The Benefits of E-Publishing Through a Publishing House

AmsterdamAssassin said:

Hey, thanks. That wasn't up there last time I checked their submission guidelines. And my suspense novel, while not 'romantic suspense', features an MC with a new love interest, so there is a romantic element.

Hmmm, maybe, if Tor Books [who are currently considering Reprobate] won't commit I'll sub to Carina...
I just hope I won't be thrown on the pile of Romance Writers - I prefer being a Suspense Writer.

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I'm pretty sure that's always been in their subs guidelines - it certainly was when I subbed my non romance a year ago. And it needs no romantic elements, as the quote says. Also you won't get 'thrown in the pile of romance writers' if you aren't writing romance.

ETA: as to what an epub can give me that I can't do myself?

Editing of a quality I couldn't afford myself (and an editor who is there 'after the fact' to help out with any problems, helps publicise good reviews etc)
Cover art of a quality I couldn't afford myself
Advertising in places I couldn't afford myself
A series of webinars about how to make best use of your website/twitter etc
A network of other authors helping me out with cross promo and advice.
A heck of a lot more people have heard of Carina and Angela James ( and follow her, check out the books she tweets about etc) than have heard of me. But through them, they hear about me

AmsterdamAssassin said:

a) did you check if the title was available on smashwords/B&N?
b) have you tried converting a .mobi file to .epub file using Calibre?

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Honestly, I'm not that tech savvy. I know how to use the internet and Microsoft and that's about it.

I'm sure I'm not the only techno-phobe out there.

gothicangel said:

I've never researched the e-market for MTS so I can't comment. But I did hit the massive 'con' OH has mentioned before about publishing to Kindle.

I was browsing Amazon for historical novels set in Roman Britain a few nights ago. I found the perfect title, it was self-published but I was willing to pay the £1.77. What stopped me? Kindle, I have a Sony Reader.

Amazon's solution? Buy a Kindle. No thanks I love my Sony Reader.

So no sale. Considering that Sony Readers are in every Waterstone's shop front that must be a major slice of the market a Kindle author can't access.

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I don't think I know any "Kindle Authors". I mean, I'm sure there are some folks uploading books to only the Kindle platform, simply because it's the biggest. But the general pattern of ebook launch for most folks - self published or trade epublished - seems to be to get the ebook up on Amazon and B&N.com, minimally. Ideally, you want Sony/Kobo/Apple too. Indie writers and small presses land those last three via Smashwords, while larger trade publishers go direct - but the end result is the same.

So generally speaking, if a book is available on Kindle, it's out there in epub for your Sony Reader, too.

KevinMcLaughlin said:

On distribution:
Right now, most industry estimates have Amazon holding about 70-75% of consumer ebook sales.

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Most of those are trade published books that are also available as ebooks. So you're comparing self-published novels distributed through Smashwords with the Kindle versions of Stephen King's latest.

A more significant number for those who are epublishing-only would be: who sells the most epublished-only books? It's probably still Amazon, but not by such a huge margin. I don't know how those numbers would be acquired, though, or if anyone has tried.

Tales of the Pack said:

Stupid question time!

My mentor suggested I investigate e-publishers. What is the benefit of going through an exclusively e-publisher (like Lyrical, for instance)?

To my mind, the only grand distinctions between traditional publishing and self-publishing are 1) Clout 2) Distribution and 3) Front end work like typesetting.

What does an e-publisher offer that I can't get on my own?

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I have a novelette scheduled to come out through an e-book press. I submitted to them back in late 2009 and was accepted, before I heard about the self-epub boom. At the time, I wanted to try ebook markets. The e-pub I chose had beautiful looking covers and I thought my story fit in nicely--these two facts are still true today.

However, I'm not sure of the clout or distribution this e-pub has. Also, without saying too much, whether you go e-pub or self-epub route, make sure you look over the contracts and any other documents with a fine tooth comb. And then do it again. And just for good measure, a third time. Do not get in a hurry. I wish I had done all that.

Anyway, back to the main point of the OP. From what I can tell, e-pubs are more . . . individualized than the commercial route. So, you have to take them on an individual basis. Not what the e-pub market can do for me over self-epubbing, but what can this specific e-pub do for me over self-pubbing.

Hope that helps.

Jodi

CaoPaux said:

What far too many overlook is that calling oneself a publisher does not a publisher make. In short, writers who sign with Epub de Jour have only themselves to blame for what happens to their book.

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You're absolutely right -- that's why I always point out two things writers should do before they commit to an e-publisher:
a) check their website and see if the content is geared towards readers [good] or writers [bad].
b) read/download samples of their publications and check them for formatting errors and content abberations.

You don't want to get stuck with an e-publisher who does a shoddy job and is more interested in your money than in getting you money.

The main thing I always want to know about an epublisher is what kind of sales volume their authors see. If i am investing a royalty share into them producing and selling the book I want to be sure that they know how to do this--and the proof is in the pudding.

At which point most people say sales vary per book/author, which is true but not to the extent you might assume. From what I see the biggest single predictor of ebook sales volume is who the publisher is.

AmsterdamAssassin said:

You're absolutely right -- that's why I always point out two things writers should do before they commit to an e-publisher:
a) check their website and see if the content is geared towards readers [good] or writers [bad].
b) read/download samples of their publications and check them for formatting errors and content abberations.

You don't want to get stuck with an e-publisher who does a shoddy job and is more interested in your money than in getting you money.

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I'd add to that - if the epublisher is charging the writer for book production run, do not walk, away.

OK, this is my opinion, and yours might be different.

My take is, a small publisher - e or print - might not be able to do an advance. And I'm OK with that. Advances are nice, mind you, but I wouldn't consider a publisher who didn't offer advances automatically bad just for that one thing.

What I would *never* under *any* circumstances agree to, however, is a publisher who bills me for the production costs of the book and then wants to split the income from the book with me. No. Blessed. Way.

If a publisher wants a piece of the income from a book, they need to pony up a bit of the risk. The writer has already risked - invested substantial time and effort making the book. The publisher's side of the risk is production: editing, cover, and all the other things that go into a book. If the publisher is paying for that, then it's fair they get a share of the profits.

If the writer is paying for that, why on earth would you then give them a share? If the writer is going to pay for book production anyway, just go with Telemachus or Lucky Bat or some other book production company, pay once, and keep 100% of the income from the book.


Most of these (like the whole Author Solutions network) are really easy to spot. Some have been getting sneaky lately, though - the newest scheme some agents-turning-epublisher are using is to cover the expenses of production for the ebook, but then deduct those expenses from the author's share of the royalties until the production cost is paid off. That's sneaky, because the writer never sees the costs up front, just has them taken out the back end. And it's just as much a scam as iUniverse and the rest of that ilk.

Another thing you might want to do with an unknown epublisher is check the Amazon Sales Rank for a number of their books. If they are all >50K you may want to pass. Self-published books take a lot of promotion to 'take off' and get into the <5K sales rank. You see people on this board saying they spend a couple hours a day promoting. How many epublishers are going to spend those kind of man-hours promoting each of their books?

Good, two extra issues to point out to writers looking for e-publishers.