For my first full length self-published eBook, The Crochet Killer, I started with what I knew: Kindle.
Amazon and KDP make it quite simple for authors to get their work out there. As a toe in the water it is a good place to start. But quite clearly, it is not the only place to market your eBook. There are many, many options.
All ever so slightly different.
Getting your work out there is the priority for most writers, but the reality is that it’s the writing part they enjoy. Not the formatting. Not the setting up the Table of Contents at the front in a slightly different manner for each individual retailer. Or setting up the accounts on a multitude of sites.
Let’s be realistic here: most authors do not independently self-publish a book and then sit back as the royalties roll in. The dream of an overnight and massive success in publishing remains just that for most people: a dream.
This is only my first book. I am finding new readers and introducing myself to the world. My platform is in its infancy. A simple time / cost equation made my mind up about using Smashwords to instantly make all these options available to me:
I took the hourly rate I charge for the day job. I then calculated the time it takes me to format each version of the book, set up the account, create the bio, sort out the accounting details (including additional time to make sure you meet with the tax requirements of the retailer’s home country etc) and see what it comes to. For book one, it wasn’t worth it when I can upload it to Smashwords and then they push it out for me.
In the future, depending on sales, I might do it on a site by site basis. But until then, this is the most easy and cost-effective option I can see of getting my books out there.
Nook at Barnes and Noble
And of course, Smashwords itself, along with now being available to download via the iBooks app, if that is your reader of choice.
C.K. Martin / Cas Martin 