Frequently Asked Questions

This information applies to Ellora’s Cave and Cerridwen Press.

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

This fluctuates, so it’s a difficult question to answer. Overall, 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.

How do I submit to Ellora’s Cave or Cerridwen Press?

Electronic submissions only; no paper. Authors must be competent in MSWord, comfortable with email and online discussion loops.

Send an email to Submissions@ellorascave.com:

~ Subject line: List imprint and/or line for which you are submitting the story.

~ Message: Briefly list title, author, genre, short blurb of story, publication history.

~ Attached file in doc or rtf format, containing detailed synopsis, first three chapters, last chapter.

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. Submissions of a synopsis plus chapters typically receive an initial response within two months.

What are Ellora’s Cave’s contract terms?

Full contract supplied for review upon acceptance of story.

Royalties: 37.5% for digital releases; 7.5 % for print books.

Length of grant of publishing rights: Full term of copyright

Includes digital, print, audio, translation, and secondary/subsidiary rights.

Royalty payments contractually guaranteed quarterly, but in actuality we have always paid monthly! (And plan to continue to do so.)

How much money can I expect to make at EC?

That varies greatly from author to author. 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 stories. 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 the income, but we most certainly do have authors who make a VERY cushy living here.

How often do EC writers get paid?

Monthly.

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