The downside is that you lose the ability to control what comes out of Smashword's
Meatgrinder Word - to - ePub converter.
Not exact matches
I prefer Smashwords because it's free and Mark Coker is a cool guy; they'll take your
Word document but it needs to be clean before going through the «
meatgrinder» (their automatic conversion software... it's pretty similar to the function I have on my site that converts to Kindle and Epub formats).
Until recently, Smashwords required you to upload a
Word doc version of your manuscript which their
Meatgrinder software then converted into all the various formats — HTML, mobi (Kindle), ePub, PDF, RTF, LRF (Sony), PDB (Palm), and plain text.
Upload a
Word document to Kindle Direct Publishing, CreateSpace or the affectionately known «
meatgrinder» at Smashwords and hope for the best.
If you use plan on using Smashwords, their auto conversion process, which they call the «
Meatgrinder,» does not always produce the best results if your
Word document is not setup properly.
Not only does SW automatically push your manuscript out in all the various major publication styles, the
Word document, when formatted for «
Meatgrinder» is at least 97 % ready for Amazon and B&N (most just a question of dropping the cover from page one).
Smashwords» problems are its
Meatgrinder (the very
word says a lot about how they approach a writer's work), its cumbersome instructions, its confusing website.
I formatted in
Word, and Smashwords has a great walk - through guide in how to format for their «
meatgrinder» e-book creater.
Someone asked recently if it were possible to use the same technique in a Microsoft
Word document that was going to be uploaded to Smashwords and put through the dreaded
Meatgrinder.
I knew the graphic probably wouldn't survive the trip through Smashword's famous «
meatgrinder,» the engine that chews up your formatted
Word file and spits out eBook formats left and right.
Mark Coker was kind enough to email me back and let me know that the ePub file (which Smashwords» «
Meatgrinder» automatically generates from a Microsoft
Word.
Don't use the italics button from up in the tool bar of
Word, they'll get lost in the
Meatgrinder.
The Smashwords
Meatgrinder, the automated conversion program that takes your
Word.
Their «
meatgrinder» can automatically convert a properly formatted Microsoft
Word document into a variety of different formats for distribution to Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, the Diesel eBook Store, Baker & Taylor, and more.
Smashwords uses
Meatgrinder to generate EPUB file formats from the
Word format manuscripts submitted by authors / publishers.
Here is where eBook Enhancers is helpful in providing authors with an EPUB file of their
Word format manuscripts, which is done MANUALLY without using any automated formats like
Meatgrinder, so as to have the text appear properly aligned, retaining originality and look similar in any eReader devices as well as computers.
When you upload your
Word document to Smashwords — the only format accepted — it goes through their «
meatgrinder» conversion process to create a variety of e-book files.
Primary upload option is a Smashwords - specific
Word document, styled according to the Smashwords Style Guide, which is then auto - converted via their «
Meatgrinder» tool into 9 different formats.