Just out of curiosity, what's the point of an epublisher? Anyone can publish an ebook and make it available on any device they want for absolutely free so I'm not clear on what these "publishers" are offering.
Kerry is right, of course. Credibility matters and if a good e-publisher takes your book, you have a credit that counts. (Whereas, if you self-pub, nobody in publishing circles is all that impressed until you rack up sales or reviews or both.) If you're with one of the "big" e-pubs -- Samhain, Ellora's, etc -- you also gain visibility. An unknown writer will collect some sales solely from association with their publisher's well-visited website. I don't actually have any numbers to support that supposition but it feels right.
The electronic publishers also provide the editing, the cover art, and the electronic files for their writers. For some of us (me), this is a real benefit. Although many will disagree, I think a good editor is a benefit; I know of a couple of good cover artists and they start at $300 for a digital file; and I still haven't figured out how to transform my manuscript into a shape that will result in publication.
I'm not saying I won't self-pub. I
am saying, I'm pressed with those of you who have.
