rights are articulated in every contract with every Smashwords retail partner.&nbsp; If a Smashwords author wants their book unpublished and removed from a retailer for any reason, our retailers are required to remove the book without delay. At Smashwords, the author is the publisher and we fully support and respect their decisions to manage their rights as they see fit. The reason for removal does not matter to us, thus our insistence that Flipkart process all updates in a timely manner.<br /><br />That said, I am not a fan of KDP Select.&nbsp; Ever since the launch of <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/12/amazon-shows-predatory-spots-with-kdp.html">KDP Select</a> in December 2011, I and hundreds of other like-minded indies have spoken out against it. &nbsp; From my perspective, the publishing industry and media don't yet grok how KDP Select is undermining every large publisher, every indie author and every ebook retailer.&nbsp; In the process, they're also undermining the future of book culture by limiting the availability of books.<br /><br />Many indies don't understand the long term implications of KDP Select.&nbsp; The million or so books enrolled in KDP Select are almost entirely provided by the indie author community. Amazon coerces authors to enroll their books my making KDP Select books more discoverable and more desirable to Kindle customers, while making non-exclusive books less visible and less desirable.&nbsp;&nbsp; The message is quite simple:&nbsp; If you want to sell more books at the world's largest ebook retailer, you must be exclusive.<br /><br />I don't blame indies for their difficult decision.&nbsp; I met with one indie author a few weeks ago at a conference who told me words to the effect of, <i>"I hate the exclusivity of KDP Select, yet I'm in it because I have a mortgage to pay.&nbsp; Books in KDP Select sell better than non-exclusive books.</i>"&nbsp; If you want to hear more of my thoughts on how Amazon constructs its policies to prey upon authors, check my recent&nbsp; interview with the Writer 2.0 podcast:&nbsp; <a href="http://acfuller.com/smashwords-founder-mark-coker-episode-53-august-13-2015-2/">http://acfuller.com/smashwords-founder-mark-coker-episode-53-august-13-2015-2/</a><br /><br />Publishers are suffering too.&nbsp; This past weekend I met with a publisher in New York whose books were being made less visible in Amazon searches.&nbsp; Readers search on the publisher's author or title and they're presented with multiple irrelevant search results pointing to alternate books which are exclusive books.<br /><br />I believe KDP Select is toxic to the future of indie publishing because it forces authors to abandon competing retailers and become more dependent upon Amazon.&nbsp; When competing retailers lose access to this important inventory of indie titles, they can't compete.<br /><br />Amazon wields its dominant market share like a club to bludgeon authors who don't fall into compliance with Amazon's exclusivity or pricing requirements, even when the lack of compliance is not the author's fault.&nbsp; No other ebook retailer practices such draconian punishment of authors.<br /><br />Amazon has engaged in these heavy-handed tactics for several years, most typically through automatic price-matching which robs authors of their royalties.<br /><br />Amazon knows the problem is not the author's fault.&nbsp; Several years ago at BEA I met with a top Amazon Kindle executive and requested that they stop punishing our authors when one of our retailers makes an error or has a delay.&nbsp; I suggested during that meeting Amazon should enforce based on author intent.&nbsp; I suggested Smashwords could provide Amazon a direct pricing feed so Amazon could judge the author based on the author's intent rather than price-matching against retailers supplied by Smashwords.&nbsp; Although he acknowledged it would be a fairer method and sounded reasonable, nothing came of it.&nbsp; Amazon only stepped up their punishments.<br /><br />Ten days ago, in response to media reports of a letter Jeff Bezos sent Amazon employees, I wrote my first ever email to Mr. Bezos to express my concern about Amazon's bullying tactics against authors.&nbsp; The full text of that email is pasted below this post.&nbsp; I did not receive a reply.<br /><br />My decision to put Flipkart on notice was not an easy one, and followed months of good-faith effort on Smashwords' part to help Flipkart improve their systems.&nbsp; To Flipkart's credit, they tried in good faith to meet our demands but in the end acknowledged they're not yet prepared to handle a dynamic catalog of our scale.<br /><br />To be clear, the termination of our agreement with Flipkart is not Amazon's fault.&nbsp; However, Amazon was a catalyst because the harm they're causing our shared authors made it impossible for us to give Flipkart the runway they needed to improve their systems. <br /><br />Although Flipkart is a small ebook retailer and the financial impact on Smashwords authors will be negligible, I'm more concerned by what this signals for the future of ebook retailing around the world.<br /><br />Amazon's tactics make it extremely difficult for even large well-funded companies like Flipkart to support indie authors (Flipkart has received $550 million in funding and is valued at $15 billion - http://www.wsj.com/articles/flipkart-valued-at-15-billion-after-latest-funding-1432021294).<br /><br />Amazon's tactics have a chilling effect on the formation of future ebook retailing startups by discouraging indie authors from working with other retailers.&nbsp; Imagine how difficult it will be for smaller retailers across the global to build regional ebook stores when the bar for entry is the ability to process millions of dynamic books with 100% accuracy and no margin for error?&nbsp; Amazon doesn't just punish the author in that local market, it punishes the author worldwide.&nbsp; Why would an indie author want to put their entire Amazon earnings in jeopardy simply to reach a small market at a single small retailer when Amazon allows no margin for error or delay?<br /><br />Flipkart will lose access to over 200,000 indie ebooks.&nbsp; Other than Flipkart and maybe Google, Amazon has no viable competitor for ebooks in India. iBooks has not entered India yet.<br /><br />Amazon is now being rewarded for their draconian policies enforced against indie authors, and their KDP Select program will only grow stronger as a result.<br /><br />The nascent indie author community in India will have only one viable option to reach their home market, and that's Amazon. Amazon pays indie authors only 35% list for their ebook sales in India, and requires authors to become exclusive if they want to earn 70% list.&nbsp; Smashwords paid authors and publishers 60% list for Flipkart sales and we've never required exclusivity.<br /><br />We wish our friends at Flipkart well.&nbsp; If the day comes when they're able to build more robust ingestion systems on par with our partners iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble, Kobo and others, we'll welcome the opportunity to reengage with them to serve the Indian readers and authors.<br /><br /><br />My letter to Jeff Bezos follows....<br /><br /><h3>Mark Coker Letter to Jeff Bezos&nbsp;</h3><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">-------- Original Message --------<br />Subject: Empathy / Smashwords<br />Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2015 13:29:13 -0700<br />From: Mark Coker &lt;*****&gt;<br />To: Jeff Bezos &lt;*****&gt;<br /><br />Dear Jeff,<br /><br />We've never had the opportunity to communicate.<br /><br />In your employee letter reprinted by Forbes, you speak out against callous management practices and state how you have no tolerance for lack of empathy.<br /><br />Do these principles apply to how you treat your KDP authors?&nbsp; If so, I can only assume you're not familiar with the draconian punishment Amazon has been meting out against thousands of KDP authors since 2010 through price matching. You've robbed thousands of authors of their royalties though this practice.<br /><br />Case in point: <br /><a href="http://www.nickspalding.com/2013/05/why-self-publishing-aint-necessarily.html">http://www.nickspalding.com/2013/05/why-self-publishing-aint-necessarily.html</a> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">When Barnes &amp; Noble experienced technical problems through no fault of Smashwords, you price-matched this author's book to free and caused him (by his estimation) over £1,000 in lost earnings.&nbsp; The author informed Amazon that the pricing error was not his fault, yet Amazon continued to punish him and refused to return his book to the normal price. The author eventually removed his book from distribution rather <br />than face the wrath of Amazon.<br /><br />I think you're the smartest guy in this business.&nbsp; All of us in the business owe you and Amazon a great debt of gratitude for catalyzing the ebook revolution.&nbsp; However, I cannot respect the tactics you use to browbeat and intimidate our shared authors.&nbsp; You hurt innocent people, and this hurt cannot be rationalized away by your many good deeds.<br /><br />I'm not opposed to price matching.&nbsp; I'm opposed to how you punish our shared authors when their book prices are out of alignment through no fault or intent of their own.<br /><br />In recent weeks I've heard from authors who received threatening emails from Amazon regarding their status in KDP Select due to Flipkart in India failing to remove their books in a timely manner.&nbsp; The authors tell me that Amazon is threatening to kick their books out of KDP-S worldwide simply because this tiny Indian retailer is having difficulty removing titles in a timely manner.<br /><br />The message you're sending authors is that they risk the wrath and punishment of Amazon if they allow Amazon's competitors to carry their books. Maybe that's the point. If so, your plan is brilliant. But the plan has one fundamental flaw - you're building resentment in the author community.&nbsp; People will bend to coercion and intimidation if they feel they have no choice.&nbsp; But if given a choice in the future, they will turn on you.<br /><br />Might I suggest a kinder, gentler approach?&nbsp; If you want to price match a Smashwords author, we can provide you an automated pricing feed, because the price at Smashwords reflects the author's true real-time intent.&nbsp; You could use this instead of price matching against our retailers.<br /><br />mark<br /><br />-- <br />Mark Coker<br />Founder<br />Smashwords<br />Twitter:&nbsp; <a href="http://twitter.com/markcoker">http://twitter.com/markcoker</a><br />Blog:&nbsp; <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/">http://blog.smashwords.com</a><br />FAQ: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq">https://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq</a></blockquote>---<br /><br />As of today, I have not heard a response.&nbsp; I realize he's been extra busy lately.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/HhxNkI4yRTM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/HhxNkI4yRTM/smashwords-and-flipkart-to-end.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)41http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/08/smashwords-and-flipkart-to-end.