Mark Coker of Smashwords really “invented” web-based simple ebook creation when he launched Smashwords. Using his online tools, any author can convert a Microsoft Word file into an ebook suitable for widespread distribution. (Smashwords’s system also includes attaching vital metadata to the book and putting it into distribution.) And it can be done for free.
3. … and profitable for our
authors, publishers, agents and retail
partners
4. Simple is Good
• Simple is faster, smarter, cheaper
• ~80%* of ebook units sold are
“simple”
• Complexity bad
• Added cost & risk for publisher
• Added cost to consumer
*BISG estimates 51% of ebook units sold are fiction. Fiction is narrative.
My assumption: 60%+ of remaining 49% is narrative, or narrative + images
5. What Matters to Readers?
This is what I think. You’re welcome to think different.
21. Meatgrinder limitations
• Doesn’t support direct .epub/.mobi/.pdf/
etc uploads of pre-formatted files
• Drop caps weak
• Support for bullets and numbered lists
needs improvement
• Hand-coded books will always provide
more precise control (but do readers
really care for simple books??)
22. Step 4 - Distribution to Apple,
B&N, Kobo, Sony, Diesel, others
23. Final Thoughts
• Simple works great for vast majority of
books readers want to buy
• fiction
• narrative non-fiction
• Simple is good for books, good for
authors/publishers/agents/retailers
• cuts production costs/risks
• faster time to market
• enables lower prices for consumers
24. Thanks for listening!
Connect with Mark Coker:
Web: www.smashwords.com
Blog: blog.smashwords.com
Twitter: @markcoker
Email: mc@smashwords.com