EPCA (moved from Christian Markets)

Do you have a link?

Unfortunately, somebody, somewhere will pay that $98. Lots of somebodies. And it's those same people who do a disservice to writer's everywhere, especially in freelancing. (Some folks are so desperate to be published, they'll write a 500 word article for $2-$3.)

Christian publishers are just like Christians: Not everyone claiming to be Christian actually is one.

I paid it 4 years ago when it was $89. Yep, I was stupid. All it got me was spam and mail from vanity pubs and a wallet lighter by $89.

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

I'm not terribly familiar with ECPA and after this, not sure I wanna be. But it strikes me as fairly slimy that a company purporting to be Christian in nature would perpetrate a fleece-job like this.

I've heard both editors and agents say they do not look at these sites/services such as Writer's Edge and the like. Their slush piles are full enough already.

I think this should probably be in Bewares & Background checks-- I think you might get a lot more knowledgeable responses there.

ECPA started this service with good intentions, a chance for aspiring authors to post their work, in hopes that editors and agents would drop by and find a gem they would like to publish/represent. I have talked with several editors with ECPA, and all have said they DO look at the site, but that they rarely find anything of value on it. Thus it has degenerated into being close to a scam. But that was never ECPA's intent.

Since people have to pay the bills, they have to charge someone something. Since it's a buyers' market, they charge the sellers--the authors. I agree, however, that the price is way out of line for the cost of providing the service, and thus has become a money making proposition for ECPA. At least that's how I see it.

NDG

The interesting thing is that the ECPA show in Dallas is being touted as the replacment for the ICRS (Internation Christian Retailers Show), which used to be called the CBA (Christian Book Association) show/convention.

With publishers pulling out of the ICRS, it seems to be headed down the tubes. It'll be interesting to see where things go from there. Apparently some of the larger Christian publishers plan to go to BEA (Book Expo America) and maybe set up a CBA section.