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Smashwords

Smashwords is an retailer and distribution platform that enables independent authors and publishers to self-publish and sell digital books globally, offering over 1 million original , including around 100,000 free titles daily. Founded in 2008 by entrepreneur Mark Coker, inspired by his own experiences attempting to traditionally publish a co-authored with his wife, Smashwords initially served as a tool that converted documents into multiple ebook formats using proprietary "Meatgrinder" technology. The platform's mission has been to democratize ebook publishing by breaking down barriers between authors and readers, providing free tools for uploading, formatting, and managing while allowing creators to set prices and control distribution rights. In 2009, Smashwords expanded into distribution, becoming the first service to make self-published ebooks available through major retailers like , and later partnering with , Kobo, and library platforms such as . Authors retain non-exclusive worldwide , earning approximately 60% of the from retail partners and 85% net proceeds from sales in the Smashwords Store itself, with royalties paid monthly via or check once thresholds are met. Key features include the free Smashwords Style Guide for formatting best practices, a Channel Manager for opting out of specific retailers, and real-time sales tracking via an author dashboard. In March 2022, Smashwords was acquired by Draft2Digital, another aggregator, leading to a strategic transition with and distribution functions migrating to Draft2Digital, a process ongoing as of 2025 with completion expected throughout the year, repositioning Smashwords primarily as a DRM-free store focused on reader accessibility with options like direct downloads or lending. Under Coker's ongoing role as , the platform continues to emphasize authors, hosting resources like the Smart Author Podcast and annual sales events to promote discoverability. This evolution has solidified Smashwords' role in the ecosystem, supporting high-quality production without upfront costs or traditional gatekeepers.

History

Founding and Launch

Smashwords was founded by Mark Coker in 2008 in . Coker's motivation stemmed from his unsuccessful attempts to publish a he co-authored with his wife, Lesleyann Coker, titled Boob Tube, which explored the world of daytime soap operas and faced repeated rejections from traditional publishers despite representation by literary agents. This experience highlighted the barriers imposed by industry gatekeepers, who prioritized commercial potential over diverse voices, prompting Coker to create a platform that would democratize ebook publishing by enabling any author to publish without editorial approval or traditional intermediaries. The platform officially launched in May 2008, initially emphasizing free distribution to encourage widespread author participation and reader access. In its first seven months, Smashwords published 140 books, the majority of which were offered for free, reflecting the early emphasis on building a catalog through rather than immediate monetization. From the outset, Smashwords adopted a policy of no editorial screening, rejecting only content that was illegal, plagiarized, or promoted , , homophobia, or , to uphold freedom of expression while maintaining basic standards. The platform also committed to distributing ebooks without (DRM), allowing readers unrestricted use across devices and avoiding the restrictive copy-protection schemes common in traditional . Technically, the initial setup centered on a user-friendly process where authors uploaded manuscripts in (.doc) format, which were then automatically converted via Smashwords' proprietary "Meatgrinder" software into multiple ebook formats, including , MOBI, and PDF, ensuring compatibility with various reading devices without requiring specialized technical skills from authors.

Growth and Key Milestones

Smashwords achieved profitability in September 2010, marking a significant milestone just two years after its launch, with projected revenues reaching $12 million in 2012. This financial success was driven by expanding distribution channels and a growing catalog of self-published ebooks, allowing the platform to reinvest in infrastructure without external funding. By maintaining a low commission rate of 10-15% on net sales, Smashwords aligned its growth with that of its authors and retail partners. Early distribution agreements laid the foundation for broader reach. In 2009, Smashwords began partnering with and Sony Reader Store through its Premium Catalog, which required books to meet specific formatting standards for eligibility. Distribution to Kobo (initially via Shortcovers) also started in November 2009, followed by in April 2010, enabling Smashwords titles to appear in major ebook stores and significantly boosting author visibility and sales. These partnerships emphasized Smashwords' commitment to a no-DRM policy, which facilitated seamless compatibility across devices and retailers. By 2012, the platform had grown to host 127,000 titles from 44,000 authors, reflecting rapid adoption among independent creators. That year, Smashwords expanded into library lending with a with Cloud Library, allowing ebooks to be acquired for collections and further diversifying revenue streams. The Premium Catalog, introduced in August 2009 to ensure quality distribution, continued to expand, surpassing 500,000 titles by 2020 as more authors uploaded works meeting its guidelines. Annual promotional events played a key role in driving user engagement and sales growth. Starting in 2009, Read an Ebook Week offered discounted or free ebooks, attracting readers and increasing platform traffic. Similarly, the Summer/Winter Sale, launched the same year, provided site-wide promotions that boosted visibility for thousands of titles and contributed to sustained year-over-year expansion through 2021.

