Hybrid publishing is real. Here’s why you should consider it.
Hybrid publishers like Ideapress, Greenleaf Book Group, and Mascot Books are invisible to some folks: agents and traditional acquisitions editors whom I’ve interviewed can’t seem to see them. But for many authors, they’re a realistic publishing alternative, and may even be the best choice.
The third alternative
Authors who haven’t studied the alternatives imagine that there are two ways to get in print.
There’s the traditional way: you write a proposal, possibly get an agent to help, pitch publishers, and hope they’re interested. If you get an offer and take it, the publisher pays you advance money up front and edits, publishes, prints, and distributes the book. That can take more than a year, but you’ll get a nice logo on the spine of your book with a picture of a penguin or a wave.
If you can’t make it that way, you could try self-publishing. You write the book (possibly with the help of an editor that you hire), pay somebody to lay out the pages and do a cover, and submit it to Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing or Ingram Spark. You get no advance, because you are the publisher. If somebody buys a copy, Amazon or Ingram prints it and binds it as soon as it’s ordered. While Ingram can get your book listed for distribution, bookstores probably won’t order it. So your book is really only available on Amazon.
Hybrid publishing is a third way to get into print, with some elements of both self-publishing and traditional publishing.
What is hybrid publishing?
In hybrid publishing, you pay a publisher to publish your book.
This method has had a bad reputation in the past: “vanity publishing” was the derogatory way traditional publishing folks described a process where authors paid to have a book published. Anybody who pursued vanity publishing obviously wasn’t serious and probably couldn’t interest a traditional publisher.
But today’s hybrid publishers aren’t interested in vanity authors. They’re looking for authors who want more control over their own books, and are willing to pay up front for that privilege. And for some authors — especially those with substantial online platforms and speaking careers — that’s a good deal.
I have a fair amount of experience with hybrid publishers. Greenleaf Book Group published a book I cowrote, The Mobile Mind Shift. Mascot Books/Amplify published two books I ghostwrote: The Age of Intent and Marketing to the Entitled Consumer. Rohit Bhargava’s Ideapress Publishing has published excellent books by people I admire, including Charlene Li’s The Disruption Mindset, Laura Gassner Otting’s Limitless, and Todd Caponi’s The Transparency Sale. Lifetree Media will publish a book I’m editing, The AI-Powered Enterprise. And I’ve interviewed and been impressed with the people who run Page Two Books and Scribe.
In my author survey, authors who worked with hybrid publishers were happier with their publishers than those that were published traditionally Why? Let’s look at what’s different between the two methods.
- Hybrid publishers aren’t gatekeepers. They won’t publish just anybody — you still need to prove you have a plan to write and promote a decent book. But if you can pay, they’ll consider you.
- They’re faster. Hybrids don’t have a “fall list” or a “spring list.” They’ll slot you in as soon as you want — typically within six months of when you complete your manuscript.
- They providing editing. Based on my experience speaking with business authors and their publishers, traditional publishers generally expect you to deliver a publishable manuscript and take a very light touch on editing. If you need more editing than that, a hybrid publisher will supply it. (That’s the work I’m doing right now as a contractor for Lifetree, for example.)
- They produce a quality product. I defy you to distinguish The Disruption Mindset, The Transparency Sale, The Age of Intent, or The Mobile Mind Shift from any other book you’d buy in a bookstore. The quality of the content, editing, layout, printing, binding, and artwork are comparable. (In fact, for the two books I published with Mascot, the cover artist was the same woman who had designed my covers at Harvard Business Press.) And my experience with the process of production (copy editing, page layout, printing) at hybrid publishers was typically better and faster than what I got from traditional publishers.
- They’re more economical for author copies. At a hybrid publisher, author copies are available for the cost of printing and shipping. At a traditional publisher, you’ll get a discount, but you’re still paying a lot for your own book (in fact, author copies are part of their profit calculation). Traditional publishers frown on you selling your own book, while hybrid publishers encourage it — some will even help you set up a Web site and fulfill orders for you.
- They’re more responsive. At a hybrid publisher, you are the customer. They treat you that way. At a traditional publisher, the bookstore is the customer. You’re an important part of the process, but the level of service from the publisher can be disappointing. (I’ve heard a lot of whining about publishers from authors.)
- Hybrids can actually be more profitable for authors. A hybrid publisher pays a far higher per-book royalty than a traditional publisher. If you only sell a few thousand copies, you’ll make more money from the traditional publisher’s advance. But if you sell 30,000 or 50,000 copies, you’ll earn back the money you paid the hybrid publisher and actually come out ahead.
