Today we announced an important Smashwords milestone. Over 100,000 ebooks are now published and live in the Smashwords catalog, thanks to the efforts of over 36,000 Smashwords authors and publishers around the world.This month also marks our fourth birthday. Four years ago we unveiled Smashwords at the Tools of Change conference in New York. It's fun to read our original Smashwords launch press release. Back then, ebooks accounted for about two-tenths of one percent of the U.S. book market. Self published authors were considered black sheep.
What a wild ride it's been the last four years. Millions of books sold. Millions of readers touched by your words. Lives changed.
My favorite emails are from complete strangers who contact me and write, "Because of Smashwords, I'm writing again." Those emails make this all worth it, and inspire me to do more and do better for our authors.
Four years in, it still feels like we're just getting started. The next couple years will be exciting. New global markets are opening up. Billions of new, potential readers will be equipped with ebook-ready smart phones, tablets, computers and yes, even e-readers.
These potential readers will all be a few clicks away from discovering, sampling and purchasing books previously unknown and unavailable to them. Maybe some child growing up at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro will enjoy your book some day. Maybe your words will inspire them to write. Maybe it's already happening.
Ebooks transcend geography and make your words accessible to vast audiences. The secret to reaching your audience (beyond of course publishing and distributing with Smashwords!) is to write words worth reading. If you honor your reader with quality work, your reader will honor you back by reading more of your words, and by recommending you to their friends.
Read today's press release in the Smashwords Press Room.
On behalf of all 13 of us at Smashwords, thank you for joining us on this journey to change the world of publishing one indie ebook at a time.
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12 comments:
Congratulations Smashwords! You guys make Indie Publishing easy and everything is so organised and professional, (but in a friendly manner) it is a pleasure to do business with you!
I love Smashwords. I buy books and publish my own. But as a confirmed browser of new releases, I have to say that it's time for Smashwords to define "book." An essay is not a book. A poem is not a book. It would be a benefit to new browsers not to have to scroll through hundreds of "books" that are nothing more than bits of writing that can't find a home anywhere else.
Congrats! Keep on rockin' ^_^
Congratulations to Smashwords and Mark. I think you will continue to see an exponential growth at this level (the old 'tipping point' premise!) Keep up the good work.
Candace Davenport
www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
Congrats! Wow that's quite a number! Here's to the next 100,000!
@catamaran/Sylvie Mac - those show up in the "shorts" category don't they? The problem with defining a book is whose definition is used? I have several short stories and one person on Barnes & noble has commented to each one that it is not "real" because they are side characters from a novel series. While an extreme example, the point is that readers will determine their own truth. To that guy or gal those are not real while to others they are.
Congrats, Mark and Smashwords. May the next 4 years be even better! Love what you've done for me and the Indie community. Thanks again. Smashwords Forever!
Congratulations to Mark and the Smashwords family!
Mark Masek
www.cemeteryguide.com
I just love smashwords. So grateful your here and the professionalism is outstanding
Thank you
Kimberly
Congrats Mark and Smashwords! I am so glad that you are here! I'm fairly new to Smashwords but I love it! I didn't know what to do before I found Smashwords. 2 Books out with many more to come and it so great to be able to do it on my terms!! I tell everyone I know about you. Thank you so much for the opportunity!
Congratulations and I am sure it was 4 years of hard work.
I am proud to be the 1/100,000th participant of this milestone.
Congratulations Smashwords!
I found your blog and thought you might be interested in reading my book, Demon Vampire. I'm up for a review, interview, or a book giveaway on your site. Let me know if you're interested.
Virgil Allen Moore
http://demonvampire.com/
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