Smashwords Signs Distribution Agreement with Sony
Los Gatos, Calif., September 29, 2009 - Smashwords today announced an ebook distribution agreement with Sony Electronics, with dramatic implications for self-published authors and small publishers around the world. Authors and publishers can now go straight from finished manuscript to ebook distribution in a matter of minutes, hours and days.
Effective immediately, self-published authors and independent publishers can visit the Sony Publisher Portal at http://ebookstore.sony.com/publishers/ and click on Smashwords to sign up for a free Smashwords publishing account. Authors simply upload their Microsoft Word file, per the Smashwords Style Guide formatting requirements, choose their distribution and then their book will be made available for immediate online sale at Smashwords.com. Authors opting in to Sony will have their ebook appear at The eBook Store from Sony within days of uploading to Smashwords.
"We're thrilled to help power the new Sony Publisher Portal," said Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords. "Smashwords makes it free and easy for self-published authors and independent publishers to distribute their ebooks via multiple distribution channels, including online retailers and mobile app providers. Authors and publishers simply upload their manuscript to Smashwords as a Microsoft Word document, select the price, and then we handle the conversion and retail distribution."
Smashwords first launched its ebook publishing and distribution platform 16 months ago. The company has experienced rapid growth in recent months as publishers from around the globe take advantage of its free ebook publishing, conversion and distribution services.
New ebooks published via Smashwords through the Sony Publishing Portal can receive immediate distribution in the eBook Store from Sony. For Smashwords authors who already publish over 3,000 books via Smashwords, their ebooks can also gain distribution into The eBook Store from Sony within the next few months.
The Smashwords platform is a proven and efficient onramp to facilitate the rapid intake of ebooks from small publishers.