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-6382212001751785299Sun, 23 Aug 2015 16:15:00 +00002015-08-23T09:22:38.870-07:00How to Price Kindle Books to FREE without Exclusivity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5v3c02imc5o/VdnqN-Oiq-I/AAAAAAAACvQ/um-uzUh1pg8/s1600/free%2Bat%2Bamazon%2Bwithout%2Bkdp%2Bselect2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5v3c02imc5o/VdnqN-Oiq-I/AAAAAAAACvQ/um-uzUh1pg8/s320/free%2Bat%2Bamazon%2Bwithout%2Bkdp%2Bselect2.png" width="190" /></a></div>Amazon professes a commitment to offering customers rock-bottom prices, yet Amazon is the only ebook retailer to restrict the ability of authors and publishers to price at FREE. <br /><br />The only officially sanctioned method of pricing an ebook to free in the Kindle store is for authors to enroll their books in <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/12/amazon-shows-predatory-spots-with-kdp.html">KDP Select</a>, an optional program that requires exclusivity.&nbsp; Exclusivity is great for Amazon, but it's not so great for indie authors who want to maintain their independence and build a diversified revenue stream and readership across all retailers.<br /><br />Amazon allows KDP Select books to be priced at free for <b>only</b> five days per quarter.&nbsp; That's not enough time for authors to take full advantage of the amazing promotional magic of free<b>.</b><br /><br />Every month I meet writers who think the only way to take advantage of free at Amazon is to enroll in KDP Select.&nbsp; Not true.&nbsp; If you know writers operating under this mistaken belief, please share this post with them.<b><br /></b><br /><br /><b>There's another, better option, and it doesn't require exclusivity.</b> Smashwords and our retail partners can help.<br /><br />In this post, I'll teach you a trick veteran indie authors have been using for several years to do free and perma-free ebooks at Amazon without exclusivity.&nbsp; It's a way to turn Amazon's price-matching robots against Amazon.<br /><br />As you'll learn below, authors who avoid KDP Select can make greater use of free than those who are trapped in KDP Select.<br /><br />It's a simple process.&nbsp; Here are the steps:<br /><br /><b>1.</b>&nbsp; At your Amazon KDP dashboard, price your book to $.99.<br /><br /><b>2.&nbsp;</b> At Smashwords, price your book to free.<br /><br /><b>3.</b>&nbsp; Within hours, iBooks will reflect the new price of free, and B&amp;N and Kobo will follow within 1-2 business days.&nbsp; Next, visit your book page at Amazon and click the link under the "<b>Product Details</b>" box labeled, "<b>tell us about a lower price</b>."&nbsp; There, you or a friend can click the button beside "Website (Online)" and report that your book is available for free at another retailer.&nbsp; In that form, provide Amazon a direct hyperlink to one of the Smashwords retailers.&nbsp; A link to Apple or B&amp;N is a good bet.&nbsp;&nbsp; I don't think they'll price match against the Smashwords store.&nbsp; See the screen shot below.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkKpbhpWl1A/VdjJwzfhiWI/AAAAAAAACvA/-FMeY-cXDMo/s1600/report.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkKpbhpWl1A/VdjJwzfhiWI/AAAAAAAACvA/-FMeY-cXDMo/s320/report.png" width="320" /></a></div>Notes on the above:&nbsp; <b>A.</b>&nbsp; If your book is priced $2.99 or over and enrolled in the 70% royalty rate and you price at free elsewhere, Amazon will send you one of their lovely fire-and-brimstone emails where they'll threaten to kick you out of KDP for your transgression (the 70% royalty rate requires you not price your book lower elsewhere). But books enrolled in the 35% royalty rate (automatic for 99 cent books) don't get the nastygram because price parity elsewhere is not a requirement.&nbsp; <b>B.</b>&nbsp; Some authors ask friends or fans to report their books. I don't know if it makes a difference.&nbsp; <b>C.</b>&nbsp; Note that Amazon operates about 13 different stores, so you may want to report the book separately at their largest English-language stores (US, UK, Canada, Australia) to encourage price matching in each store.&nbsp; <b>D.</b>&nbsp; Amazon will often price match even if you don't do the self-reporting.&nbsp; <b>E.&nbsp;</b> Sometimes Amazon will not price match, even if you or a reader report the lower price elsewhere. They know indie authors use this trick to gain better control over their pricing.<br /><br /><b>WHY SHOULD YOU PRICE AT FREE?</b><br /><br />Every author is well-served to experiment with free - either with temporary free promotions or with permanently free (aka perma-free).&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Because free builds readership, and some of those readers will fall in love with your writing and purchase your other books. <br /><br />Free turbocharges your readership by eliminating the financial risk a reader takes on an unknown, untrusted author (and that's you until they know and trust you!).&nbsp; Free allows the reader to read you risk-free, and gives your writing a chance to earn the reader's trust and admiration.<br /><br />I've been promoting the use of free ever since we launched Smashwords in 2008.&nbsp; Smart use of free has catapulted many Smashwords authors to the bestseller lists.&nbsp; <br /><br />At iBooks, free books get 41 times more downloads on average than books at any other price.<br /><br />If you write series, definitely price your series starter at perma-free.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Because series with free series starters earn more overall sales than series without free series starters.<br /><br />About 65% of our top 100 bestselling series over the last 12 months have a free series starter.&nbsp; Here's more data on the effectiveness of free series starters:&nbsp; For the Smashwords 2015 Survey, we added up the sales of our top 100 series with free series starters and then compared that to the aggregated sales of our top 100 series that <b>don't</b> have a free series starter.&nbsp; The group with free series starters earned an average 66% more than the the group with priced series starters.&nbsp; I also looked at the median increase to rule out the possibility that a couple mega bestsellers might have skewed the numbers.&nbsp; The median was also 66% higher for series with free series starters.&nbsp; Exactly the same.<br /><br />Free series starters also open up the possibility of earning merchandising features at the retailers, particularly at iBooks.&nbsp; iBooks does more to promote free than any other retailer with their regular "First in Series Free" promotions.&nbsp; Last week, iBooks launched a "Rising Stars in Romance" feature in their Australia and New Zealand stores featuring the free series starters of Australian and New Zealand authors.<br /><br />Even authors who only publish standalone books can benefit from free.&nbsp; For many first-time authors, one of your biggest challenges is to get your first readers and your first reviews at retailers.&nbsp; Free builds readership and can help you establish your first reviews at the major retailers.&nbsp; Or, if your book has been out a long time and sales have dwindled, try a temporary free promotion to rev up readership, reviews and word of mouth.<br /><br />If you have a standalone book on preorder, you can price another standalone book at free to drive up readership, and then use the backmatter of that free book to advertise your preorder (at the end of every book, you should provide a listing of your other books).<br /><br />Free is not a guarantee of readership.&nbsp; A few weeks ago I received an email from a Smashwords author who priced his books at free yet he was still struggling to attract readers.&nbsp; The reason: there's a lot of competition out there.&nbsp; Smashwords authors and publishers publish over 55,000 books at free.&nbsp; Although free is a powerful catalyst for building readership, free works best if your book is a super-awesome WOW book that turns the reader into a evangelist. WOW books average 4.5 to 5 stars out of 5.&nbsp; Just because a book is free doesn't mean the reader will read it or finish it.&nbsp; On the contrary, they're probably less likely to finish a free book if it doesn't hold their attention on every page. <br /><br />Bottom line, if you want to turn a free downloader into a paid reader, you must earn the reader's awareness and trust.&nbsp; It's classic PR 101.&nbsp; First build awareness, then build perception.&nbsp; Free helps the reader become aware of your writing.&nbsp; Perception is formed based on the true merits of the product.<br /><br />Beyond the power of free to get readers to take a chance on you, there's a lot more you can do under the umbrella of best practices (free is only one of many best practices).&nbsp; To learn more about best practices, check out my presentation deck, <i><b><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/07/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.html">How to Publish Ebooks</a></b></i>, or download my free ebook, <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431">The Secrets to Ebook Publihsing Success</a></i>.&nbsp; Also check out my recent blog posts, <i><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/11/ebook-publishing-gets-more-difficult.html">Ebook Publishing Gets More Difficult from Here - Here's How to Succeed</a></i> for additional ideas on how to reach more readers.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/HtbKDkk74AE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/HtbKDkk74AE/how-to-price-kindle-books-to-free.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)31http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/08/how-to-price-kindle-books-to-free.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-6210421946676999265Tue, 18 Aug 2015 02:28:00 +00002015-08-17T19:30:03.872-07:00Como publicar os ebooks - um seminário sobre a publicação dos ebooks por Mark Coker<i></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QwUL2D10IwE/VdJ0-8TfeBI/AAAAAAAACuU/vepuVvYe8B0/s1600/comopublicarebooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QwUL2D10IwE/VdJ0-8TfeBI/AAAAAAAACuU/vepuVvYe8B0/s200/comopublicarebooks.png" width="153" /></a></i></div><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The blog post below is written in Portuguese.&nbsp; It's a one-time post to accompany the publication of our first-ever Portuguese translation of the Smashwords Style Guide which went live<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> earlier today </span>(yay!!!).&nbsp; We also translated the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/07/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.html">How to Publish Ebooks seminar</a> presentation which originally appeared here in English on July 21. <br /><br />With over 210 million native speakers, Portuguese is one of the world’s most widely spoken and written languages.&nbsp; To put this large number in perspective, almost as many people speak Portuguese as speak German (89 million), French (74 million) and Italian (59 million) combined.&nbsp; <br /><br />When I founded Smashwords in 2008, I wanted to democratize publishing for the world’s writers.&nbsp; I wanted to make it fast, free and easy for any writer, anywhere in the world, to self-publish and distribute an ebook.&nbsp; The indie author revolution too<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">k root first <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">with English-language writers.&nbsp; Now I want to help spread the revolution to more corners of the globe.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></span><br /><br />Portuguese writers boast a rich literary tradition going back centuries.