by Ciara Gold
Because – it chose me. Written on May 28, 2005
Five years ago, I remember clearly a discussion on the philosophy behind getting published. At that time, self-published and electronic published authors could kiss away any chance of getting contracts from the big houses. Attempts at becoming published through means other than the standard were frowned upon. They didn't embrace vanity houses or self publishing efforts. Such an author became a traitor to the process, acting out of turn, not waiting for their place in the publishing chain. And this is the myth I believed true until several factors changed my mind.
At the 2004 Nationals, I attended one of the Harlequin panels. They were discussing the new HQN line. They provided the usual type of information and toward the end, they introduced the first books slated for release. Among those named was a book written by an author who’d recently only wrote for electronic publishers. The first myth whereby a big name publisher won’t even consider a writer previously published by an electronic press is just that; a myth.
Within the last year, e-publishers have grown in number. Some of the “big boys” have begun looking at expanding their services to include electronically published books. I was still not totally convinced, though, until I read the article circulated at my last chapter meeting. Japan has been hit hard by a new fad. They are reading whole novels on their cell phones by way of text messaging. I did an Internet search and discovered that Japan is not the only one. I found an article on China and also one on Brazil. What does this mean to the writer? E-publishing is here to stay and growing momentum daily.
In a recent article by Kelley Hartsell for Fresh Fiction at , Kelley lists thirty-seven e-publishers and this didn’t include the newly launched . Yes, quite a few of these specialize in erotica, but there are just as many that publish regular, heart throbbing romance. So just how popular are these sites? Here’s an example that bears our apt attention. Champagne Books celebrated the launch of their new e-book company on March 31. And about that same time, they closed submissions, claiming they didn’t want new authors to wait more than a year for release of their books. Seventeen writers are profiled on their site, but as of yet only four books have been released. And are these books selling? Yes. The owner/editor, J. Ellen Smith, has been promoting the company with a commitment to seeing her company and her writers succeed.
Elora’s Cave is probably the most well known of the e-publishers if for no other reason than they paved the way for others. A leader, Elora’s Cave became an RWA recognized publisher and began printing books for paperback trade. With so many writers trying to gain recognition for their efforts, they are now turning to e-publishers like Triskelon, Runestone and Cerridwen. Why? For validation. After receiving my last rejection letter, I decided to try an e-publisher. I queried three. Within a day, I received a request for the full. A week later, I received another request for the full. That same day, I was offered a contract from the first publisher.
I sent them a book that I knew was not marketable through other means because it was different. They were excited about the project and their excitement has given me a new energy to write more. It’s not about the money, or fame. It’s about validation, knowing that my compulsion to write has gained acknowledgment.