Are Hybrid Publishers Legit? Are You Aware of This third Publishing Option?
A lot of new authors are aware of the two most common options for publishing their books— self-publishing and traditional publishing. Both of these have their benefits and drawbacks. Which one you choose will depend on your needs and your goals. But there is a third option that I’d like to discuss—hybrid publishing. But are hybrid publishers legit? What should you expect when pursuing this option, and what are some red flags you should watch out for? I’ll explain below.
What is Hybrid Publishing: The Basics
Hybrid publishers, also known as partner publishing (and often confused with vanity publishing), are publishers that authors pay to do the work of publishing their book. They do the work of a self-publisher, but release it under their imprint. Of course, not all hybrids are equal. But most will design the cover, format the interior, and make it available through their distributor. So, aside from benefiting from their expertise, you benefit from the distribution model of a legitimate hybrid press. However, you will still be responsible for the editing, printing, and marketing costs.
Unlike traditional publishers which cover all the up-front costs and pays royalties, hybrid publishers charge what should be a reasonable amount for the up-front fees and you earn a much larger royalty. Royalties from a hybrid press often range from 25 to 40 percent, whereas a traditional publisher pays closer to 10 percent. But, if you’re paying $7,000 or more for your up-front fees, that royalty better be in the higher range! At least that’s my opinion. Otherwise, you might as well hire someone to help you self-publish (or as I like to call it—independently publish).
What Separates a Hybrid Press from a Vanity Press?
The reason hybrid publishers are sometimes confused with vanity presses is because they basically run on similar models. You pay them to publish your work. But with a partner or hybrid press, they benefit from producing your book well. Why? Because they share in the profits in the form of a percentage of book sales. A vanity press profits from the creation of your book and has very little incentive to do it well, aside from maybe their reputation. Also, vanity presses will accept any manuscript, good or not.
So, are Hybrid Publishers Legit? That Depends on Your Perception and Their Practices
A good hybrid will ensure that your book is ready and will tell you when it’s not. Legit hybrid publishers will vet your manuscript to see if it fits their standards. If not, they typically tell you why and give you the option of paying their in-house editors or using your own editor before resubmitting your work.
Remember, there’s no guarantee that a traditionally published book will be better than a book published by a hybrid press, or even a self-published book. It’s all based on perception.
Speaking of perception. Some years back, walking through an airport, a book displayed on Top Ten Books caught my eye. It seemed familiar but it took me a second before my brain put it together. There on the Top Ten Books shelf was a book I had declined to work with years earlier. I won’t say what book it was, but let’s just say I didn’t think the book would do well. Yet there it was, proudly displayed as a bestseller.
That experience was a good lesson in judging a book’s value. But you can bet your bottom dollar that I will still judge a book if it’s published badly. There is no excuse for typos, a poorly designed cover, or an interior that runs too far to the gutter, etc. There are many reasons to judge a book, obviously. So make sure it’s not because your book was poorly produced. My point is, if you’re going to work with a hybrid press, I suggest you do your homework and make sure they are good at what they do.
How Do You Know That A Hybrid Publisher is Legit?
First, I would like to note that IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) considers hybrid publishing to be a legitimate form of publishing. With that said, they don’t wholesale endorse every hybrid publisher out there. Because, sadly, not all hybrid publishers are legit. IBPA provides a handy list of standards you can read and download here. So, if you’re considering using a hybrid publisher to publish your book, make sure they fit this criteria.
There are other organizations to help authors track scams, and avoid being taken advantage of as well. Two of these are Writer Beware and The Author’s Guild.
Remember, it’s up to you to do your due diligence when choosing a hybrid publisher, or any other service that helps you in the publishing process.
But some of the red flags to look out for across the board, according to the IBPA are:
- A lack of transparency
- No proof of previous sales
- Not ensuring your book is held to professional publishing standards
- They have no publishing mission or vision
- A contract that isn’t clear
Is Hybrid Publishing for You?
Now that you know the answer to the question, are hybrid publishers legit, you can decide if hybrid publishing is right for you. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to do your research and make sure they’re above board. It’s also best to find one that will be a good fit for your book!
Because hybrid publishers will do all the work of publishing for you, they can be great for someone who doesn’t have the time or energy to learn how to do the work themselves, or even to outsource it to various publishing service providers. This, of course, means having the money to pay for the work of getting your book out there. In other words, hybrid publishing may be great for someone who prefers a hands-off approach and would rather spend money than time or effort.
