The Good E-Publishers

PortableHal · Mar 20, 2010

On another thread, I asked about e-publishing author mills. Because this is a public forum, most of the people responding wisely chose not to name names.

I'd like to try again. I'm hoping the experienced writers here can share which publishers are the good guys. (The wonderful Veinglory has provided much info about who sells the most e-copies; this post isn't strictly about the money.)

Because a newly-published writer can see things through rose-colored glasses, I ask those who were published a year ago or more: Which publishers treated you and your manuscript right and provided you with a positive life experience?

veinglory · Mar 20, 2010

Loose Id, Samhain, Cobblestone, Aspen Mountain

CACTUSWENDY · Mar 20, 2010

You might get a few more if you would say what genre you need them in. At least I think you might.

DrZoidberg · Mar 21, 2010

I published on http://www.bdsmbooks.com a little less than a year ago. They have treated me very well and given me more help and support than my measly royalties warrant. The owner/editor Simon also proved to be a brilliant editor. At least for me on my level. They are pretty niche though. Strictly erotica with a BDSM theme.

This is not the only publisher I have been published by, but this one sticks out.

Dee Carney · Mar 21, 2010

I'm with a handful of publishers and have to say this up front: there is some sort of problem with each and every publisher I've ever worked with. In the end, however, the problems were minor enough for me to overlook. Some authors however, might find what I consider minor to be major problems for them. Your experience at any publisher is going to vary, so review the list of publishers presented by authors here and decide whether or not you want to take a leap of faith. If the same publisher's names keep popping up over and over again in this thread, take heed.

Erotic romance pubs: Loose Id, Liquid Silver Books, Cobblestone Press, Samhain

jennontheisland · Mar 21, 2010

CACTUSWENDY said:
You might get a few more if you would say what genre you need them in. At least I think you might.

This, except that erotic romance seems to be the biggest genre for epublishing. Granted fantasy is the only other genre I've looked into, but the epub opportunities there seem minuscule in comparison to romance.

BarbaraSheridan · Mar 21, 2010

Dee Carney said:
I'm with a handful of publishers and have to say this up front: there is some sort of problem with each and every publisher I've ever worked with. In the end, however, the problems were minor enough for me to overlook. Some authors however, might find what I consider minor to be major problems for them.

As one who has been around e publishing since dinosaur days I'm in total agreement with what Dee said. Publisher X may have a long turnaround time from acceptance to publication that drives me crazy but as long as the truly important things are solid (editing, covers, readership, timely payments) then it's not a deal breaker type of problem.

To the publishers previously mentioned I'd add Noble Romance, Total-e-Bound and one specializing in GLBT Dreamspinner

Fallen · Mar 21, 2010

I've checked tha majority of those publishers and I've got to say, from a reader's pov, I'm impressed with the titles going on with them. Changed my perspective on ebooks...

PortableHal · Mar 21, 2010

CACTUSWENDY said:
You might get a few more if you would say what genre you need them in. At least I think you might.

CactusWendy, I just want to know who the good e-guys are.

My writing partner and I have a YA paranormal coming out this year, an erotic romance/mystery novella in submission, and a sci-fi novel seeking a beta reader before it goes out the door. (It may seem like a lot but there are writers here that do more in six months than we do in eighteen.) I know we should pick a genre and stay with it...but the heart wants what it wants....

AllieB · Mar 22, 2010

Samhain.

KMTolan · Mar 22, 2010

I've still no complaints about Champagne Books.

Kerry

Sheryl Nantus · Mar 22, 2010

I'm not sure if you shouldn't redefine your goals.

"Which publishers treated you and your manuscript right and provided you with a positive life experience" is a bit open-ended - I could probably find you some PublishAmerica authors who will swear up and down that they have had a "positive life experience".

having been with good and bad publishers, the only thing I have to offer is that you have to define what YOU want. Do YOU want your book put into print, or are you happy having it only available in eprint? Do YOU want to do most of the promotion, or are you happy letting the publisher do it for you? Do YOU want an editor to work with you to make your manuscript a better story, or are you happy with letting it go to press untouched?

It all depends on what your goals are.

