2 – No matter how well intentioned the many new e-publishers are – “I am going to publish the books that I like,” “be better that the other guys,” or (?) – I wonder what type of business model is being used to decide whether to launch such a business. It seems to me that every month there is a new erotic or other e-publisher. How can these publishers attract enough business to keep afloat? Not just the authors, but don’t they need lots of reader buying those e-books? How would one decide on this publisher over that one? I suppose that up until recently the number of possible online readers seemed limitless. Now, I guess, we are seeing that just having books or even lots of great books is not enough.

I didn’t get any major plot revisions on my second book and it’s kind of freaking me out . . .

I hear this from authors at print publishers too. It’s a mark of pride for many to say their manuscript was accepted without revisions. I think that would concern me. My editor and I create such synergy during the revision process. She keeps pushing me to make not just the blah scenes good, but the good scenes GREAT.

Also, I’ve heard too many horror stories about harried editors accepting things sans revisions and then the copyeditor going, wait, there is a major continuity/timeline/logic/plot problem!

Many ePubs also publish in print.
As a blogger, I love this
as most of my fans (and early adopters) are eReaders
(blogging has trained them to read online)
and spreading the word about an eBook
is SO much more cost efficient and timely
than mailing the print books out.

However, with any small press,
authors should assume that they’re doing all their marketing and promo themselves.
Could be costly and/or a time sucker.

I agree with the thread over at DearAuthor about writers signing with a brand new publisher because they’re friends with the owners. I know a number of people who’ve done that recently and I wish them all the best but I’m not going near it. It can be easy to get swept up in your best friend’s enthusiasm, and just as difficult to turn down that best friend’s request to help her out by joining in with her brand new business venture, but even with the best will in the world and good intentions on all sides, so many new businesses fail in their first year, it’s a scary proposition. And IMO it’s very uncool to put a friend into that position. :/

Especially recently, with the e-pubs dropping like rotten fruit this year. I hope next year’s better for the industry. [crossed fingers]

Angie

As for Blogger…
Blogger’s official policy is that their blogs do not expire even when dormant.
However, Google (the new owner of Blogger) has a policy of having an option to delete blogs after 9 months.
So who knows how that will end up.
Again the information will likely exist forever on archiving sites.

As for ePublishers,
I view dealing with small press or ePubs a partnership
and with every business partnership,
there are good partners and bad partners.

I did a lot of research to find Champagne Books.
They put care and time into their editing and cover art.
However, I still pre-edit (with an editorial service) because… well… that’s the way I am.

I love the idea of ePublishers. Whatever their problems, I hope they work them out. I hope they improve and more become solid. For the record though, I really have no personal interest in them. As a reader, it’s visually irritating for me to read on a computer, which I do for some ARCs that are sent to me electronically. But, that’s just me. I know a lot of readers love eBooks!:grin:

As a writer, I’m so in love with the whole sensoral experience of a bookstore – the smell of the books, the sight of them lined up on shelves, the beautiful covers (like NEFERTITI by Michelle Moran,) the energy of all the other minds devouring knowledge in one place, and sounds of joy when someone finds just what they’re looking for. That’s the future I want for my stories. I’m willing to wait for it and hope I have fantastic editors who will help me get there.:grin: