Why should I submit my manuscript to Ellora's Cave instead of another e-publisher?

If you write erotic romance, Ellora's Cave is THE place to be. Our site receives over 50,000 hits daily, our readership continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and our reputation within the e-publishing community is flawless. We are known for paying authors what is due them and for paying them on time. Additionally, the authors we have on staff who also have titles out with other e-publishers and/or small press print publishers have repeatedly assured us that we are one of the top-grossing e-publishers in existence, if not the top grossing one. We are also the ONLY e-publisher recognized by Romance Writer's of America!

If I submit my manuscript to EC, what are the chances it will be published?

This fluctuates all the time, so it's a difficult question to answer. Some months are gold finds and we sign on a lot of new, exciting authors. Some months are veritable dry spells and we sign on nobody new. Overall, however, we currently have an acceptance rate of roughly 4-5%.

Do I need an agent to submit a manuscript to EC?

No. Although quite a few of our authors have agents, it is not necessary to have one in order to submit a manuscript to us for consideration. If we like the story, we'll publish it. Period. It doesn't matter who submits the material for you; it could be yourself, your agent, or your great-aunt Clarabelle in so far as we care.

How long does it take to find out whether my manuscript has been accepted or rejected?

It depends on many factors, but the most important one being how busy we are at the time we receive it. Synopsis & partial inquiries are typically answered within the time frame of one to two weeks. If we ask to see the entire manuscript after reading the synopsis and first three chapters, it generally takes another 2-3 weeks to hear back from us. Again, this largely depends on how many other things we are juggling at the time you submit it. There have been cases where we have gotten back to the author the same day! Conversely, there have been cases where it took several weeks.

Is it true all of EC's titles will be available in paperback?

Yes. Unless the paperback rights have been sold elsewhere prior to our new policies going into effect, all of our titles either already are or are going to be available in either mass market or trade paperback editions.

How much money can I expect to make at EC?

That question is not easily answered as it varies greatly from author to author. Furthermore, it's impossible for us to state exact sums of money without compromising the trust of our writers by revealing their respective incomes! But what we will say is this: royalty payments depend largely upon how many titles you have placed with us, how popular those titles become with readers, and how well you market your titles. It is important to remember that it takes an extreme amount of popularity with readers and quite a few available titles to make enough money at writing to live off of, but we most certainly do have authors who make a VERY cushy living here.

How often do EC writers get paid?

As of this writing, on the 15th of every month. We pay via Direct Deposit.

I don't live in the United States. Can I still write for Ellora's Cave, Inc.?

If your bank will accept checks drawn from an American bank, then yes you can. We will not, however, pay wiring fees to electronically transfer the funds into your bank account.

I am a published mainstream romance author. I'm interested in submitting an erotic title to EC, but only if you will guarantee my confidentiality. Can you do that?

Yes. If you ask for confidentiality, then you will receive it. For marketing purposes we prefer you to be "out of the closet", but if your story is hot then we'll accept it whether you come out of the closet or not ;-) Several of our authors are published or are soon  to be published elsewhere (Harlequin, Kensington, Penguin-Putnam, etc.). Some use other pen names, some do not. We do not release pseudonyms under any circumstance if you ask us not to.

Does the contract between publisher and writer ask for electronic rights and print rights, or solely electronic rights with an option for print rights?

Both.

How long is the contract valid?

Three years.

If you would like to submit a story for consideration or have a question,  send it to submissions@ellorascave.com