Choosing Your Publishing Channels Wisely

  In the world of self publishing there are many sites now offering up their services to the self published author. The two main front runners being Smashwords and Amazon. Smashwords has It's draw backs as well as Amazon, unfortunately like everything in this world there is no perfect solution.

Image provided by Maggie Smith and freedigitalphotos.net

   Self published authors that upload to Smashwords can enjoy the ease and simplicity of having their eBook distributed to all the major eBook outlets through one site. Funneling all their payments in their PayPal account and one quick easy to read statement. If it sounds too good to be true, you are right.
   Some of the major draw backs with Smashwords for myself, was the fact that it took up to three weeks after upload for your eBook to be available on major distribution sites like Barns&Noble and Apple. Another major deciding factor to not publish (or take down what I had) was KDP Select.
   Amazon has it's own set of issues when it comes to self publishing straight through them. One that I didn't think was so bad at the time, but detest with passion now, is their 60 day delay in payment. As of today I have yet to receive my royalties for the month of December. Their lack of  straight forward publisher support is another big problem. While KDP Select can be a good thing in Amazon's favor, I'm even wondering if that can be considered a problem.
   The concept of KDP Select is a good one. In reality it seems to be hindering more than helping. It seems like customers are just waiting on the select books to go on free promotion.Or they just borrow it. The day I enrolled my book in Select, sales plummeted. While the numbers of borrows are still on the rise,a borrow does not contribute to your books ranking. Less sales, the farther you fall on the charts.
   I can't stress enough that where ever you choose to distribute your self published eBook there will be issues. The eBook revolution is still in it's infancy and until it is considered a mature market there will be complaints, and lots of them.  No matter what you decide, do your research. Some books do better on one channel than they do on another. Find out which has the better plan for you and don't be discouraged when things don't go exactly right.
   One day we will all be where we want to be if we keep trying and braving the waters. Rome wasn't
built in a day and neither was Stephen King an over night success. There will be days when you want to throw your computer out the window and delight in the smashing sounds of plastic and glass. Perseverance my author friends perseverance. May the Muses look upon you in favor and the Gods smile down on your world.