&nbsp; With this completely self-contained blog post, I hope to welcome thousands of new writers to the global indie author movement.&nbsp; </span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Several thou<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">sand Portuguese-language books are already published at Sm<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ashwords and distributed worldwide.&nbsp; In Brazil, the largest market for Portuguese books, approximately 300,000 Smashwords-distributed books are available at iBooks Bra<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">zil, </span>Livraria Cultura (powered by Kobo)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> and from the Smashwords Store.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My thanks to Matthew Teplitz on the S<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">mashwords team for translating the Style G<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">uide, the PowerPoint presentation<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> and <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">this blog post!&nbsp; Thanks also to my <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Brazil<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ian friends Carlo Carrenho, Claudio Soares and Newton Neto </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><span class="entity _4v1s" data-fulltext="Claudio Soares" data-group="all" data-icon="null" data-select="group" data-si="true" data-text="Claudio Soares" data-type="ent:user" data-uid="589386353"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>for educating me about the Brazilian market and encouraging me to do more to support Portuguese-language authors.</i></span></span><span data-si="true"></span><span data-si="true"></span><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i></i></div><i></i><i></i><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><h2><i><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Como publicar os ebooks</span></b></i></h2><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Este post de blog e a apresentação acompanhada do <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569841">Guia de estilo do Smashwords</a> lhe ensinará como publicar um ebook com orgulho, profissionalismo e sucesso.</span></i></div><i><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Como um autor da língua portuguesa, agora tem a oportunidade de publicar o seu livro a uma audiência mundial utilizando as ferramentas do Smashwords, o distribuidor mais grande dos ebooks autopublicados.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No entanto, não precisa ser um autor no Smashwords para beneficiar das orientações dadas nestes recursos.</span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eu montei dois recursos grandes para ajudar-lhe na sua viagem da publicação dos ebooks:</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569841" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569841" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfOJ8BYOX6U/VdKItKAUDKI/AAAAAAAACuw/nE0QoGkQewM/s200/Style%2BGuide%2BPortuguese%2B-%2B1b.png" width="141" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>1.&nbsp;</b> O <i><b>Guia de estilo do Smashwords</b></i>, traduzido pela primeira vez no português! <b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569841">Descarregá-lo aqui!</a></b></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>2.&nbsp; </b>Como publicar os ebooks - um seminário sobre a publicação dos ebooks</span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A apresentação incorporada abaixo foi derivado duma série de seminários de seis horas e quatro partes sobre a publicação dos ebooks que apresentei no mês passado na conferência de Autores do Noroeste do Pacífico em Seattle. Os seminários foram apresentados numa ordem lógica e projetados para levar os escritores desde iniciantes a especialistas durantes as seis horas.</span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Agora, pela primeira vez, compartilho estas apresentações traduzidas no português.</span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Para facilitar a visualização, eu consolidei as quatro apresentações numa única apresentação incorporada abaixo. A apresentação ensinam os escritores como autopublicar os ebooks com mais orgulho, profissionalismo e sucesso.</span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Se você conhece um escritor que está avaliando as suas opções enquanto se preparam autopublicar seu primeiro livro, o já autopublicou mas ainda está lutando atingir os leitores e pode beneficiar de algumas novas ideias, por favor compartilhe-a com eles. Se um escritor quer publicar independentemente, tradicionalmente, ou numa forma híbrida, aqui há algo para todos. A apresentação também será útil para os pequenos editores independentes que publicam os livros no português. No Smashwords, trabalhamos com mais de 100 milhares de autores e pequenos editores independentes em todo o mundo. </span></div><br /></i><i><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><h2><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Como publicar os ebooks</span></h2><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">um seminário sobre a publicação dos ebooks por Mark Coker</span></div></i><i><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div></i><i><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">&nbsp;<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="420" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/KhzIT4eY1PQuN1" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="510"> </iframe> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/como-publicar-os-ebooks-um-seminrio-sobre-a-publicao-dos-ebooks-por-mark-coker" target="_blank" title="Como publicar os ebooks - um seminário sobre a publicação dos ebooks por Mark Coker">Como publicar os ebooks</a> </b> from <b><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords" target="_blank">Smashwords, Inc.</a></b> </span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">^^Por favor partilhe esta apresentação com um amigo por clicar a seta no canto esquerdo inferior!</span></b></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Como publicar os ebooks - um seminário sobre a publicação dos ebooks</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A apresentação está dividida nas seguintes quatro seções:</span></div><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Introdução à publicação dos ebooks</b> - um curso introdutório. Isto fornece o conhecimento fundamental que cada escritor precisa para começar sua viagem de autopublicação. Explica os fundamentos, como as cinco tendências mais importantes que estão acionando o mercado do ebook; os fatores que contribuem ao surgimento do movimento dos autores independentes; as vantagens de autoria independente; e contem uma lista de verificação abrangente da publicação dos ebooks que explica conceitos importantes como a formatação, conversão do ebook, os ISBN, estratégias do estilo da capa, metadados, direitos autorais, a pirateria, estratégia de preços, marketing, distribuição e pré-encomendas.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>As melhores práticas da publicação do ebook</b> - 16 segredos dos autores independentes mais vendidos. Isto é provavelmente minha apresentação mais popular. Tenho feito isto por alguns anos e foi um companheiro ao meu livro grátis sobre as melhores práticas, Os segredos da publicação dos ebooks sucedidos. Eu compartilho 16 dicas, truques e estratégias que são comuns entre muitos dos autores mais vendidos. Esta apresentação lhe ensina como tornar seu livro mais detectável e desejável para os leitores. Inclui uma seção expandida sobre o desenho da capa com vários casos práticos que demonstra o que funciona e o que não funciona. Também ensinará técnicas da construção de plataforma importantes. Os autores independentes &nbsp;veteranos ainda obterão uma nova ideia ou duas aqui. Começa a partir do slide 89.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>O merchandising no iBooks</b> - como vender mais livros na segunda maior loja do ebook no mundo. Os leitores deste blog sabe que eu sou um amado grande do iBooks. Simplesmente por distribuir seus livros ao iBooks, serão acessível para quase um bilhão dos usuários de dispositivos Apple. O Smashwords tem sido um agregador mundial autorizado servindo a loja iBooks desde que a fundação da loja no abril de 2010. No tempo desde que o estabelecimento desta parceria, tive o prazer de colaborar diretamente à equipe do merchandising mundial fantástica no iBooks. Nesta apresentação, introduzirei os autores à loja iBooks e compartilharei dicas sobre como os autores podem aumentar sua visibilidade, vendas, e oportunidades promocionais na loja. Como aprenderá, desde uma visão de alto nível, tem dois tipos de oportunidades do merchandising na loja. A primeira é automatizada - os inúmeros benefícios de descoberta que você receberá automaticamente simplesmente por distribuir através do iBooks. A segunda oportunidade é criada manualmente onde os profissionais do merchandising no iBooks escolhem uma pequena quantidade de livros para promoção. Você aprenderá que as decisões do merchadising deles são com base no mérito, e a maioria do mérito é merecido por a construção de vendas e revisões boas entres seus clientes no iBooks. Se os clientes no iBooks gostam dos seus livros, também aumentará suas oportunidades do merchandising. Alguns autores podem sentir desmotivados que se enfrentam um problema da galinha e do ovo - “Sem o merchandising, não posso atingir os leitores, mas sem mais leitores não posso provar que os meus livros merecem o merchandising.” Não se preocupe. Eu vou lhe mostrar como maximizar suas oportunidades promocionais na loja, mas também o trabalho intenso e empenho de largo plazo são necessários (se foi fácil, todas as pessoas no mundo seriam escritores mais vendidos!). Também saiba que centenas, se não milhares dos autores no Smashwords alcançam várias formas do merchandising no iBooks, então é possível. Tudo gira em torno da implementação das melhores práticas nas apresentações, como uma boa qualidade de escritora (nada é mais importante do seu livro!), uma imagem da capa fantástica, a distribuição completa e sem interrupções, e o uso inteligente dos metadados melhorados, como a Gerente das Séries do Smashwords. Embora esta apresentação se focaliza no iBooks, os mesmos conceitos do mérito aplicam às decisões do merchandising nas outras varejistas. Começa a partir do slide 179.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Como alcançar as listas bestseller com as pré-encomendas do ebook</b> - Como os antigos leitores deste blog já sabem, tenho celebrado os benefícios das pré-encomendas do ebook por mais de dois anos. Uma pré-encomenda do ebook é provavelmente a ferramenta da lançamento de livro mais poderosa nos últimos sete anos. A conclusão é que os livros nasceram como pré-encomendas venderão mais cópias que os livros que são simplesmente carregados no dia da divulgação. Se você quer atingir mais leitores, precisa aprender como usar as pré-encomendas para o efeito máximo. No mês passado, anunciamos uma nova característica das pré-encomendas chamada “pré-encomendas sem espólios” que lhe permite establecer sua pré-encomenda até 12 meses em avanço, incluindo se ainda não está pronto com o seu livro. As pré-encomendas permite marketing prévio dos livros mais eficaz, e nas varejistas iBooks e Kobo, as pré-encomendas lhe dará uma vantagem grande com respeito à posição de cópias vendidas no dia que o seu livro está publicado. Esta apresentação identifica cinco benefícios das pré-encomendas e depois compartilha os métodos provados para planejar e executar um lançamento bem sucedido. Começa a partir do slide 230.