Acquisition and Integration

In February 2022, Draft2Digital announced its acquisition of Smashwords, with the deal expected to close on March 1, 2022, to unite the two platforms' strengths in ebook distribution and enhance services for self-publishing authors. The acquisition was completed in March 2022, aiming to create a more robust self-publishing ecosystem by combining Draft2Digital's user-friendly tools with Smashwords' extensive retail partnerships, while minimizing disruptions for authors and publishers. Following the acquisition, Smashwords ceased accepting new publishing accounts in March 2023, directing prospective authors to the Draft2Digital platform for new titles, while existing Smashwords accounts continued to manage legacy titles. This shift preserved access for current users but streamlined onboarding under Draft2Digital's interface. By 2025, the integration had progressed to a full merger under the Draft2Digital umbrella, following the completion of migrations in 2025 to unify backend operations, including distribution and metadata management. The Smashwords brand persisted for key initiatives, such as events, alongside support for existing accounts, though services like reporting and payouts were consolidated through Draft2Digital. For instance, the 2025 Summer/Winter saw early increase by 28% compared to the prior year, highlighting the brand's enduring promotional value within the integrated structure. In October 2025, Smashwords updated its to remove references to the Baker & Taylor distributor, reflecting streamlined partnerships post-integration.

Services and Operations

Publishing Process

Authors using the legacy Smashwords platform upload their manuscripts primarily in (.doc) format through the Smashwords , where the automated Meatgrinder tool converts the file into multiple formats, including , PDF, and MOBI, typically within 1-3 minutes. This conversion process ensures compatibility across various reading devices and retailers, provided the manuscript adheres to basic formatting guidelines to avoid errors during processing. Following upload, authors enter essential via the , including the book title, description, categories (up to two primary and secondary selections), keywords or tags (limited to 10), and , which must meet minimum size requirements of 1,400 pixels in width (recommended 1,600 x 2,560 pixels for optimal display). Additional options include designating the book as part of a series for grouped discoverability on retailer pages or creating box sets, such as single-author collections or multi-author collaborations, by selecting appropriate fields during setup. Once is complete, authors set the pricing and publishing options before finalizing the upload. Upon submission, books are instantly available for sale in the Smashwords online store, allowing immediate access to readers through the platform's direct retail channel. For broader distribution to the Premium Catalog—which includes major retailers like and —Smashwords conducts a review to verify formatting, quality, and content standards, a process that typically takes 1-5 business days, though it can extend to 10 days in some cases. Approval for the Premium Catalog is granted to submissions that meet the criteria, enabling wider market reach once vetted. Since the 2022 acquisition of Smashwords by Draft2Digital, the has evolved for new users, who are directed to and publish directly through Draft2Digital's platform starting in March 2023, as Smashwords ceased accepting new accounts at that time. Legacy Smashwords authors retain access to their existing dashboard and continue the traditional process, with ongoing migrations to Draft2Digital as of late 2025, with full completion anticipated by the end of 2025, after which all users will utilize Draft2Digital's enhanced tools, such as a modernized wizard and universal book links for easier management. This integrated approach maintains a similar step-by-step —upload, entry, and automated conversion—but offers improved interface features and faster processing for post-migration . Once published, books from both legacy and Draft2Digital are distributed to selected retail partners for global availability.

