Well there are no guarantees in life and we all do the best we can.

I do recommend this idea of trying out different ePublishers for writers.
I know several authors I respect who do this and I think it is a wise choice to make.

Even among the Top ePublishers on my list there are differences. So how do you know what is the best fit or the better editor or the better distribution model or the better sales without trying it out yourself?

In fact I red flag ePublishers I hear putting clauses into their contracts that limit an author being able to write for another ePublisher or any other Publisher for that matter or in any way discourage such discovery on the writers part.

I have been with bad and with good. Whiskey Creek Press is celebrating their 6th year this year. Red Rose Publishing just had their second birthday. Both treat me with nothing but professionalism and courtesy, and because of that I judge my dealings with other pubs in the same manner.

Initially I went with several other epubs because I was told that “putting all my eggs in one basket” was not a wise choice. I’ve since discovered that remark is a two-edged sword. Even after doing my homework and checking with a new publisher’s other authors, you’re not guaranteed you or your book will be treated with respect.

I think my personal reaction to it comes from being constantly underestimated because I’m a woman and I write romance – that to ask for something author friendly means I’m too contaminated with estrogen to understand “business”

Sorry if “author friendly” was too weak a phrase.

I was trying to cover those best practices that are priorities to writers in dealing with an ePublisher. Maybe I should have said “author beneficial behavior” or “author supportive” or even “professional courtesy” … I don’t know.

They can, indeed instate criteria to have recognized publishers again. The Trisk disaster came from horribly stupid business choices (lack of reserve against returns). Many small businesses can make mistakes and it doesn’t mean all of epublishing is that way.

In fact, IMO, that should be part of any process for recognition. Do you have an actual marketing plan? If you have print, what does your contract look like? Because the issues of “out of print” dont’ exist in digital publishing the way they do with traditional publishing, many epubbed authors get screwed on print clauses they can’t get out of even when those rights are not being used. Are royalties paid regularly (quarterly, twice a year, monthly, whatever) and this isn’t as easy to verify of course, but it can be verified. How long have you been in business? I think three years is fair, some will disagree and this is all cloud talk anyway. Etc. It’s not impossible, it just takes some thought and energy and an understanding that no matter what, people will be dissatisfied over something.

As for favoritism, I’m not bugged by that. Every publishing house has favorites. Usually though, it’s based on something everyone can understand like sales, sometimes not.

I don’t need author friendly. I need:

1) MY MONEY on time, paid regularly. I need for there to not be problems every month. I need not to hear excuses every month. Just send me my money. I earned it, the post office is NOT so bad you would have problems every single royalty period.

2) My questions about my property (my book) to be answered civilly and within a reasonable period of time.

3) An actual business plan from my publisher. Do they market? How well and to who? How do the authors/books get chosen? Are books made available via a system that works and is reliable? Etc.

4) A contract that makes sense. Every contract has rights grabs in it. All sorts of stuff. My Harlequin contract is like eleventy pages long. But when my agent asked questions, she was answered quickly and professionally. Even if the answer isn’t what i wanted to hear, I don’t think any author asking a question about a contract term should go ignored unless she’s nuts or something.

It’s not really a lot to ask.

I don’t have issues with publisher standards. I do have issues with being told that once epublishing acts just like traditional publishing they’ll be eligible.

The two models are very successful in their own way and I don’t see why they have to be exactly the same. Get the info out there and let people make educated choices. Give the authors some support if and when things go wrong.

I hate the idea that all epublishing gets tarred with the same brush. There are good epublishers out there. And I hate that the lack of recognition means those bad epublishers can pretty much act with impugnity because many don’t know better and even when they figure it out, it’s too late because they signed a contract filled with stuff they never realized could harm them later on.

Me neither, but the other points you brought up:

My own go beyond money and also look at things like structure and the way they do business like… Do the owners/editors also write and edit their own stuff? Is there a conflict there or is it out in the open?

Are questions about the publisher and the way it does business encouraged openly on the author loops or discouraged and handled behind closed doors if at all?

Are far more important that the magical 1k advance. This is the type of stuff RWA should want to see defined in order to recommend publishers as viable markets.

My own go beyond money and also look at things like structure and the way they do business like… Do the owners/editors also write and edit their own stuff? Is there a conflict there or is it out in the open?

Do any of the authors doing business there feel there is a chosen few allowed greater access?

Is going to print standardized company wide with set parameters?

Is the contract grabby and are those aspects negotiable?

Are questions about the publisher and the way it does business encouraged openly on the author loops or discouraged and handled behind closed doors if at all?

But if those standards are showing an acceptable minimum level of financial stability and publishing experience I dont think that’s a horrible thing.

By financial stability I don’t mean the 1k advance. I mean stability in general –accurate accounting of sales with detailed royalty statements and enough money in reserve to meet the monthly/quarterly payments due in a timely fashion.

Then something even more generic like a set of “industry standards” might be the way to go.
Although I think the once you start looking at that we are back to a small group that meets all the standards.