</span></div></li></ol><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Espero que você gostará do <i><b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569841">Guia de estilo do Smashwords</a></b></i> e minha apresentação sobre Como publicar os ebooks.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Como qualquer autor independente pode dizer-lhe, não é fácil vender os livros. Não existe uma única bala mágica para alcançar o estado bestseller. Tudo do sucesso na autopublicação é a paciência, perserverança, e as melhores práticas. As mais melhores práticas que você aplica com sucesso, aumentará as suas possibilidades de atingir os leitores.</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">O sucesso na autopublicação também é sobre os seus valores e mentalidade. Como já mencionei no Manifesto dos autores independentes abaixo, é importante lembrar que o seu sucesso como um autor independente não pode ser medido por somente as vendas. Se você encontra alegria na viagem e a expressão criativa da escritura e publicação, você já descobriu a medida de sucesso mais rica e plenamente realizada. Siga escrevendo!</span><br /><br /></i><br /><h2><i><h3><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manifesto do autore independente</span></span></b></h3></i></h2><i></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJt7OrAw_GE/VdKH-gXJjfI/AAAAAAAACuk/J6iahfLlrs8/s1600/Portuguese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJt7OrAw_GE/VdKH-gXJjfI/AAAAAAAACuk/J6iahfLlrs8/s640/Portuguese.jpg" width="428" /></a></i></div><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">&nbsp;</span> </span></i><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/8k3sUrhUIeM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/8k3sUrhUIeM/como-publicar-os-ebooks-um-seminario.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)1http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/08/como-publicar-os-ebooks-um-seminario.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5449367089229599255Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:20:00 +00002015-07-22T09:13:42.373-07:00How to Publish Ebooks - An Ebook Publishing Intensive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to publish ebooks - An ebook publishing intensive by Mark Coker" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKumY7DBAwY/Va6ZcnE3GkI/AAAAAAAACt8/Hq9ymd5mA9g/s200/how%2Bto%2Bpublish%2Bebooks.png" title="How to publish ebooks" width="141" /></a></div>Last week I presented a series of four 90-minute workshops on ebook publishing at the Pacific Northwest Writers conference in Seattle.&nbsp; The workshops were presented in logical order and designed to take writers from introduction to expertise over the course of six hours.<br /><br />For your viewing pleasure, I consolidated the four presentations into a single online deck and embedded it below.&nbsp; The presentation teaches writers how to self-publish ebooks with greater pride, professionalism&nbsp; and success.<br /><br />If you know a writer who's evaluating their publishing options, or they're struggling to reach readers and could benefit from some fresh ideas, please share it with them.&nbsp; Whether a writer aspires to publish indie, traditional or hybrid, there's something for everyone in here.&nbsp; The presentation will also be useful to the hundreds of small independent presses that work with Smashwords.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="420" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/mWUf5KVRmMxl05" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="510"> </iframe> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><b> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/how-to-publish-ebooks-an-ebook-publishing-intensive-by-mark-coker" target="_blank" title="How to Publish Ebooks - an Ebook Publishing Intensive by Mark Coker">How to Publish Ebooks - an Ebook Publishing Intensive by Mark Coker</a> </b> <br /><b><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords" target="_blank">^^ Please share this with a friend by clicking the arrow in the lower left!</a></b> </div><br /><h3>How to Publish Ebooks - An Ebook Publishing Intensive</h3>The presentation is divided into the following four sections:<br /><br /><b>1.&nbsp; Introduction to eBook publishing</b> - An introductory primer.&nbsp; It provides the basic foundational knowledge every writer needs to get started on their self publishing journey.&nbsp; It explains the basics, such as the top five trends driving the ebook market; factors contributing to the rise of the indie author movement; the advantages of indie authorship; and features a comprehensive ebook publishing checklist that explains important concepts such as formatting, ebook conversion, ISBNs, cover design strategies, metadata, copyright, piracy, pricing strategy, marketing, distribution and preorders.<br /><br /><b>2.&nbsp; Ebook publishing best practices</b> - 16 secrets of the bestselling indie ebook authors.&nbsp; This is probably my most popular presentation.&nbsp; I've been presenting this for a few years and originally created it as a companion to my free ebook on best practices, <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431">The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success</a></i>.&nbsp; I share 16 tips, tricks and strategies that are common among many of the bestselling ebook authors and their books.&nbsp; This presentation teaches you how to to make your book more discoverable and more desirable to readers.&nbsp; It includes an expanded section on cover design with multiple case study examples of what works and what doesn't.&nbsp; You'll also learn important platform building techniques.&nbsp; Even veteran indie authors are sure to get a new idea or two out of this.&nbsp; <u>Starts at slide #89.</u><br /><br />3.&nbsp; <b>iBooks Merchandising</b> - how to sell more books in the world's second largest ebook store.&nbsp; Readers of this blog know I'm a massive fan of iBooks. Simply by distributing your books to iBooks, your books will be just a couple clicks away from nearly one billion users of Apple devices.&nbsp; Smashwords has been an authorized global aggregator serving the iBooks store ever since the iBooks store first launched in April 2010.&nbsp; In the time since, I've had the pleasure to collaborate directly with the super-awesome global merchandising team at iBooks.&nbsp; In this presentation, I introduce authors to the iBooks store and then share tips on how authors can increase their visibility, sales and promotional opportunities in the store.&nbsp; As you'll learn, from a high level there are two types of merchandising opportunity at iBooks.&nbsp; <b>The first</b> is automated - the myriad discovery benefits you receive automatically simply by distributing your books to iBooks.&nbsp; <b>The second</b> opportunity is human-curated merchandising where the merchandising pros at iBooks select a small number of books for promotional love.&nbsp; You'll learn that their merchandising decisions are merit-based, and much of this merit is earned by you building a track record of sales and high reader ratings from iBooks customers.&nbsp; If iBooks customers embrace your books, it increases your chances for extra merchandising love.&nbsp; Some authors might feel discouraged that they face a chicken and egg problem - "Without merchandising love I can't reach readers, and without more readers I can't establish a track record to prove my books merit merchandising love."&nbsp; Don't worry.&nbsp; I'll show you how there's a lot you can do maximize your opportunity for love in there store, but it will take hard work and a long term commitment (if it was easy, everyone would be a bestselling author!).&nbsp; Also know that hundreds if not thousands of Smashwords authors have achieved various forms of merchandising love at iBooks, so it is possible.&nbsp; It's all about implementing the many best practices discussed in the presentations, such as super-awesome writing (nothing's more important than your book!), a super-awesome cover, full uninterrupted distribution of all your titles, fair pricing, smart use of FREE as a promotional tool, smart use of preorders, and smart use of enhanced metadata such as the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/09/new-smashwords-series-manager-improves.html">Smashwords Series Manager</a>.&nbsp; Even though this presentation focuses on iBooks, the same concepts of merit apply to the merchandising decisions of the other retailers.&nbsp; <u> Starts at slide #180.</u><br /><br /><b>4.&nbsp; How to Hit the Bestseller Lists with Ebook Preorders</b> - As long time readers of this blog know, I've been celebrating the benefits of <a href="http://smashwords.com/preorder">ebook preorders</a> for over two years.&nbsp; An ebook preorder is probably the single most powerful book launch tool to come along in the last seven years.&nbsp; Bottom line, books born as preorders sell more copies than books that are simply uploaded the day of release.&nbsp; If you want to reach more readers, you need to learn how to use preorders to maximum effect.&nbsp; Last month we announced a <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html">new preorder feature called assetless preorders</a> which allows you to establish your preorder up to 12 months in advance, even if you're not finished with the book yet. Preorders enable more effective advance book marketing, and at retailers iBooks and Kobo, preorders give you a dramatic sales rank advantage the day your book is released.&nbsp; This presentation identifies five benefits of ebook preorders and then shares proven methods to plan and execute a successful preorder launch.&nbsp; <u>Starts at slide #231.</u><br /><br />I hope you enjoy the presentation.&nbsp; As any indie author can tell you, it's not easy to sell books.&nbsp; There's no single magic bullet shortcut to bestsellerdom.&nbsp; Self publishing success is all about patience, perseverance and best practices.&nbsp; The more best practices you successfully employ, the better your odds of reaching readers.<br /><br />Self publishing success is also about values and mindset.&nbsp; As I mention in the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/04/indie-author-manifesto.html">Indie Author Manifesto</a>, it's important to remember that your success as an indie author cannot be measured by sales alone.&nbsp; If you find joy in the journey and creative expression of writing and publishing, then you've discovered the richest and most fulfilling measure of success.&nbsp; Write on!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/hA5A9gnewLY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/hA5A9gnewLY/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)12http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/07/how-to-publish-ebooks-ebook-publishing.