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Etopia Press / Renegade YA

Stacia Kane

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Hmm. It certainly doesn't look like a *bad* bet (people could certainly do a lot worse), but I'm curious about their print program--which isn't explained--and the distribution etc. that goes along with it.

I will say I'm rather impressed to see them mentioning/linking to their author's titles with other houses. I realize it's to "prove" their published status, but still, that indicates a willingness to help the careers of their authors and not just the books those authors have with them. Doesn't mean it will help sales, but it's still fairly cool.

(And one of their authors, David Bridger, is a pal of mine, a good writer and a lovely gentleman, so it's nice to see him there.)
 

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Jenn, is that link right? I get an error page.
 

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Sorry, my bad. My broadband connection must've gone off for morning tea or something. <hangs head in shame>

Adding: Yeah, they look like they're one well worth watching.
 
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brainstorm77

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You could probably email them to ask.

ETA: This is the email listed for any questions [email protected]
 
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Stacia Kane

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I'm ashamed that I forgot to update here when I got new info--well, I was asked to let some time pass before mentioning it lest the authors in question be identified, but I hadn't intended to let *this* much time pass.

I've heard of problems from more than one of their authors: bad editing, bad treatment, an owner getting angry and abusive when questioned.
 

Chukkie

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I can't speak highly enough of Etopia Press

Oh, I'm pretty sure I can guess who these authors are!

Look, I speak as I find and I can only say that I am delighted with Etopia Press. How anyone can criticise the editing is beyond me - my experience has been terrific. You only have to compare their books with their rivals' to see for yourselves! Frankly, some of the 'authors' criticising ought to look more carefully at their own work before they make it public - I rolled on the floor laughing at the weekend at one of the works that had been stuck on a blog. People in glass houses!

This is a serious matter because if you speak negatively about a publisher (or anyone) it can have a negative impact on them. Have more than a personality clash in your arsenal if you want to go this route.

Etopia Press provides top editing, probably the best covers in the business, monthly statements and payments promptly (yes, monthly). I will submit to them again and again.

If you are still wondering, email me - I'm easy to google. I don't bite.
 

amergina

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Oh, I'm pretty sure I can guess who these authors are!

Look, I speak as I find and I can only say that I am delighted with Etopia Press. How anyone can criticise the editing is beyond me - my experience has been terrific. You only have to compare their books with their rivals' to see for yourselves! Frankly, some of the 'authors' criticising ought to look more carefully at their own work before they make it public - I rolled on the floor laughing at the weekend at one of the works that had been stuck on a blog. People in glass houses!

This is a serious matter because if you speak negatively about a publisher (or anyone) it can have a negative impact on them. Have more than a personality clash in your arsenal if you want to go this route.

Etopia Press provides top editing, probably the best covers in the business, monthly statements and payments promptly (yes, monthly). I will submit to them again and again.

If you are still wondering, email me - I'm easy to google. I don't bite.

And this post is professional, how?

You're making your publisher look bad.
 

Stacia Kane

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Oh, I'm pretty sure I can guess who these authors are!

Really? Who? Because given that you don't know how much time passed between my receiving the emails and my mentioning them here, I find that hard to believe.


Look, I speak as I find and I can only say that I am delighted with Etopia Press.

And that's great, I'm glad you're so happy.

How anyone can criticise the editing is beyond me - my experience has been terrific.

Again, that's great. It's also your experience. Can you not believe that perhaps others may not have had the exact same experience? Especially given how much time had passed between my getting the emails and my mentioning them here?

I've had publishers I was very happy with, but never denied others may not have had the same experience as me. I've had a publisher I was very unhappy with, but others were quite happy. Everyone is different, aren't they?

I've never written for or submitted to Etopia; I don't have a dog in this fight. I was asked by some people to mention their experiences (they provided evidence), and I did so. That's all.


You only have to compare their books with their rivals' to see for yourselves!

Rivals?

Frankly, some of the 'authors' criticising ought to look more carefully at their own work before they make it public - I rolled on the floor laughing at the weekend at one of the works that had been stuck on a blog. People in glass houses!

How very polite of you.

Again, since you don't in fact know the identities of the authors in question, you can't really judge their work (I won't even mention that apparently Etopia thought those authors you're laughing at were good enough to publish, so what does that say, exactly?).

I won't even bother to mention here that tastes vary, and what one person finds laughable another may enjoy very much. Or that while all of us are proud of our work, very few of us feel we're so much better than everyone else that we can claim the writing of others is laughable.


Etopia Press provides top editing, probably the best covers in the business, monthly statements and payments promptly (yes, monthly). I will submit to them again and again.

If you are still wondering, email me - I'm easy to google. I don't bite.

I'm glad you're having such a good experience, and that you would submit again. I still don't think your good experience precludes the very idea of someone else having a bad one.

I wish you the best of luck in your career.
 
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Momento Mori

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Chukkie:
Frankly, some of the 'authors' criticising ought to look more carefully at their own work before they make it public - I rolled on the floor laughing at the weekend at one of the works that had been stuck on a blog. People in glass houses!

Yeah, but there's a bit of a difference between material put out in a book that's been subjected to editing (i.e. a third party editorial review) and material that an author puts up directly on a blog. So while I don't doubt that you saw something on a blog that tickled you in a private and entertaining place, it doesn't really have much bearing on the discussion about people's editing experience with this publisher.