Distribution and Retail Partners

Smashwords, following its 2022 acquisition by Draft2Digital, provides global distribution to more than 10 major retailers, enabling authors to reach readers across numerous platforms without direct uploads to each site. Key partners include , available in 51 countries; for Nook devices; Kobo, serving 190 countries; and Everand (formerly Scribd), a subscription service. Additional channels encompass Tolino in and four other European countries, Vivlio in , and Gardners in the UK, broadening international access for self-published titles. Authors have the flexibility to opt out of specific distribution channels, such as (available by invitation only), through the platform's Channel Manager to manage exclusivity or direct publishing preferences. For library distribution, Smashwords channels ebooks to prominent networks like , which supplies over 87,000 libraries and schools worldwide (as of July 2025); , serving public libraries across ; and cloudLibrary (formerly Cloud Library), a ongoing since 2012 that reaches nearly 500 libraries in 20 countries. Other library partners include BorrowBox for public libraries and schools, Odilo supporting 5,000+ publishers in 40+ languages, and the Palace Project. Notably, distribution via Baker & Taylor was phased out by late 2025, aligning with the vendor's cessation of operations at year-end, prompting libraries to seek alternatives from remaining aggregators. These library channels allow educators and patrons to access indie ebooks, with authors opting in to ensure their works appear in institutional catalogs. Post-acquisition enhancements from Draft2Digital have expanded Smashwords' reach, introducing additional international outlets, while maintaining a primary focus on ebooks. This integration unifies over 900,000 titles from 250,000 authors into a single dashboard, streamlining global dissemination without altering Smashwords' core ebook-centric model. The Smashwords Store serves as a direct sales channel, where authors earn 80% royalties on sales, providing higher earnings compared to many retail partners and supporting exclusive promotions like .

Formatting Requirements and Tools

Smashwords provides authors with detailed guidelines to ensure ebooks are formatted correctly for compatibility across devices and retailers. The core resource is the free , a downloadable PDF that offers step-by-step instructions for preparing manuscripts in .doc format. This guide emphasizes starting with a clean document by activating the Show/Hide feature to reveal hidden codes, disabling AutoCorrect and AutoFormat options to prevent unwanted changes, and turning off Track Changes to avoid issues. Authors are advised to use the "Nuclear Method," which involves stripping all formatting by pasting the text into a plain text editor like before reformatting in Word, to eliminate corruption from previous software. The mandates simplicity to facilitate conversion through Smashwords' Meatgrinder tool into multiple formats like and MOBI. Fonts must be consistent and standard—such as at 12-14pt—without colors, special characters, or proprietary styles that could cause rendering errors; paragraph styles should be applied uniformly for body text, headings, and indents (0.5 inches for first lines, no tabs or spaces). Images are permitted but limited to or formats, inserted inline without embedding, and covers must be high-resolution with a minimum of 1,400 pixels in width (recommended at least 1600x2560 pixels) in RGB color mode. Tables should be basic and avoid complexity like merged cells or floating elements, as they may not reflow properly on all devices. breaks require explicit page or section breaks rather than multiple paragraph returns, which can create unwanted blank pages, and a linked (TOC) is essential, built using Word's heading styles and hyperlinks for navigability. ISBN handling is simplified: Smashwords offers a free ISBN registrar for non-commercial use in the Catalog, applicable only to editions, while authors can use their own if preferred. To qualify for the Premium Catalog, which enables wider distribution to partners like and , ebooks must pass automated validation as reflowable files without errors. This involves compliance with EPUBCHECK standards, ensuring no overlapping text, lost formatting, or invalid ; the AutoVetter scans uploads immediately, flagging issues like inconsistent line spacing (set to 1.15 or single) or smart tags that insert extraneous code. Post-2022 acquisition by Draft2Digital, new uploads benefit from integrated formatting aids, including automated layout s that accept .docx, RTF, or pre-formatted files without the strict Meatgrinder prerequisites. Supported third-party tools include for users, which generates compatible s, though emphasis remains on simple Word editing to minimize revisions. Common pitfalls leading to rejection include using tabs or multiple spaces for indents, which disrupt reflow; incorporating fixed-layout designs unsuitable for non-children's books, as Smashwords prioritizes reflowable formats; or adding , which is not supported to maintain . Authors are encouraged to test files thoroughly, avoiding formats like PDF or InDesign natives, to ensure smooth approval and optimal reader experience.

Business Model

Revenue Sharing and Royalties

Smashwords, following its 2022 acquisition by Draft2Digital, maintains a structure that compensates authors based on the sales channel, with no upfront fees required for or . For direct sales through the Smashwords , authors earn 80% of the , equivalent to approximately 85% of net proceeds after transaction fees. Sales originating from affiliates receive a reduced rate of 70.5% of net proceeds, accounting for an affiliate of about 11%. This structure incentivizes direct store purchases while supporting promotional affiliates. For books distributed to retail partners such as , , and Kobo via the Premium Catalog, authors receive 60% of the , after the retailer's typical 30-40% and Draft2Digital's 10-15% service fee on net proceeds. Library distributions differ by aggregator: through Library Direct, authors earn 70% of the price paid by libraries, while via third-party aggregators like , the rate is 45% of the to reflect the one-purchase, multiple-lend model. Authors can opt into expanded , which enables these channels but applies the lower library splits; opting out limits to retailers and libraries. Payments are issued monthly, typically within 15-40 days after the end of the sales month, once Draft2Digital receives funds from partners. Available methods include (minimum threshold of $10 USD), [Payoneer](/page/Payoneer) (20 USD), direct bank transfer ($10-20 USD depending on domestic or international), and checks ($100 USD, U.S. only). Earnings below thresholds accrue until met, and authors access a detailed sales reporting through the Draft2Digital for tracking of royalties by and . Post-acquisition, calculations remain unchanged, but reporting has been unified under Draft2Digital's , providing a single interface for all sales, including Smashwords store transactions from promotions. Smashwords-specific sales, such as those from annual site-wide events, continue to be identifiable within the consolidated reports. This streamlines oversight without altering payout structures.

Pricing Strategies and Promotions

Authors on Smashwords have full control over their pricing, with the option to set books for free or at a minimum of $0.99 for paid titles, enabling flexible strategies to attract readers and build audiences. This author-centric approach encourages the use of series pricing discounts, where subsequent books in a series can be priced lower to incentivize complete purchases, often managed through the platform's Pricing Manager tool for efficient adjustments across multiple titles. To boost visibility and sales, Smashwords offers enrollment in site-wide promotional events, such as Read an Ebook Week, where authors can discount titles by 25-75% or offer them for free to participate in a catalog featuring over 100,000 ebooks. Similarly, the annual Summer/Winter Sale allows discounts up to 100% off (effectively free), running for extended periods to capitalize on seasonal reader interest, with the 2025 event showing a 28% sales uplift in its first two weeks compared to the prior year. Authors can also create custom coupons for 10-90% discounts on any or all of their ebooks sold through the Smashwords store, providing targeted promotions independent of broader events. Marketing resources further support these efforts, including customizable author pages that feature bios, book interviews, and sales alerts to engage readers directly on the . Following the acquisition by Draft2Digital, Smashwords integrated with Draft2Digital's promo , allowing authors to apply universal discounts across distributed channels for enhanced promotional reach. For optimal visibility under retailer algorithms, authors often price ebooks between $2.99 and $4.99, a range that aligns with higher royalty rates at major outlets like Apple and while maximizing discoverability through competitive positioning. This strategy, combined with promotional tools, helps authors leverage data-driven tactics, such as temporary price drops during to climb lists and sustain long-term momentum.

Impact and Reception

Role in Self-Publishing

Smashwords has played a pivotal role in democratizing access to by enabling independent authors to bypass traditional gatekeepers such as agents and publishers, allowing them to upload and distribute ebooks directly to global retailers starting from its launch in 2008. This platform emerged during the ebook boom following the widespread adoption of devices like the , serving as a key catalyst in the rise of by providing free tools for formatting, publishing, and distribution to authors worldwide. By 2025, Smashwords had facilitated the publication of over 1 million titles, empowering a diverse range of creators to reach audiences without upfront costs or contractual barriers. As of 2025, the Smashwords library exceeds 1.03 million ebooks, and annual events like the Read an Ebook Week continue to boost discoverability for authors. The platform's educational resources have further amplified its influence, with free tools like the offering step-by-step instructions that have assisted thousands of authors in producing professional-quality ebooks compliant with multiple retailer standards. Additional guides, such as the , provide best practices drawn from successful authors, training users on promotion strategies and helping build skills essential for long-term viability in the market. Smashwords has also advocated for through its no-DRM policy, which prohibits schemes to ensure readers can enjoy ebooks across devices without restrictions, thereby promoting broader accessibility and aligning with movements against restrictive copy-protection. Following its 2022 acquisition by Draft2Digital and integration by the end of 2023, the combined entity became a leading service for global ebook distribution to major retailers and libraries, with Smashwords repositioned as a DRM-free maintaining its author-centric tools. This consolidation has amplified its market presence, with the combined entity distributing over 1 million titles and enabling numerous authors to achieve full-time incomes, as exemplified by cases like Brian S. Pratt, who earned over $100,000 through Smashwords sales in 2011 alone. The platform's emphasis on wide distribution—partnering with outlets beyond —has influenced industry standards, encouraging competitors like to expand non-exclusive options that mirror Smashwords' multi-channel approach to availability.

Controversies and Challenges

In 2012, Smashwords faced significant pressure from , its primary at the time, to remove erotic content featuring themes such as , non-consensual acts (often referred to as "noncon" or rape-for-titillation), bestiality, and underage . This demand stemmed from 's updated , influenced by credit card companies, leading to the temporary delisting of over 1,000 titles from Smashwords' catalog to avoid account suspension. The dispute highlighted tensions between financial processors and digital publishers over , with authors and advocates criticizing it as indirect of legal fiction. Ultimately, revised its policy in March 2012 to permit text-based erotic works without illegal images, allowing Smashwords to reinstate most affected titles while adjusting its own guidelines to prohibit extreme themes. By 2015, Smashwords encountered issues with scammers exploiting the (DMCA) to file fraudulent takedown notices against legitimate indie authors, resulting in unwarranted book removals. One notable case involved the fantasy novel Nolander by Becca Mills, where a plagiarist issued bogus DMCA claims to block the original work on Smashwords and other platforms, prompting the author to file counter-notices and highlighting vulnerabilities in automated takedown processes for self-published ebooks. Such abuses underscored broader challenges in the indie publishing ecosystem, where low barriers to filing notices enabled competitive sabotage without immediate verification. Following its acquisition by Draft2Digital in March 2022, Smashwords experienced user complaints related to account migrations and login difficulties, particularly in 2023 as integrations progressed. Migrations began in late November 2023 and continued through 2025 for accounts with active books, transferring data to Draft2Digital's platform. Many authors reported persistent access issues, including inability to log in or manage migrated accounts, particularly during the ongoing transition. These problems have contributed to a low average rating of 1.9 out of 5 on as of 2025, with users citing unresponsive support and disrupted publishing workflows during the transition. Content moderation remains a point of contention for Smashwords, particularly regarding its tolerance for controversial genres like and -themed that are often banned on mainstream platforms such as . While Smashwords' explicitly prohibit where , , or pseudo-incest is the predominant theme, it permits such elements in non- contexts (e.g., or ) and maintains stricter reviews for inclusion in its Premium Catalog distributed to retailers. This nuanced policy has sparked ongoing debates about balancing free expression with retailer demands, with no major platform-wide bans but increased scrutiny to avoid distribution rejections. Authors have frequently reported technical hurdles with Smashwords' publishing process, including frequent formatting rejections and errors during conversion via the Meatgrinder tool. Strict adherence to the is required to pass the AutoVetter validation, and deviations—such as improper use of styles, to competitors, or complex layouts—often lead to failures, frustrating users who must iterate extensively. Smashwords' emphasize stronger practices, advising against easily guessable or short passwords and recommending management tools to mitigate account vulnerabilities like unauthorized access.

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