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-6264234850739127199Tue, 30 Jun 2015 22:04:00 +00002015-06-30T15:04:30.883-07:00Wattpad Runs Major Promotion Featuring 72 Smashwords Romance Authors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v8ZgIAR-S9k/VZHiR1MQioI/AAAAAAAACso/hwl9GGu-KPY/s1600/image4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v8ZgIAR-S9k/VZHiR1MQioI/AAAAAAAACso/hwl9GGu-KPY/s200/image4.png" width="200" /></a></div>Smashwords and Wattpad today launched a multi-week promotional feature at Wattpad that showcases 74 books by 72 Smashwords authors in the categories of contemporary romance, new adult romance and paranormal romance.<br /><br />The promotion will run across three elements of the the Wattpad platform:&nbsp; <b>1.</b>&nbsp; The Wattpad web site.&nbsp; <b>2.</b>&nbsp; Wattpad's After Dark&nbsp; app for iOS and Android.&nbsp; <b>3.&nbsp;</b>&nbsp; The general Wattpad app iOS and Android.<br /><br />You can view the promotion now on the web at <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Romance">https://www.wattpad.com/user/Romance</a>&nbsp; and will roll out soon to the apps mentioned above.&nbsp; Direct links to each catalog:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/214429551-summer-love-contemporary-romance-top-smashwords-books-on-wattpad">Contemporary Romance</a><br /><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/214417195-summer-love-new-adult-top-smashwords-books-on-wattpad">New Adult Romance</a><br /><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/213246935-summer-love-paranormal-top-smashwords-books-on-wattpad">Paranormal Romance</a><br /><br />More than 40 million people visit Wattpad each month to read, write and publish.&nbsp; The featured titles are all series starters.&nbsp; Each series starter will be serialized at Wattpad for the free enjoyment of Wattpad readers.&nbsp; Participating Smashwords authors will receive significant exposure to thousands of new readers, some of whom will go on to purchase the next books in the series at Smashwords retail partners including iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble, Kobo and the Smashwords store.<br /><br />Several bestselling Smashwords authors - including Kirsty Moseley and Natasha Preston - used Wattpad to reach millions of readers via free serialization before commercially publishing and distributing their final books at Smashwords.&nbsp; Not only is Wattpad a great place for new writers to build audience before they publish at Smashwords, it's a great place for veteran Smashwords authors to reach more readers.<br /><br />My thanks to Wattpad for presenting our authors with such an unprecedented opportunity to build readership.&nbsp;&nbsp; Today's promotion marks a milestone of sorts.&nbsp; Yesterday was the four year anniversary of a Smashwords partnership with Wattpad that began four years ago.&nbsp; I've always been an incredible fan of Wattpad and the people who run it, and I hope this will be the first of many new merchandising collaborations for Smashwords authors across all genres.<br /><br /><b>Smashwords authors:</b>&nbsp; If you're not already on Wattpad, <a href="https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/categories/200110764-How-to-use-Wattpad">here's a good FAQ that explains how to get started</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Like Smashwords, Wattpad is a free service.&nbsp; Once you have your Wattpad account set up, you can add cross links between your Wattpad profile page and your Smashwords profile page (where readers can purchase your books!).&nbsp; To add a link <b>from</b> your Wattpad account <b>to</b> your Smashwords page, at Wattpad click on your account name in the upper right portion of the screen, then click Settings.&nbsp; To add a link on your Smashwords author page that points <b>to</b> your Wattpad page, at Smashwords click to Account, then click to <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/edit/1">Edit Profile</a>.<br /><br />Here's a summary of participating authors and titles, organized by category and alpha-sorted by first name:<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/214429551-summer-love-contemporary-romance-top-smashwords-books-on-wattpad">CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE</a></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujNGMAoyjVY/VZHuG3rWarI/AAAAAAAACtQ/ed6li6fm_-w/s1600/image3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujNGMAoyjVY/VZHuG3rWarI/AAAAAAAACtQ/ed6li6fm_-w/s1600/image3.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Adrienne Bell - The Wedding Trap<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AdrienneBellAuthor">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Anna Katmore - Play With Me<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AnnaKatmore">Link to Wattpad profile</a>&nbsp; <br /><br />AnnaLisa Grant - The Lake (The Lake Series, Book 1)<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AnnaLisaGrant"> Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Carla Krae - Kissed (My Once and Future Love Revisited #1)<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/CarlaKrae">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Chris Taylor - The Profiler<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ChrisTaylor065">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />DW Cee - Indelible Love (Emily's Story)<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/DWCee1">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />E. L. Todd - Only For You<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/eltodd42">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Elizabeth Reyes - Forever Mine<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/elizabethreyes__">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />K.F. Breene - Back in the Saddle<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KFBreene"> Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Lacey Weatherford - Crush<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LaceyWeatherford">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Leeanna Morgan - Forever Dreams<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LeeannaMorgan">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Lili Saint Germain - Seven Sons<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/lilisaintgermain">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Liz Fielding - Wild Justice<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/lizfielding">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Lorhainne Eckhart - The Forgotten Child<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LorhainneEckhart">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Max Henry - Devil You Know<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/MaxHenryAuthor">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Max Henry - Pistol<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/MaxHenryAuthor">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Mia Dymond - Leather, Lace &amp; Rock-N-Roll<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/miadymond"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Morgan Rayne - A Different Kind of Fairy Tale<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/morganrayne12">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Natalie Anderson - Breathe for Me<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/Natalie-Anderson">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />R.L. Mathewson - Playing for Keeps<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/RlMathewson"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Ranae Rose - Hot Ink<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/RanaeRose"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Ruth Ann Nordin - Suddenly a Bride<br />&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/ruthannnordin"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Sydney Landon - Pierced<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/sydneylandon36">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />T Gephart - A Twist of Fate<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/TinaGephart">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Tracy Ellen - A Date with Fate (The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod)<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Tracyellen01"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Verna Clay - Dream Kisses<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/vernaclay"> Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;NEW ADULT ROMANCE</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AT-49uRt1xk/VZHtu-gOvVI/AAAAAAAACs4/-vRkfr3qNic/s1600/image2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AT-49uRt1xk/VZHtu-gOvVI/AAAAAAAACs4/-vRkfr3qNic/s1600/image2.png" /></a></div><h3>&nbsp;</h3><br />Addison Moore - 3:AM Kisses<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AddisonMoore">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Alicia Michaels - V-Card<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Alicia_Michaels">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Alyssa Rose Ivy - The Hazards of Skinny Dipping<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AlyssaRoseIvy">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />AM Hudson - Bound<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/AngieHudson6">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Bethany Lopez - 8 Weeks<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BethanyLopez2">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />CJ Duggan - The Boys of Summer<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/CjDuggan">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Demelza Carlton - Ocean's Justice<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/DemelzaCarlton">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />G.J. Walker-Smith - Saving Wishes<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/gjwalkersmith"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Jamie Magee - See<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Jamie_Magee">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Jennifer Snyder - Break You<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/JenniferSnyder04">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Kahlen Aymes - Famous<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/KahlenAymes"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Lilliana Anderson - A Beautiful Struggle (Beautiful Series Book 1)<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/LillianaAnderson">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Lindsay Paige and Mary Smith - Breakaway<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LPMSsportsromances">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Natasha Preston - Silence<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/natashapreston">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Nicola Marsh - Before<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/NicolaMarshAuthor">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Penny Reid - Attraction<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/FionaFischer">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Rachel Van Dyken - Tear: A Seaside Novel<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/home">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Sabrina Stark - Unbelonging<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/SabrinaStarkWriter">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Samantha Young - Into the Deep<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorSamanthaYoung"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Tawdra Kandle - The Last One<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/TawdraKandle">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/list/213246935-summer-love-paranormal-top-smashwords-books-on-wattpad">PARANORMAL ROMANCE</a></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AVOjDbrmQ8w/VZHuASpguGI/AAAAAAAACtE/Y9J5xFIm2J0/s1600/Image%2B1.