What do we do after we leave Select?

I agree. I did KDP and it's been a good experience despite the fact that I'm not rich yet. 'Have had none of the problems that others have had that I read around here and there. They people there were responsive, helpful, and even friendly as they helped me with problems. (Not everybody had that same experience, however.)

Limit your freedays if you go there. You'll be flattered with the hundreds of downloads but save a couple of days for later. Research pricing. I did not lose much activity when I raised mine from 99 cents to $2.99 and now wish I'd started with that.

Formatting and editing is hard and has remained a mystery to me. I share your pain.

Good luck with your writing no matter what you choose.

If you are certain you want to leave Select, the three sites you name are all supplied by Smashwords, so you could use them as your distributor. They do the format conversions in house for free if you supply a word .doc (not .docx). I use Amazon for Kindle, but Smashwords for everywhere else, since it is simpler and aggregates the royalties in one place. It is also free. 

The downside is that it can be difficult to withdraw your book if you want to return to Select. 

OOps, sorry, I didn't read your last statement. So forget everything but the good luck.

Well...  here's the thing.  Writing is a practiced art.  Publishing is a business and needs to be treated as one.  If you don't have the money to buy the services that you need, you can learn to do it yourself, or use what you already have until you have the money to buy the services you need.  There are other publishing options other than doing everything yourself.  Smashwords and D2D offer file conversion and distribution services.  While on the surface they appear to be free, they actually take a cut of your royalties.  However this will get your work in more marketspace and the option to do it all yourself once you have the funds/knowledge is still there.

Also remember that your time equals money.  If it becomes too time consuming or difficult, use one of the mentioned distributors.  Because letting them take a cut on each sale is better than no sales at all.

VH Folland said:

I use Amazon for Kindle, but Smashwords for everywhere else, since it is simpler and aggregates the royalties in one place. It is also free.

Click to expand...

I much prefer to go direct everywhere I can, simply because of the freedom to control my own prices at my own pace, not to mention the higher royalties. Smashwords takes 15% commission (standard in this business, for sure), and that can really add up.

I used to pay a formatter but I've stared doing my own. Scrivener makes it super easy. I'm probably the most tech-un-savvy person on the planet and even I could do it. Scrivener costs $40, but it's a dynamic software program that makes organizing your projects super easy, plus you can do all the formatting you want. I'd been writing in Word for years, but now wish I'd been using Scrivener all along.

I'm a convert.

Good suggestions, VH, SB and Amanda. Thank you.

Strath:    I did not make myself clear the first time.

Kobo, smashwords, and B&N (pubit) are REALLY easy to use. They have interfaces where it prompts you to fill in the blank. You can upload a doc, same as you did for kindle. iTunes can be accessed via Smashwords. If you were able to upload to kdp, then you can handle it.

holly w. said:

Kobo, smashwords, and B&N (pubit) are REALLY easy to use. They have interfaces where it prompts you to fill in the blank. You can upload a doc, same as you did for kindle. iTunes can be accessed via Smashwords. If you were able to upload to kdp, then you can handle it.

Click to expand...

Does my file have to be changed to different formats for the different vendors? If so, that may be a problem. I would have to have help. Maybe Jason Anderson would do all the conversions for me. His prices are very reasonable.

I have my shorts in Select for the free days but my novel is on KDP non-Select and Smashwords... I use Smashwords so I can sell to Apple users without the hassle of using Apple.

Janet Michelson said:

Does my file have to be changed to different formats for the different vendors? If so, that may be a problem. I would have to have help. Maybe Jason Anderson would do all the conversions for me. His prices are very reasonable.

Click to expand...

Smashwords changes the file for you. Very easy to use.

Janet,
I'm much in the same boat.  So far, Kindle only and for now Select.  Are you getting activity through the lending library?  If so, why not keep things there.  If not, then I'd probably go with whichever suggestion fits you.  You may find that giving up 15% to Smashwords (or someone else) is worth it.  Especially if you write more and then have more to sell.  In any case let us know what you decide and how that works.

Janet Michelson said:

Does my file have to be changed to different formats for the different vendors? If so, that may be a problem. I would have to have help. Maybe Jason Anderson would do all the conversions for me. His prices are very reasonable.

Click to expand...

I believe you need to upload an ePub for Apple (I haven't gone there direct yet, but am in the process of switching over from Smashwords), but PubIt and Kobo both allow you to upload a Word doc. I think Kobo even allows you to upload a mobi.

I've always just uploaded ePubs for those stores, and a Mobi or PRC for Amazon.

I can recommend Jason's formatting service. Prompt service and very reasonable. I used him for a cookbook.

jdrew said:

Janet,
I'm much in the same boat. So far, Kindle only and for now Select. Are you getting activity through the lending library? If so, why not keep things there. If not, then I'd probably go with whichever suggestion fits you. You may find that giving up 15% to Smashwords (or someone else) is worth it. Especially if you write more and then have more to sell. In any case let us know what you decide and how that works.

Click to expand...

I am not getting activity through the lending library. I am seeing a lot of complaints about Smashwords on this forum and am thinking that uploading directly might be the best choice. I have a mobi file and the file Jason Anderson created for my paperback book. I sent him an email asking for his recommendations and prices. I will let you know what he says. I notice things change quickly around here. The wisdom of a year ago no longer applies. It's fun to be a part of this evolving industry, but we need continual updating on what works.

If you go through Smashwords, you prepare one file (use their free formatting guide) and they handle everything else for you out to the others.  You can pick and choose which retailers to use Smashwords for so if you want to go direct to B&N or Kobo you can do that too.

I am seeing a lot of complaints about Smashwords

Click to expand...

If Rube Goldberg were alive today, he would be the inventor of Smashwords. Now we have a competitor which is super easy to use: Draft2Digital.com. I use D2D to upload to Apple (but you can use them also for the other retailers' sites). Otherwise, I upload directly to Kobo, B&N, Amazon. I'm as digitally challenged as the next guy, but have found Amazon, Kobo and D2D very user friendly. But an alternative if you feel you aren't up to it is indeed to hire a formatter for a modest fee.

Every time I leave Select, I bask in the glory of freedom and independence. I see sales rise on B&N and the iBookstore, and pat myself on the back about what a savvy move it was. Then, in a few weeks, when the sales dry up, I begin to second-guess the decision. After a month or two, I realize what a great promo device Select really was for me in driving sales and visibility when freebies were used in a judicious manner. That's usually when I slink back in to Select, head bowed so no one sees me recanting that "I'll never enroll in Select again" thing I said back when.

Can't speak for others, but that's what I do after I leave Select.

Thanks for the good advice. I'm looking forward to the search for my niche audience.

Jason Anderson said he could make me an epub file for $20, so that seems like a good option. I would then upload directly.

H.S. St.Ours said:

Every time I leave Select, I bask in the glory of freedom and independence. I see sales rise on B&N and the iBookstore, and pat myself on the back about what a savvy move it was. Then, in a few weeks, when the sales dry up, I begin to second-guess the decision. After a month or two, I realize what a great promo device Select really was for me in driving sales and visibility when freebies were used in a judicious manner. That's usually when I slink back in to Select, head bowed so no one sees me recanting that "I'll never enroll in Select again" thing I said back when.

Can't speak for others, but that's what I do after I leave Select.

Click to expand...

So far that has been my careful and reasoned strategy as well.

But I am currently sneaking out the door and making a break for freedom. We'll see how it works this time.

.

I'm in exactly the same situation as you and, as I'm in a hurry, I'm writing purely to bump your thread up