*wanders off*

mscelina · Mar 22, 2010

All my spec fic is published through Aspen Mountain and they are actively seeking it.

PortableHal · Mar 22, 2010

Sheryl Nantus said:
having been with good and bad publishers, the only thing I have to offer is that you have to define what YOU want.

*wanders off*

Ah, Sheryl, there's the problem. No one wants to share the names of the "bad publishers". I don't blame 'em but I'd rather not share the negative experience that you've already endured. And, personally, I feel PublishAmerica hasn't provided a positive life experience for anyone hoping to use the publication of their PA book to help build their writing career.

Here's what I want in a publisher (let me know if your list would differ):

*A publisher that isn't an author mill. If they publish everything that comes through their e-door, I don't want them to publish me
*A professional organization: Professional editing, attractive cover art, a regular accounting and payment of royalties, a timely reaction to the problems that always seem to occur
*A fair contract. One without a non-compete clause, the writer retains the copyright to their manuscript, rights revert in a reasonable amount of time
*Some form of marketing support. It doesn't have to be much -- especially since the big print publishers don't offer much, either -- but there needs to be an effort. Put my book on your website, tie it into promotions, point me in some of the directions that will help me sell OUR book
*Someone that treats their writers (and the works they publish) with respect

Is this really too much to ask?

veinglory · Mar 22, 2010

I share the name of my personal opinion re: outright bad publishers (ABCD Webmasters Group, Dark Castle Lords, LA Media, New Concepts, Renaissance Ebooks) and the looks-pretty-bad publishers (Cacoethes, Red Rose, Torquere<--I may be removing this one soon). It's the middle ground that is trickier to judge, which is where author mills typically fall.

Lisa Cox · Mar 22, 2010

Well I can't speak for over a year ago, but --

I've had a good time with Cobblestone Press. And the experience I've had with Loose Id, who have one of my fulls, has been positive and professional.

mlhernandez · Mar 22, 2010

Ellora's Cave, Samhain, Cobblestone, Noble and Liquid Silver

Ibelong · Mar 22, 2010

I'm just sad to see the majority of them expect romance books....or HEA type stories....

sigh...

veinglory · Mar 22, 2010

That is the strongest selling e-fiction genres. But if you want epublisher suggestions for other genres, just ask. But in most cases you will need to downgrade sales expectations.

Ibelong · Mar 23, 2010

I'd like to see some that do urban fantasy.

veinglory · Mar 23, 2010

The top epublisher im that area is probably Double Dragon: http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/

scarletpeaches · Mar 23, 2010

I have a couple of quibbles about Loose-ID. They no longer accept PayPal on their website and anything that makes it even slightly more difficult to buy books is bad for the author, surely?

Also they seem to take an absolute age to get their stock on third party sites. Allromance is only just now showing Loose-ID books from months back. Anyone know why this is?

veinglory · Mar 23, 2010

The Paypal issue came up when paypal seized the funds of epublishers and authors selling erotica or even non-erotic gay fiction, which is--according to them--against their terms of service.

The delay is to encourage people to buy new releases direct from the publisher, because that doubles the profit per sale for both the publisher and the author.

scarletpeaches · Mar 23, 2010

Thanks for clearing that up, veinglory. The delay makes sense now, although it is irritating, as I don't have plastic, so have to use PayPal (for now at least).

DrZoidberg · Mar 23, 2010

veinglory said:
The Paypal issue came up when paypal seized the funds of epublishers and authors selling erotica or even non-erotic gay fiction, which is--according to them--against their terms of service.

Wow, I didn't know that. This is something that could potentially screw up quite a lot for me. Is this still an issue or have they come to their senses? I mean, by the sound of it they're saying no to free money.

The Good E-Publishers

Not-so-new

volitare nequeo

An old, sappy, and happy one.

aka TomOfSweden

Bringing sexy back

the world is at my command

*insert catchy phrase here*

Stood at the coalface

Not-so-new

No drama

Holding out for a Superhero...

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

Not-so-new

volitare nequeo

Do you feel the need?

volitare nequeo

Do you feel the need?

volitare nequeo

volitare nequeo

aka TomOfSweden

insert catchy phrase here