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AVOjDbrmQ8w/VZHuASpguGI/AAAAAAAACtE/Y9J5xFIm2J0/s1600/Image%2B1.tiff" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</h3><br />Alyssa Rose Ivy - Flight (The Crescent Chronicles#1)<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AlyssaRoseIvy">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Amy Miles - Forbidden<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/AmyMilesBooks">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Barbara Bretton - Somewhere in Time<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Barbarabretton">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Belinda Boring - The Mystic Wolves<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/BelindaBoringBooks">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Bianca D'Arc - Tales of the Were: Grif<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/BiancaDArc">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Brandy L Rivers - Nights Embrace<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/brandylrivers">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Brenda K. Davies - Awakened (The Vampire Awakenings Series, Book 1)<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ericastevensgcp/about">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />C.J. Archer - The Wrong Girl<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CjArcher">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Caroline Hanson - Love is Darkness<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/carolinehanson">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Caryn Moya Block - Alpha's Mate<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/CarynBlock">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Christie Rich - Five (Elemental Enmity Book I)<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/authorchristierich/about">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Claire Farrell - Soul<br />&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/ClaireFarrell"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />E.B. Brown - The Legend of the Bloodstone<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ebbrown">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Elise Marion - The Guardians<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/Elise_Marion">Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Erica Stevens - Captured (The Captive Series, Book 1)<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/ericastevens"> Link to Wattpad profile </a><br /><br />Laura Harner - Highland Shift<br />&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/LauraHarner"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Lynnie Purcell - Grey Haven (The Dreamer Chronicles, Book 1)<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/LynniePurcell"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Maree Anderson - The Crystal Warrior<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/MareeAnderson">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Melissa Haag - Hope(less)<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MelissaHaag">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Melissa Wright - Bound by Prophecy<br />&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/MelissaWrightAuthor"> Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Nicky Charles - The Mating<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/charliej">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />R. E. Butler - Mate of Her Heart (Wilde Creek One)<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/rebutlerauthor">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Rachel Higginson - Reckless Magic<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/RachelHigginson6">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />S. E. Smith - Tink's Neverland: Cosmos' Gateway Book 1<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/sesmithfl">Link to Wattpad profile</a> <br /><br />Sarah Woodbury - Daughter of Time<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/drsarahwoodbury">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Scott Prussing - Breathless<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/ScottPrussing">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Teresa Gabelman - Damon (The Protectors)<br />&nbsp; <a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/TeresaTreadwayGabelm">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Victoria Danann - My Familiar Stranger<br />&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/VictoriaDanann">Link to Wattpad profile</a><br /><br />Please join me in congratulating these fine authors for their inclusion in this promotion.&nbsp; If you're a romance reader, please share this page with your friends so they can start discovering these awesome indie romance authors!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/wCAhBXeiGK8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/wCAhBXeiGK8/wattpad-runs-major-promotion-featuring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)5http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/wattpad-runs-major-promotion-featuring.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-7740691911656807228Tue, 30 Jun 2015 21:22:00 +00002015-06-30T15:26:34.040-07:00Scribd Cuts Romance Catalog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jrbiUZJcBsE/VZLyLyQqnFI/AAAAAAAACto/t3DHRCaI5Us/s1600/scribdlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jrbiUZJcBsE/VZLyLyQqnFI/AAAAAAAACto/t3DHRCaI5Us/s320/scribdlogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Scribd, the fast-growing ebook subscription service, today announced dramatic cuts to their catalog of romance and erotica titles.<br /><br />Effective immediately, I estimate 80-90 percent of Smashwords romance and erotica titles will be dropped by Scribd, including nearly all of our most popular romance titles.&nbsp; Books priced at <b>free</b> are safe and will remain in their catalog.<br /><br />Based on what I've been able to glean, the lower the price and the higher the word count, the better the odds the book will remain.&nbsp; Few books priced $3.99 and above will remain.&nbsp; Scribd is not publicly revealing the formulas for what stays and what goes, probably because much of this is still in flux. They're cutting all publishers and distributors with the same blunt knife.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />It's ugly.&nbsp; The problem for Scribd is that romance readers are heavy readers, and Scribd pays publishers retailer-level margins for the books.&nbsp; In a letter to publishers and distributors delivered earlier today, Scribd said:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Dear Publisher<br /><br />As you know, in starting Scribd, we bore the majority of the risk when establishing a business model that paid publishers the same amount as the retail model for each book read by a Scribd subscriber. Now, nearly two years later, the Scribd catalog has grown from 100,000 titles to more than one million. We’re proud of the service we’ve built and we’re constantly working to expand the selection across genres to give our readers the broadest possible list of books for $8.99 per month.<br /><br />We’ve grown to a point where we are beginning to adjust the proportion of titles across genres to ensure that we can continue to expand the overall size and variety of our service. We will be making some adjustments, particularly to romance, and as a result some previously available titles may no longer be available.<br /><br />We look forward to continuing to grow subscribers, increase overall reading, and increase total publisher payouts in a way that works for everyone over the long term. We of course want to keep as many of your authors and titles on Scribd as we can, so we’d love to discuss our plans and how we can best work with you going forward.<br /><br />Thank you for your business.</i></blockquote><br />Bottom line, romance readers - readers we love dearly at Smashwords - are reading Scribd out of house and home.&nbsp; Scribd's business model, as it's set up now, simply can't sustain the high readership of romance readers.&nbsp; They're not facing the same problem with readers of other genres.<br /><br />Even after the cut, thousands of Smashwords romance and erotica titles will remain, but that offers little solace to our bestselling romance authors who are already offering low-priced, high-word-count books.&nbsp; The point of the purge is to eliminate the most popular (i.e. most expensive to Scribd since they must pay per qualified read) romance books. <br /><br />I remain a big fan of Scribd, but today's news is especially disconcerting to those of us working to promote a diverse ecosystem of multiple bookselling options.&nbsp; Romance represents a huge portion of ebook readership, so anything that harms romance authors and their readers is not good for the future of publishing.<br /><br />While I understand Scribd's need to stem the bloodletting, and I support their decision for this reason, I don't think they found the right solution yet.&nbsp; I think a better solution - one which would strike the right balance between the needs of readers, authors, publishers and Scribd - is to introduce tiered subscription options that would allow moderate readers to enjoy the Scribd service at the $8.99 level, but then offer heavier readers another subscription tier - possibly priced at $14.99 or $19.99 or whatever - that wouldn't break the bank to the detriment of all authors.&nbsp; These additional tiers would still provide heavy readers great value and convenience while still allowing Scribd and authors and publishers to earn their well-deserved profit.<br /><br />Today's news is not necessarily good news for the authors of other genres and categories either, because most romance readers I know also read other genres.&nbsp; If romance readers abandon Scribd, other authors may see sales declines as well.&nbsp; It's too soon to predict how this will play out. <br /><br />Our friends at Scribd have made it clear to me that this is just the first iteration of their changes with romance.&nbsp; They're investigating new approaches (which might or might not involve new subscription tiers) that could allow them to reintroduce more romance titles back into the catalog.<br /><br /><b>There are a few silver linings to today's announcement for romance authors:</b><br /><br />1.&nbsp; For the romance titles that remain, these books will face dramatically less competition for romance reader eyeballs, which means the remaining titles and authors will probably see dramatic increases in readership.<br /><br />2.&nbsp; Free series starters, especially those that contain <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/11/how-to-add-navigation-to-smashwords.html">enhanced backmatter</a>, will become even more powerful (indirect) money-earners because of their ability to introduce readers to new authors and series, which will then drive some readers to make single-copy sales at our other retail partners.