Smashwords

[Lily]

I'd urge everyone to put their book up on Smashwords, as well as on Kindle. I've sold a significantly higher amount of copies at Smashwords than at Kindle. This surprised me, but pleasantly, I might add.

[Christie Bremmer]

It helps if it's erotica too. My erotic titles have way outsold my other stories. :-)

[rennie]

Like Christie says, I think it all depends on the genre.

[Lily]

I just removed my books from Smashwords. Not only because of their crazy royalty requirements -- without a US tax number they require a stack of forms from your government (oh yikes!) or they'll hold back 30% of your royalties, yikes again, but because their formatting requirements are much more complex than Kindle, and they are now demanding the cover image must be huge -- 2400 pixels long by 1600 wide. Yikes yet again! It's just not worth the hassle. Thanks but no thanks.

[Richard]

Sept 24, 2012 15:06:28 GMT -5 Lily said:

I just removed my books from Smashwords. Not only because of their crazy royalty requirements -- without a US tax number they require a stack of forms from your government (oh yikes!) or they'll hold back 30% of your royalties, yikes again, but because their formatting requirements are much more complex than Kindle, and they are now demanding the cover image must be huge -- 2400 pixels long by 1600 wide. Yikes yet again! It's just not worth the hassle. Thanks but no thanks.

I actually removed my books from Smashwords also. I won't bad-mouth the service, but there were too many issues for me as well.

[Lily]

Sept 24, 2012 16:35:58 GMT -5 Richard said:

Sept 24, 2012 15:06:28 GMT -5 Lily said:

I just removed my books from Smashwords. Not only because of their crazy royalty requirements -- without a US tax number they require a stack of forms from your government (oh yikes!) or they'll hold back 30% of your royalties, yikes again, but because their formatting requirements are much more complex than Kindle, and they are now demanding the cover image must be huge -- 2400 pixels long by 1600 wide. Yikes yet again! It's just not worth the hassle. Thanks but no thanks.

I actually removed my books from Smashwords as well. I won't bad-mouth the service, but there were too many issues for me as well.

They're losing a lot of business, and no wonder. It's disappointing because I actually liked Smashwords better than Kindle when I first started using them both last year. Another problem I have with Smashwords, is that there is no-one to contact if you have a problem. Just a bunch of automated info. Not good.

[oracle]

I don't find Smashwords too bad. I have four books with them and so far so good.

[Lily]

I found this helpful tutorial for non US authors. It doesn't sound too intimidating. Maybe even I will try it. But not right away. I need time to brace myself for anything involving government. ;D

catherineryanhoward.com/2012/02/24/non-us-self-publisher-tax-issues-dont-need-to-be-taxing

[Lily]

Well I celebrated too quickly on that one. It seems that in order to get an EIN you have to be an incorporated business, registered outside the US. I'm not going to lie to the IRS. I'm not a business of any sort, I'm just a writer.

The difficulties and hassles involved in getting an ITIN can take up to 8 months. It involves sending your passport to the IRS, which I'm not comfortable with. catherineryanhoward.com/2011/11/07/applying-for-a-us-individual-tax-identification-number-itin-a-saga-in-3-parts/

Therefore, I've already removed my books from Smashwords, and I'll do the same with Kindle. A five-percent royalty -- that's right, on books signed up for a 35% royalty, that's what I end up with since they're withholding 30%. So what's the point? I'd get more than that from the lowliest of publishers. So the submission process begins....Darn, and I so enjoyed self-publishing. Oh well!

[Lily]

Update: I decided to phone the IRS anyway. I thought what the heck, I might as well. I must get over this phobia about dealing with officialdom and stacks of forms. So I was totally honest with them. I explained that I'm just a lowly writer seeking an exemption from the 30%. And I can hardly believe it but they gave me the number I need, and said they'd follow through by sending me written confirmation in about 3 weeks. I'm both delighted and elated. It was much easier than I expected. ;D So now I have to fill out a form and send it off to Kindle. And when I get my books back up again on Smashwords, I'll send one to them also. No rest for the wicked.

[theoksly]

The information on getting an EIN is surprising to me, since I found it no big deal. I just filled out on on-line form and got my EIN the same day. You do have to make sure you're on the official IRS website. Just putting "EIN" on Google does not necessarily get you there. If you're not careful, you can end up doing business with some third-party company that supposedly "does it for you" and that could take a very long time. I've had no experience with Smashwords. I published my novels in paperback on CreateSpace and the e-book version on Kindle. Hope this information helps without making anyone feel too foolish.
Sincerely,

Theo K. Sly.

[Lily]

Dec 3, 2012 19:26:39 GMT -5 theoksly said:

The information on getting an EIN is surprising to me, since I found it no big deal. I just filled out on on-line form and got my EIN the same day. You do have to make sure you're on the official IRS website. Just putting "EIN" on Google does not necessarily get you there. If you're not careful, you can end up doing business with some third-party company that supposedly "does it for you" and that could take a very long time. I've had no experience with Smashwords. I published my novels in paperback on CreateSpace and the e-book version on Kindle. Hope this information helps without making anyone feel too foolish.
Sincerely,

Theo K. Sly.

The difficulties arise when you don't Live in the US and therefore, don't have a US tax number. It's much easier to get an EIN than an ITIN. So this is the route I'd advise anyone, in this position, to take.