Self Publishing Insiders
Three Years of Smashwords and Draft2Digital
Apr 10, 2025
Kris Austin, CEO of Draft2Digital, and Mark Coker, former CEO of Smashwords, dive into the merger that transformed indie publishing. They explore lessons learned over three years and share future goals that empower authors. The discussion highlights exciting new features like pre-orders and thematic sales at the Smashwords store. They also talk about simplifying royalty splits for collaborative authors and their plans to integrate print books, enhancing the indie author experience while supporting local bookstores.
53:30
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Quick takeaways
- The merger of Draft2Digital and Smashwords was motivated by a shared vision to enhance support for indie authors and eliminate competition.
- Looking ahead, Draft2Digital plans to innovate its print-on-demand service, introducing new formats and strengthening community engagement through events.
Deep dives
The Acquisition of Smashwords
The merger between Draft2Digital and Smashwords was driven by a shared vision to better serve indie authors. Chris Austin admired Smashwords from the start and modeled Draft2Digital after its practices, realizing that uniting the two companies would allow them to enhance their support for the indie author community. Both leaders noted that their similar values and commitment to author representation made the acquisition a natural choice. The merger aimed to consolidate efforts and resources to fight for indie authors more effectively and eliminate competition between the two platforms.
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