&nbsp; Based on early data from the upcoming 2015 Smashwords Survey, series with free series starters already earn 66% more income for authors than series without free series starters.&nbsp; Free works for series by hooking readers who are then motivated to purchase the remaining titles. <br /><br />3.&nbsp; Scribd is working to ensure the viability of their business.&nbsp; Although I'm disappointed to see most of romance titles disappear from Scribd, I understand their need to tweak the model because their long run viability is in the best interest of all authors in all genres and categories.&nbsp; I'm optimistic that Scribd will eventually iterate their way to a viable solution to accommodate more romance titles.&nbsp; They NEED to do this if they want to become a complete reading solution for all readers.<br /><br />One solution I'm not amenable to is the option for Smashwords to accept lower payments for each qualified read.&nbsp; To accept lower payments would create a slippery slope down the path to devaluation from which these is no return.&nbsp; There's an argument some subscription services will offer that goes like this:&nbsp; "Earning a smaller amount is better than earning nothing at all."&nbsp; While there's certainly truth to that argument (I do believe that subscription services help authors reach readers they would not otherwise reach), the moment authors and publishers start devaluing their books is the moment that all single-copy retailers will feel forced to lower their single copy payouts, because in the long run if a customer can purchase unlimited books for a cheaper effective price via subscription, the single-copy retailers won't be able to compete.&nbsp; The fact that Scribd and Oyster pay authors and publishers single-copy rates in and of itself acts as a check on such devaluation and provides a level playing field for subscription services and conventional retailers alike.<br /><br />We've already seen first-hand with Amazon's Kindle Unlimited what happens when authors allow subscription payouts to drop.&nbsp; Authors who agree to the lower payouts earn less per book, and authors who don't agree and who try to earn income with single-copy sales at Amazon find themselves disadvantaged.&nbsp; With KU, Amazon determines the value of each qualified read, and they determine the value independent of the author's list price.&nbsp; In my post last year, <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/07/is-kindle-unlimited-bad-for-authors.html">Is Amazon's Kindle Unlimited Bad for Authors</a>, I examined some of the likely implications of the Kindle Unlimited model, much of which we've seen play out the months since with lower per-read payouts.&nbsp; Little prevents Amazon from deciding the value per qualified read should be 50 cents or 5 cents or a penny.&nbsp; They can change the rules midstream, as they'll start doing in July when they tie payouts to pages read.&nbsp; I don't necessarily disagree with their plan to tie compensation to readership (I don't like it, but I understand why some do), though it's a reminder that if Amazon decides your 500 page book is worth 25 cents for a full read, they have that power, especially if the indie author community continues to support KU by providing it a critical mass of titles.<br /><br />With today's Scribd news many naysayers will jump on Scribd and similar subscription services with a big fat, "I TOLD YOU SO!"&nbsp; The naysayers can have their day in the sun today, but I'd caution critics to understand that the story's not over yet.&nbsp; As I blogged in 2013 in my <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/10/examining-business-model-of-ebook.html">two-part series examining the business models of subscription ebooks</a>, the challenge <b>and the great opportunity</b> for these services is to fine-tune their models to the point where they find that common intersection where the interests of readers, authors, publishers and the subscription services themselves are aligned.&nbsp; Today's news, while painful to many romance authors, is indicative of the fine tuning that is still necessary before the subscription services can prove their model.<br /><br />If they make the right moves, and if they fully leverage their access to high-quality low-cost indie ebooks, I think these services can succeed. <br /><br /><b>What happens next for Smashwords authors:&nbsp;</b> All Smashwords authors should remain opted in to Scribd, because it's uncertain which titles will remain and which titles that were cut today will reappear.&nbsp; At a minimum, all Smashwords-delivered titles - even if they don't appear in Scribd - will still be fingerprinted by Scribd's piracy prevention systems.&nbsp; This will automatically prevent unauthorized copies of your book appearing at Scribd.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/UFjRy450rPE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/UFjRy450rPE/scribd-cuts-romance-catalog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)28http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/scribd-cuts-romance-catalog.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-3762871669252801222Wed, 17 Jun 2015 21:29:00 +00002015-06-17T14:31:42.335-07:00Smashwords Introduces Assetless Preorders (aka "Metadata Only" preorders)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ae6CT-exi7M/VYGfnKi4-dI/AAAAAAAACsE/8QCxevajyl4/s1600/assetless2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ae6CT-exi7M/VYGfnKi4-dI/AAAAAAAACsE/8QCxevajyl4/s320/assetless2.png" width="223" /></a></div>Ebook preorders are the single most important new tool for indie authors who want to improve the visibility, desirability and sales of their new releases.<br /><br />Over the last 12 months, ebooks born as preorders at Smashwords earned more than triple the earnings of books that were simply uploaded the day of release.<br /><br />Ever since we announced <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/07/smashwords-introduces-preorder.html">preorder distribution</a> two years ago for iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo, I've been advocating preorders as an essential best practice for all indies.<br /><br />Yet despite the amazing power of preorders, and despite the copious evidence that preorders can work miracles, most indie authors don't use them today.&nbsp; Fewer than 10 percent of books released at Smashwords over the last 12 months were released as preorders.<br /><br />Despite the poor adoption, over the last 12 months Smashwords books born as preorders accounted for 7 of our top 10 bestsellers and 67% of our top 200 bestsellers.&nbsp; When you consider how such a small fraction of books accounted for an outsize percentage of bestsellers, you begin to realize something special is happening here.<br /><br />Why the dismal adoption of ebook preorders, a best practice that large traditional book publishers have embraced as a no-brainer for years?&nbsp; Aside from the normal education that's necessary (preorders, after all, are still a relatively new concept and option for indies), I think the primary reason for the poor adoption has been that until now, Smashwords required authors to upload their full and final manuscript before they could establish a preorder.<br /><br />This requirement created a dilemma for our authors.&nbsp; If the book's ready for release today, why should an author hold back the release for three or six months to gain the full advantage of a preorder?&nbsp; You can't blame these authors for deciding to release their book immediately, the day it's ready for readers.<br /><br />With today's announcement, our 100,000 authors and publishers can have their cake and eat it too. <br /><br /><h3>Introducing Assetless Preorders at Smashwords</h3>An assetless preorder allows the author or publisher to get their preorder listing up at the major retailers up to 12 months in advance of the official on sale date.&nbsp; This gives you up to 12 months to market your book in advance, and up to 12 months to accumulate orders.<br /><br />Starting today, all 100,000 authors and small independent presses at Smashwords have the ability to upload assetless preorders to Smashwords.&nbsp; No book or cover yet?&nbsp; No problem.<br /><br />In my companion post today, <b><a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/how-to-reach-more-readers-with-ebook.html">How to Reach More Readers with Ebook Preorders</a></b>, I provided an in- depth analysis of the benefits of ebook preorders, along with strategy tips for preorder best practices.&nbsp; These same tips have helped multiple Smashwords authors scale retailer and national bestsellers lists.&nbsp; I encourage you to read it now.&nbsp; Below, I'll just summarize two of the many benefits of ebook preorders:<br /><br /><b>1.&nbsp; Preorders enable more effective advance marketing</b> - Most authors are communicating directly with their readers over social media as they write their next book.&nbsp; An ebook preorder allows the author to capture the reader's order at the moment they have the reader's greatest attention and interest.<br /><br /><b>2.&nbsp; Fast track to the bestseller lists</b> - At iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo, all orders you accumulate during the preorder period credit toward your first day's sales rank.&nbsp; In other words, you have the ability to concentrate up to 12 months of book sales into a single day for maximum charting potential.&nbsp; Every author wants a high sales rank on their release day, because the higher rank increases the visibility, discoverability and desirability of the book, which then leads to more sales.&nbsp;&nbsp; [A note about Amazon:&nbsp; As I mention in the other post, Amazon treats preorders differently.&nbsp; They limit preoders to a three-month runway, and they don't credit accumulated sales toward the first day's sales rank.&nbsp; The lack of day one credit means preorders will actually cannibalize your sales rank at Amazon.&nbsp; There's more to it than that, so check out the other post for more details].<br /><h3>Length of Runway Matters</h3>A key contributing factor to the two benefits above is the length of preorder runway.&nbsp; The longer your book is available for preorder, the more time you have to market the book in advance and accumulate orders.&nbsp; THIS is why assetless preorders are so critical to a successful book launch.&nbsp; Assetless preorders enable a longer preorder runway because the author or publisher can establish the preorder earlier.<br /><br /><h3>How to Set Up an Assetless Preorder at Smashwords</h3>Setting up an assetless preorder is easy.&nbsp; All you need is a book title, a description, a price, a release date and the category of book.&nbsp; No draft necessary. No cover necessary.&nbsp;&nbsp; If any of these details change prior to publication, no problem.&nbsp; You can change them anytime.&nbsp; To set up a preorder an assetless preorder at Smashwords, simply click to the Smashword Publish page and follow the instructions.<br /><br /><b>Here's a detailed step-by-step to get you started:</b><br /><br /><b>1.&nbsp; Look at your publishing schedule for the next 12 months.</b>&nbsp; Plan to get all firm projects up as an assetless preorder ASAP.<br /><br /><b>2.&nbsp; Exercise discipline when setting release dates.</b>&nbsp; Some authors meet all their deadlines with the precision and reliability of a Swiss watch.&nbsp; Other authors might require more flexibility on scheduling.&nbsp; Be honest with yourself about which author you are.&nbsp; Either way, you know you want to maximize your runway.&nbsp; Understand that when you establish a preorder, you're making a commitment to your readers, to Smashwords and our retailers that you will deliver the book on time.&nbsp; For this reason, if you're not entirely certain if the book will be ready by your target release date, give yourself a buffer.&nbsp; For example, if you think your book will be ready in six months but you're not entirely confident, set a release date that's eight or nine months out.&nbsp; In other words, add cushion to your release date so you have some extra flexibility.&nbsp; If you finish early, great!&nbsp; You can change the release date of your book from the Smashwords Dashboard and release earlier.&nbsp; Readers will never complain if you decide to release your book early, but they may complain (because they love you so much) if you delay the release.&nbsp; If you need to delay the release of your book, no problem.&nbsp; We make it easy for you to adjust your release date.&nbsp; Unlike a certain retailer who shall go unnamed, if you miss your 10-day deadline, we will not rain fire and brimstone upon your head, nor will we banish you from future preorder eligibility.&nbsp; Instead, we'll send you polite email reminders that you should deliver your book before it's too late.&nbsp; And if you ignore our multiple helpful reminders, we will automatically adjust the release date of your book because we don't want your preorder to blow up.&nbsp; A blown preorder is a cancelled preorder, which would result not only in lost sales but also disappointed readers.<br /><br /><b>3.&nbsp; All great missions start with a plan.&nbsp;</b> Read my companion blog post, <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/how-to-reach-more-readers-with-ebook.html">How to Reach More Readers with Ebook Preorders</a> to learn preorder best practices.&nbsp; The post will help you develop your preorder strategy.&nbsp; The tips I share there are proven and effective, and have helped numerous Smashwords authors use preorders for maximum effect.<br /><br /><b>4.&nbsp; Once you have your release schedule planned, click to the Publish page at Smashwords.</b> In Step 1 of the publish process, simply click "Make it a preorder."&nbsp;&nbsp; If your final manuscript is ready for upload, upload it as usual.&nbsp; If your book’s not finished yet, or even if you haven't started it yet, no problem.&nbsp; Simply select the "I will upload my final formatted manuscript later" option to utilize our new assetless preorder feature. If you're concerned the title, description or categorization of the book might change later once you finish the book, no problem!&nbsp; You can change it later without harming your preorder listing.&nbsp; You can choose a release date up to 12 months out.&nbsp; iBooks supports preorders up to 12 months, and B&amp;N and Kobo go a little shorter.<br /><br /><b>5.&nbsp; You can establish the preorder with or without a cover.</b>&nbsp; Although a preorder with a cover will attract more orders, some Smashwords authors prefer to establish their assetless preroder without a cover at first so they can maximize the runway, and then they'll do the cover reveal later as a marketing event.&nbsp; Once your assetless preorder is established, you can upload the cover later by clicking to Settings in your Dashboard.&nbsp; I don't recommend temporary covers, especially ones that have "Temporary cover" slapped on them.&nbsp; It's better to have no cover at all than to show readers a shoddy temporary cover.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>6.&nbsp; Once the preorder is up, attach the ISBN</b> with your Dashboard's ISBN Manager tool.&nbsp; If the book is part of a series, even if it's book one in a new series, attach it to a series with your Dashboard's <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/09/new-smashwords-series-manager-improves.html">Series Manager</a> tool.&nbsp; Series Manager improves the discoverability of series books at retailers.<br /><br /><b>7.&nbsp; Your preorder is up at Smashwords, congrats!</b>&nbsp; Once it's up at Smashwords, our vetting team will review it and approve it for distribution.&nbsp; Preorders receive priority review and distribution.&nbsp; Preorders often appear same-day at iBooks, and within a couple days at B&amp;N and Kobo.<br /><br /><b>8.&nbsp; Start your marketing</b> (oh wait, no, get to work writing and editing!) as soon as the listings appear. Again, check out <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/how-to-reach-more-readers-with-ebook.html">How to Reach More Readers with Ebook Preorders</a> for a bunch of ideas, all free to implement, that will help you make your preorder-enabled release more successful.&nbsp; I&nbsp; share some super-simple ideas (like updating the backmatter of your other books to promote the preorder) that don't take much time but will reap many rewards.&nbsp; Okay, now get back to writing!<br /><br /><b>9.&nbsp; Preorder sales tracking.</b>&nbsp; In your Dashboard's <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/06/smashwords-adds-daily-sales-reporting.html">Daily Sales</a> report, you'll find next-day reports of your preorder accumulation at iBooks.&nbsp; Currently, iBooks is the only Smashwords retailer that reports preorder accumulation numbers in advance of the book's release.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the iBooks numbers will give you a good sense of how you're doing.<br /><br /><b>10.&nbsp; Deadlines deadlines.&nbsp;</b> Your final formatted manuscript will be due to Smashwords at least ten days in advance of your on sale date.&nbsp; Earlier is always better.&nbsp; If you need to delay the release of your book, no problem.&nbsp; Click to your Dashboard, then click to Settings and move the date out.&nbsp; If you do change the date, do it at least 10 days in advance of the currently scheduled release date.&nbsp; By the same token, if you want to release earlier, we recommend you upload your final formatted manuscript at least 10 days in advance of your new release date.<br /><br /><b>11.&nbsp; Get the next preorder up</b>. &nbsp; It's always a good idea to have at least one preorder out there working its magic for you as you write the next book.&nbsp; Before you upload your final manuscript, ask yourself if you're ready to get your next preorder up for the next book.&nbsp; If so, and if the release date will be within the next 12 months, get the new preorder up now, before you upload the final manuscript of the current project, even if you haven't started the future project yet.&nbsp; This way, you can start advertising your next preorder in the backmatter of your current new release the moment it lands in your readers' hands. You always want to be thinking of your next release, and using each new book to drive preorders to the next book.<br /><br /><b>12.&nbsp; Congratulations!&nbsp; You finished the book on schedule!</b>&nbsp; To upload your final manuscript, simply click to the Smashwords Dashboard and click "Upload new version."&nbsp; As mentioned above, you'll upload your final manuscript to Smashwords at least 10 days in advance of your release date.&nbsp; <br /><br /><h3>The Story Behind Assetless Preorders</h3>This new assetless preorder capability represents over a year of intense software development here at Smashwords, and over 18 months of private beta testing in which nearly 300 Smashwords authors and publishers tested early versions of the capability.&nbsp; I'm grateful to these authors and publishers because their immediate success with assetless preorders inspired me and our engineering team to invest the significant time and financial resources necessary to turn this into a capability we can offer to every Smashwords author. It was certainly our most ambitious - and most complex - project since the launch of Smashwords.<br /><br />Thanks also goes to our retail partners iBooks, Barnes &amp; Noble and Kobo for opening up their systems to allow Smashwords authors and publishers to deliver these preorders.&nbsp; And a special thanks to iBooks in particular.&nbsp; We did our first assetless preorder with iBooks almost two years ago, and from that point forward I was bitten and smitten by the bug.<br /><br />Thanks also to every author and publisher who distributes with Smashwords, because through our small commission on sales (10% of list) you are directly financing our mission to bring professional-grade publishing tools like this to the entire indie author community.<br /><br />Last but not least, I want to thank the men and women of the Smashwords engineering team.&nbsp; These awesome software developer magician wizards turn my crazy ideas into reality.&nbsp; Like everyone at Smashwords, they dedicate their every day to creating exciting new opportunities for our authors, publishers and retailers. This project required a comprehensive revamp to our backend systems, and as a result our systems are more robust and future-ready than ever before.&nbsp; For us, it's all very exciting because we're not done creating tools that will give our authors and publishers more advantages in the marketplace.&nbsp; More innovations to come! <br /><br />Our preorder systems incorporate a number of features designed to prevent the worst case nightmare of our retail partners - the author or publisher failing to deliver the book on time.&nbsp; Such a failure to deliver would cause the preorder to blow up, resulting in lost sales and disappointed customers.&nbsp; A blow up creates grief for our retailers and their customers, not to mention our authors.&nbsp; With automated reminders and other fail safes, our engineers designed systems to protect the mutual interests of our retailers, authors and our authors' readers.<br /><br />As you might imagine, we're simultaneously excited and terrified to offer this new tool to 100,000 authors and publishers all at once.&nbsp; Since these systems are still so new, we consider this the next phase of our beta.&nbsp; We look forward to hearing your feedback and suggestions for how we can make this exciting feature even better in the future!&nbsp; We also look forward to your bug reports.&nbsp; If you discover a bug, please report it to our service team by clicking either the "?" at the top of any Smashwords page, or the "Support" link at the bottom of every page.<br /><br />So without further ado, please grab your calendar now and start planning your release schedule for the next 12 months!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smashwords/~4/sssLm8S-Hqo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Smashwords/~3/sssLm8S-Hqo/smashwords-introduces-assetless.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Coker)20http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/06/smashwords-introduces-assetless.html
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Smashwords
feeds.feedburner.com
crawl=CC-MAIN-2016-36
538856
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:4U3AQNCDEFCHNWVQFZL5VHZM34OSXQZ5
<urn:uuid:902597a1-7689-4e1f-a38d-87a13bc5f548>
2016-08-29T05:51:30Z
172.217.1.206
sha1:6LIDXYIZYOHU7F3UFVXF6GROBIUBPLC6
<urn:uuid:3f1cb8ff-cb7c-4dbc-9a43-2011b0501faf>
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Smashwords
length
response
<urn:uuid:856e95fc-7c93-4549-a85a-7a9d0d2fdc66>
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-153-172-175.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2016-36
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for August 2016
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf