A question concerning ebooks and 'traditional' publishers

[Mattius Flattius]

Is it possible to submit work to agents and/or publishers if it already released in ebook format?  If the ebook is a success then surely this would greatly influence your chsnces of a deal ... If it is legal to do so that is.

[ma100]

I would imagine probably not. They are more likely, if the book is successful, to approach the author. Though, I don't know so don't take my word for it.

[hillwalker3000]

It isn't 'illegal' - though you might have to remove it from the likes of Kindle to avoid a clash of publishing rights. No publisher is going to stand the expense of printing a book that can be bought cheaper on-line.

By all means let prospective agents or publishers know you have already written an e-book that sold well when approaching them with a new project. But the main problem I can foresee is that if the book is already 'out there' why would any publisher want seconds?

Publishing houses only suggest an e-book version of what they have already pubished for you when sales are flagging or the print run has sold out.

H3K

[Lin]

My advice is to get on with your second book and promote that to an agent or publisher based on the fact that your first book did well.

Lin

[2par]

I understand that you sign a contract with Amazon, where you cannot publish with anyone else for the length of the contract.  My son has a 3 month deal with them for his serial.  (It's doing extremely well, by the way)

[Dawn]

A friend in rl came across this recently with Carina publishing. They agreed to consider if he removed his work.

[Nick]

I understand that you sign a contract with Amazon, where you cannot publish with anyone else for the length of the contract.  My son has a 3 month deal with them for his serial.  (It's doing extremely well, by the way)

That sounds like KDP Select. This is a special program open to anyone publishing on Kindle. If you enrol your e-book in KDP Select, it will become available for borrowing by US Amazon Prime members, and Amazon will pay you a royalty every time your book is borrowed. There are some other advantages too, e.g. you are allowed to offer your book free for up to five days a month to help boost interest and get more reviews. You sign up to KDP Select for a three-month period, and during that time you are not allowed to sell your e-book anywhere else. Otherwise, though, there is no objection to this, e.g. many Kindle authors publish their e-books on Smashwords.com as well.

[ed]

Is it possible to submit work to agents and/or publishers if it already released in ebook format?  If the ebook is a success then surely this would greatly influence your chsnces of a deal ... If it is legal to do so that is.

It does happen. Amanda Hocking and John Locke are examples. There books were re-released by a publisher. Though, most will balk at it as they think it's had it's run. The least they will do is offer you a book deal IF you have demonstrated you can sell lots of books and not all of them were priced at 99 cents. Which is another thing publishers get concerned about. They think if you can sell lots at 99 cents you might not be able to do it at $10.99 or whatever they charge.

Another thing to bear in mind is that you can put your book through KDP for free. But if you get a contract with Amazon themselves you may have to go completely with them only for a series or whatever.

[ChrisHarrison]

Looking at UK agent submission guidelines they ask you to say if the book is already self published as an ebook. They also ask what you're doing to push and promote the work you're submitting to them, so there seems to be an assumption that authors are already trying to get their work noticed.

I don't know what publishers say. I didn't think anyone approached publishers directly anymore.
 

[saradobiebauer]

My advice is to get on with your second book and promote that to an agent or publisher based on the fact that your first book did well.

I very much agree with this. There's nothing wrong with ePublishing (heck, I'm doing it in August), but agents aren't going to be interested in something that's already out there. They will be interested to know you already have a fan base, thanks to your first eBook.

Build that fan base. Work on your next book. Keep on truckin'.

[TheGreyMan]

Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't 'Fifty shades of grey' released as an ebook, before the real publishers saw it's popularity and bought the rights?

[ed]

Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't 'Fifty shades of grey' released as an ebook, before the real publishers saw it's popularity and bought the rights?

I believe that was released as fan fiction and then an ebook. Yes then she got picked up.

Publishers have their eyes on self-publishers

Ultimately if you can pull in the numbers, they will come knocking

Though there are many self-publishers who are turning them down because they don't offer anything better than what they already have. Others are taking them up but stipulating very specific terms that allows them to keep self-publishing but allows the publisher to handle print versions

Which is the best way? It doesn't matter. Once you have a bestseller then you can worry about which way to go, until then no one is coming knocking and no one is going to treat you the same way as Stephen king, until a writer can demonstrate that they can pull in the big bucks.