Even if a Hybrid Publisher is Legit, There are Still Things to Consider
A big thing to consider is the distribution model. For instance, your book is more likely to get into brick-and-mortar stores through traditional distribution than through wholesale distribution. What’s the difference? Traditional distributors work to get your book into bookstores and take a cut of all sales while wholesale distribution is like a list of all books sold. So, while your book might be available to bookstores, no one is specifically trying to get them to order it. As I mentioned earlier, the main benefit of working with a hybrid press is that they have traditional distribution.
However, some hybrids use print-on-demand. This means your book will be available through Ingram, wholesale. With this distribution model the onus will still be on you to get your local bookstore to order your book. But I want to be very clear here. Just because a hybrid press uses traditional distribution, doesn’t guarantee your book will be carried by your local bookstore. Whether you publish traditionally, through a hybrid, or independently you’ll still need to market and build buzz for your book so that bookstores want to carry it.
Do Your Research to Make Sure a Hybrid Publisher is Legit
On another note, I recommend looking into books published through the hybrid you are considering. You’ll find their catalog on their website. Look for a few books that are comparable to yours and then go check them out.
- Do you like their covers?
- Are their interiors well done?
- Do they look like other books in their genre?
- How are they ranking on Amazon?
- Call your local bookstore and ask them if they carry them, or how easily they can get them.
You could even email the authors directly, if they have a website, and ask them about their experience. I also recommend joining a local writers group and asking your peers who they have worked with and how it went.
So, if you find a hybrid press that fits your needs, this could be the solution for you. Hybrids are also typically less discriminatory than a traditional publisher. If you’ve been rejected by traditional publishers and are ready to see your book on a shelf this might be a great option.
And Now for the Drawbacks
If you are looking to maintain complete control of your book, hybrid publishing may not be for you, though it depends on the hybrid. However, most will give you three cover options and a few rounds of revisions to choose from. With that said, I’ve worked with many authors who didn’t like their covers, and that seems like a real shame considering they paid to have it created.
Also, you’ll still have to do the work of promoting your book if you want to give it its best chance at success. So be sure to save money in your budget. Note: Make sure to ask your publisher what kinds of marketing they offer. And remember that marketing will come at a price. But this is true of traditional publishing now too. These days, the author does the lion’s share of marketing regardless of how they publish.
Remember What I Said About Printing and Distribution?
Another thing to consider is that many hybrid publishers print in bulk. Instead of using a print-on-demand (POD) service, they use an offset press to print runs of two to five thousand books. This means there is more pressure to sell and a bigger upfront investment involved. So what happens to those books if they don’t sell? In most cases, they will ask you to pay for storage or send your books back to you. This means they are effectively out of print.
Of course, with print-on-demand, you’ll earn less money per book sold because you pay more for each unit. An offset book might cost you $1.50 per book (the cost goes down per unit when you order in larger quantities), while a POD could cost you as much as $4 or $5 per book, depending on the page count.
Either way, neither printing option guarantees sales, so you have to decide what level of risk you are willing to take. You can have a bulk of books that you’ll make higher royalties on, but this comes with more pressure to sell, or, you can choose the less risky print-on-demand option that earns lower royalties.
Ultimately, It’s Up to You
In conclusion, and in my opinion, hybrid publishing is legit, but not every player is reputable. Do your homework and know what you want out of the deal. If you choose hybrid, you’ll potentially spend more money than you would self-publishing, but you’ll do far less work.
In times like these, I love to quote my good friend Lee Wind from IBPA, “Self-publishing is a misnomer, you are not supposed to do it yourself. Get help!” Whether you hire a publishing consultant, like me, to usher you through the process or let a hybrid press handle everything, you’ll want to do your homework. You’ll also need to know what you want out of the process and manage your expectations so that you’re not disappointed.
It should also be noted that with self-publishing you can spend as little or as much as you want, whereas hybrid publishing requires a set amount of an investment.
Which one you choose is up to you. Hopefully, that decision is easier to make now that you know more about hybrid publishers and how they work.
Here are Three Hybrid Presses I Know are Legit and Currently in Operation
In case a hybrid press model sounds good to you, below are the three hybrid presses I can personally vouch for as legit. This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means but it’s a good place to start! Whatever you decide, I wish you luck on your publishing journey!
- She Writes Press
- SparkPress
- Greenleaf Book Group
In case you want to know more about publishing consulting, as a way to guide you through the self-publishing process, look for my upcoming blog on the topic. You can subscribe here so you don’t miss it!