Chukkie:
This is a serious matter because if you speak negatively about a publisher (or anyone) it can have a negative impact on them. Have more than a personality clash in your arsenal if you want to go this route.

Depends on the publisher and how they make their money. A publisher that's doing good trade selling to the public is likely to be able to bear a little criticism of their editing. But then the purpose of this board is to enable authors to make an informed decision before signing with a publisher, not to enable a publisher to preserve their reputation no matter not.

I'm sure that the authors Stacia speaks of have plenty of evidence to support their assertions, but thank you for your concern.

Chukkie:
Etopia Press provides top editing, probably the best covers in the business, monthly statements and payments promptly (yes, monthly).

Cool. Are you able to share what the average royalty in those monthly statements have been (or alternatively, the average sales figure)?

MM
 

KathleenD

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TLDR: Contract simple and fair. Annie great. Covers nice. Store bad/currently down. Sales (specifically, sales on a year old 4K word fluffy summer romance) consistent but meh.

I sold Etopia a short story for two reasons - one, another author I know and respect recommended the founder (Annie Melton) as being good people, and two, they accept short fiction of a length that most publishers do not. I think the thing I sold them was 4K words. (The next lowest word count req. is 7K at EC.)

In my opinion, Annie is in fact "good people." Very open and honest. She has been extremely candid in the writer's loop, and her communications with me were prompt, professional, and friendly. She will answer any question without pretending that the answers are Sekrit Publishing Things Mere Authors Must Not Know. Can't speak for everyone, but I was treated like a business partner.

The contract is fair and in clear English.

Covers were kind of all over the place at first, but they've been pretty awesome the last six months or so.

Pay is monthly, on time every time. I also get an emailed spreadsheet breaking down where the sales came from. The sheet also shows the math on how my royalty was figured.

The editing *is* hit and miss. My context for that opinion is my experience with: my editor at Carina Press, my editor for my weekly non-fiction column, my editor for my freelance journalism, and more I can't be arsed to remember at this moment. Also, I can read.

There were major problems with the editing at the launch of the press, and Annie was really, REALLY open about it and worked very hard to address the issues - to the point of re-editing most things herself. AFAIK, she tossed the bad apples.

The retail store wasn't good and they're replacing it, with what or when I don't know because I haven't checked the loop in awhile.

I will probably not submit a short again, but not because the experience was bad. I won't sub again because the sales from my self-pubbed short are higher and trending up, whereas I'm only selling a handful (5-10) of copies of "Get the Motor Running" every month. Dunno what novel sales are like.

If you don't want to do the work of self-pub, and lord knows it's work, I *am* getting a check for an average of two dollars every month, and have been for a year. No upward trend, but no downward trend either and, well, it's a 99 cent short story that can be summarized as "two blue collar young people meet and have sex." It was never going to set the world on fire.

Sorry to go on so long, but I'm not in the mood for drama and I thought maybe I could bore the thread into submission. Maximum verbosity FTW!
 
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Saanen

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I've got two fantasy novels out with Etopia (The Taste of Magic and its sequel, Blood and Ashes), both of them released in 2011. The contract is clear and fair, I like my covers, and I'm very happy with the editing. I don't sell a lot of copies--maybe a handful every month--but they are selling steadily. I get my royalty statements and checks on time.

I have been concerned that their site has been down for so long. They've got a wordpress site now but it's not complete, and hasn't been for a while.
 

AmyMarie

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Any more recent info on Etopia?

I recently received an offer from them for my YA fantasy and I was wondering if anyone had more recent info on them, experiences they’d like to talk about, etc. Thanks!
 

Sara Lou

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I recently received an offer from them for my YA fantasy and I was wondering if anyone had more recent info on them, experiences they’d like to talk about, etc. Thanks!

I just got an offer as well for my YA paranormal. Annie sent me some info about their new website and their marketing intentions and strategies and I like the direction the company is headed. I haven't replied yet, and am going to respond by the weekend.
 

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I'm extremely happy with them. This will be my second novel published (so I'm working my way up the ladder) and they've always been prompt to fully answer my questions. Everyone has been pleasant, business-like and helpful. Editing in all its stages was professionally handled with friendliness and understanding, and the cover art is just right (exactly as I imagined). My novel is set to be published on the date they always specified. No messing about with delays. I know the company's small at the moment, but I have every faith in them and I think it is moving in the right direction.
 

turtledinosaur

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Etopia's website says they publish print books over 40,000 words, but I don't see any print books on retailers' pages, just ebooks. Am I blind or are there no print books?
 

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I have heard of a couple of their authors who have their ebooks currently being made ready for print publishing. I know mine will be an ebook, so I haven't explored the pbook side yet.
 

Mithra

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Did they change their status on accepting short stories because I only see they accept stories 40K and above?

I believe they still take shorts from 2,500 words up - depending on genre.
 
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Sara Lou

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I just signed with Etopia and am very happy about it. Annie is seriously 'good people'. She did everything she could to make me satisfied with my decision, and I'm happy with their plans for their YA line. I see good things coming! And I'm looking forward to seeing their new website which is going to be up soon.