The family scoffs. People look at you like you're from another planet. Friends ask when you'll "really" be published. Everyone complains about reading in front of the computer.
That's when you know you've been electronically published.
What is e-publishing? Well, simply put, it is your book in the form of an electronic download, either a PDF, or HTML, or a LIT file. This book is available for purchase on the publisher's website and can be downloaded once paid for. Prices are comparable to print books.
You may be asking yourself, what are the advantages of e-publishing? I'm so glad you asked!
"Why send my book to a publisher when I can easily make my own PDF's on my computer?"
~~An electronic publisher is still a 'publisher'. Your book is edited by an editor, and then sent to a copy editor, who edits it again. Once that is done, the cover artist works on your cover. Depending on which publisher you go with, you could have excellent cover art. Simply because it is an electronic file is no excuse to have sub-par cover art. Examples of excellent e-book cover art can be found here:
http://www.champagnebooks.com/catalogue.htm
https://www.inarapress.com/website/serons/index.php
~~Also, a publisher has a "longer arm" with regards to selling your book. You might be able to get your home-made PDF file on your website, or even at www.lulu.com, however, an e-publisher can get you in to www.fictionwise.com, one of the biggest e-book retailers on the 'Net. They can also get you on Amazon.com. Yes Victoria, even Amazon sells e-books.
"Why are the electronic books the same price if I don't have a "book" to hold in my hand?"
To play Devil's Advocate, why do you think an author should be paid less to tell you a story on your computer? The story is still entertainment, even if there is nothing to "hold". And assuming your computer doesn't crash or you don't accidentally erase anything, it will always be there in your virtual library for you to read again if you so desire, just as a print book is on your actual shelf.
Unfortunately, a lot of people look at e-book authors as "sub-par" themselves. The misconsception is that it's "easy" to become an e-book author. That is simply not true. Perhaps when the industry was first starting out, that might have been the case. But nowadays, e-publishers pick over their slush piles with a fine-tooth comb, just as your print publishers would. Do not assume that simply because there is no print involved that an e-author is any less qualified as an "author" than one who IS in print.
"So what are the advantages?"
~~E-books can be purchased online without you ever leaving your house. The moment you pay, you get a link to download the book to your computer instantly. Great news for those of us who hate getting "dressed" and going somewhere. Also great for avoiding crowds.
~~E-books do not have any paper. For those of you who are environmentally aware, this is GREAT news! Imagine all the trees electronic authors are saving by not having massive print runs of their books.
~~E-publishers are more likely to take a chance on a strange or unusual manuscript. Do you have an idea about an alien that lands on earth and falls in love with a werewolf? Well, it's not really something you can shop around at the Big Boys, as the print world is still very "vanilla" with regards to their reading choices. Formulas must be followed and certain things are expected. But for the author with the plot mentioned above, what are they to do?
Submit to an e-publisher. If the writing itself is excellent, e-publishers love strange and off-the-wall plots. In that way, e-publishers are pioneers in breaking out of the "vanilla" mold.
~~A LOT of e-publishers are moving to print. On the flip side, so too are the print publishers moving to e-books. Soon, there will be a merging of the two, I believe. That publishers won't be specifically "print" or "electronic", but a blend of both. No longer will e-books have a negative stigma if everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.
~~If you buy yourself a hand-held e-reader, a device that is made specifically for reading electronic books, you can literally carry 200 books with you--in your purse. Imagine being at the doctor's office and not having to worry about that sexy romance cover of a half-naked man drawing stares. Or having the option of choosing any book you have downloaded to read. This is wonderful news for people who travel and do not want to carry lots of books. This is also wonderful news for those who cannot read sitting at the computer. They can take their hand-held e-reader anywhere.
"But there is nothing that compares to a print book; the smell, the weight, the satisfaction of turning the pages."
Indeed, this is true, and I'll be the first to agree. However, there are definate advantages to e-books as well, and with the e-publishers soon moving into print, it won't take long before you can find your favorite electronic novel as a print book.
And when that happens, will electronically published authors finally get the respect they deserve?
~~Rebecca Goings, electronically published romance author http://www.RebeccaGoings.com
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Comments: 8
I always say it's like getting into the bookstores via the backdoor! :D
~~Becka
~~Becka
However, royalties on ebooks are anywhere from 35% - 50%, depending on the contract of the publisher. It's possible that on every ebook you sell for $5.00, you will get $2.50 from that sale. Compare that with the print world, in which 7% royalties per sale is a GOOD percentage. Sometimes you only get 5%.
Now that said, when the ebook moves to print, no longer are the royalty percentages at 50%. They are more comparable to the norm of 5 - 7%. Why? Well, because it costs money to print books and distribute them, and therefore the publisher uses some of the royalties not only for their own profit, but to pay the company who prints the books. So no matter what, New York or otherwise, print royalties will be the same.
But electronic books can afford to give the author more of a percentage, because there is no print fee, there is no distribution fee. So therefore, epubbed authors have the opportunity to make decent money.
HOWEVER, and that's a big however, your sales are directly related to how well you promote yourself. Your job as an author does not end after you write the last word and send the manuscript to your publisher. You must promote the book. And being electronic books, most of your promotion will be online. So instead of attending "booksignings", you attend live chats online at various webpages set up for authors to do such a thing. You would send out newsletters, and search the Yahoo groups for ones that would benefit you and your promo. You find sites like Gather to make more people aware of you, etc.
The electronic publishing world is smaller than the print world, so yes, even though you might make more in royalties, you cannot expect to be Nora Roberts or Stephen King fresh out of the gate. As with any author, your career is built on many books, just like a house is built with many bricks.
I have a lot of books out, and it's only just now I'm beginning to see real fruit from my labors. And it only makes sense. The more books you have, the more opportunity people will buy, and if one person likes you, it makes sense that they will look for other books by you and so on. The more books you have available, the more money you stand to make.
So while you can't quit your day job on a handful of books, you can make decent money when you establish yourself and promote yourself to the best of your ability. It all depends on how far you want to take your own career.
You cannot expect the EXEC's salary when you're still only the MAILBOY. Just like in any 'job', you have to move up through the ranks, grow an audience, and build your bookshelf. Most likely, it's the same story in New York, whether or not you get a nice advance. Because you don't get paid again until that advance is met and surpassed.
~~Becka