Traditional Publishers Versus E-Publishers
In the mid-1990s, e-publishers, or electronic publishers, barely made a blip on the romance fiction radar screen. Ten years later, the story had changed as traditional print publishers began to offer their books in e-format. Much of the success of romance e-publishing can be attributed to e-publisher pioneers such as Ellora's Cave who specialize in erotic paranormal romances, one of the new hybrids in romance fiction.
As it became more difficult for new writers to break in, an increasing number of authors turned to e-publishers. Advances were low, if offered at all, but the higher royalty rates, frequent payment periods and creative freedom to write about subjects considered unmarketable by traditional publishers, made e-publishing an extremely attractive alternative.
Many e-publishers utilize Print On Demand technology, which allows them to print each book when an order has been received for it, rather than print a large number in advance of sales and store them in a warehouse.
