The Decline of Draft2Digital

 Will I get paid by Draft2Digital?

                                               Draft2Digital / Smashwords

My eBooks never sold well on Draft2Digital, but for a year they did sell, which is more than I can say for those on Amazon.

One reason my short stories never sold is I didn't follow the trend of the time. Another major factor is being an Indie Writer, in the UK, I couldn't afford the cost of publicity, even though my stories still get praises.

Though they have taken on many sites, it has no impact on my sales, imagine a paint brush, when you put the paint on from the pot, the colour is deep, but the further you get from the start the thinner the shade gets.

Another MAJOR flaw is there collaboration with Smashwords, from the outset, I thought SW was a scam, and online reports from many writers support this, with lots of complaints of not being paid. I witnessed this, I had two enquiries about a sequel, for books I hadn't been paid for, then there is the Lending Library system, this is were a library gets paid to sell work, they pay the supplier for the work, unless the book sells well the writer doesn't get any royalties

Draft2Digital Fees

The new Draft2Digital Policy

 Draft2Digital / Smashwords

I would advise new writers to avoid Draft2Digital.

The site is imposing a $20 fee for opening an account, another thing to watch is the policy of using Lending Libraries. These libraries pay the distributor, then get their money from lending fees, but the writer doesn't see a dime unless the books sell well.I have been waiting three years for my royalties to reach the $10 minimum for electical payment.

My Return to Amazon

 Nothing to lose

Draft2Digital / Smashwords

If you read this blog, or my other blog years ago; you may find it hard to comprehend why I am returning to Amazon to promote my writing, when I never sold a lot there.

The truth is while Draft2Digital were good for my sales for several years, the joining with Smashwords - a site I never trusted - combined with two of their policies, the Lending Library scheme, and not paying out until I reach the $10.00 point means I have not been paid in almost THREE YEARS for my eBook sales.

I don't have anything to lose as my sales on D2D have only been six eBooks in the last 18 months, most of my sales came through Barnes & Noble.

My new account on Amazon has not yielded any sales yet, I am hoping this will change.

Why haven't I added to my eBook content on Draft2Digital?

 Draft2Digital / Smashwords

It is a Scam

From the opening of Smashwords, I had my suspicions about the site.

My suspicions centred on how one site could make its owner a multi-millionaire so quickly in competition with Amazon?

It didn't take long before my suspicions were confirmed by reports from other writers.

The site may sell your work, but they keep the fees.

When I first used Draft2Digital it was a reputable sales platform, in contrast to Amazon I was selling eBooks there.

Then things changed, they began using a lending library system which means readers pay a library to take books out, the library pays the distributor, but unless you get masses of sales - the number is unknown - a writer sees nothing.

Two examples of this happened to me; on two occasions I was asked did I plan to write a sequel for a ghost story? I replied, what is the point in writing a sequel for a story, which as far as I could tell had not sold?

Also, I found a new issue with Barnes & Noble which was my main sales platform, not that it concerns me now as I am not writing

Smashwords SALE

  I know Smashwords is a Hoax

                                                           Draft2Digital / Smashwords

When Smashwords started, I had the feeling it was a hoax, and I have been proved correct.

Why did I doubt the site?

I admit, Mark Croker had the right idea, Amazon does not have the Pacific Rim of Asia in their shipping range. From the get-go, I could never see how a man could make so much against the giants such as Amazon, without their being something underhand going on.

I was correct, it wasn't long before reports of writers not being paid started to emerge, I witnessed this myself, I was asked for sequels to two stories - Ghosts Don't Dance, and Sea Ghosts - yet, I have no sales record for either ebook.

A few minutes ago, I tried to log into my Smashwords account, to be told the site is prone to hackers, I am not surprised.

Lost in Space

 Draft2Digital / Smashwords

I have been trying to contact Draft2Digital, and Smashwords for weeks, about my eBook sales with no success; I am not suprised as they are the biggest scam in the publishing business. 

I know as I used them for over a decade, and barely earned $10 pa, despite their policy of absorbing sites.