Let’s be clear: there are downsides to hybrids as well. Their imprint carries less weight and reputation. It’s harder to get your book reviewed. It’s harder to get onto bestseller lists (although Laura Gassner Otting’s book with IdeaPress did make the Washington Post bestseller list). Traditional publishers have better distribution — they’re more likely to get you visibility in places like Barnes & Noble and with overseas distributors — but keep in mind that B&N is a tough place to break into for a new business author in any case. You can get into airport bookstores with either type of publisher, but those bookstores charge a significant fee for placement, and you’ll probably have to pay that fee yourself regardless of what kind of publisher you use.
And, of course, with a hybrid publisher, you’re going to be on the hook for an initial investment, typically at least $20,000. That’s a hard financial pill to swallow when you compare it to a traditional publisher who will pay you up front, provided you can get an offer from them.
One final point about hybrids: they are not all the same. Scribe Publishing (formerly Book-in-a-Box) is less selective; it cranks out a lot of books. (The Independent Book Publishers Association wouldn’t even classify it as a hybrid on that basis.) Forbes Books focuses on building “thought leadership” and charges significantly higher fees. Lifetree and Ideapress perform intensive coaching and editing processes and are more like partners. Mascot Books/Amplify is ramping up and, based on my experience, delivers excellent service at a fair price; in competitive situations, it often wins. So if you’re considering a hybrid, pitch several, ask for references, talk to your author friends who use them, and compare.
Why hybrids are invisible to many in publishing
I’ve spoken to two agents about hybrid publishers. One said they rarely come up; the other was confused about what a hybrid publisher is and seemed to think they only publish ebooks.
I’m not surprised that agents don’t see (or don’t want to see) hybrids. Agents make money from a percentage of advances and royalties. Hybrids don’t pay advances. An agent doesn’t want to pitch a publisher who won’t pay an advance.
The publishers I spoke to basically said, “We don’t compete with those guys.” They imagine that hybrid publishers serve a different audience and set of authors than they do. I’m not so sure about that.
Among authors I work with and connect with, hybrid publishers are very much in the discussion. Many of these authors have large web followings with podcasts, blogs, YouTube channels, or newsletters. They have speaking careers. They have money. And they know they can move a lot of books throughout their own channels, and that having a book will boost their standing in those same channels. They’ve done the math and they believe the hybrid investment is worth it — and in many cases, could even pay off in the end for them.
These authors know that their relevance online is more potent than their placement in a table in a bookstore. They expect their book buyers to acquire their books at a conference, at a speech, on their site, or in response to a mention on one of the online properties in their author platform.
This doesn’t describe every author. But for authors in this class, hybrid publishing is a realistic way to get in print. They won’t hear about it from their agent or their traditional publisher, but they will certainly hear about it from their professional friends who’ve published books this way.
I have a “partnership contract” with Austin Macauley that should see my book come out end of this month or next. I haven’t heard from them and they did not reply to my email asking when I might see the MS for proof reading. Should I be worried?
If you’re working with them, they should be responsive to your requests. Thats the least you should expect.
Hi Linsey
I am just wondering how you got on with AM? Thanks
HI MEADDHBHRA. Slow reply because it went to Junk. I did hear from them soon after with a proof. The first round of editing has been awful because AM applied a stack of standard ‘Styles’ (for headings, paragraphs, spacing) etc that completely destroyed the formatting I need. I made it clear what I need in my first return. We shall see what comes back. Slow process.
Thanks for making contact.
Continuing the story: I received a second proof in January ’22. It was very good and I was again hopeful. With the text in order, it only needs the photos. When I self published, before, I used some of my own photos and some from stock companies on the web. Some of those on the web I could no longer find but had hoped that AM might still be able to dig them up.
Now, I give up hope again. Harry’s newsletter of May 27 really said it all. Talking about ‘partnership’ contracts with unscrupulous publishers, he describes – pretty much verbatim – what has happened to me with AM. I realise I was a very obvious target for this scam. Sad. It’s a useful book but I totally lacked the self-marketing skills to make a success of the self published version and now I am too old and tired to pursue the matter further.
Yes, you should be concerned with Austin McCauley. They have a terrible reputation for scamming authors. AM is written up in Writer Beware, all over Goodreads, and on a watchdog list of caution. I recently declined a contract with them. To me, it’s a slap in the face for any “publisher,” to ask an author for thousands of dollars upfront to “publish” their manuscript and for a whopping $3,100, you only get an eBook and Print book. If you want to pay $ 6,600, gee, you even get a hardcover and audio! A rip off. Basically, they prey on desperate authors wanting to appear” traditionally” published, even though none of their titles gets a traditional contract, if they even ever offered one in the past.
I wonder, did they charge you for editing too? Based on what I’ve heard, authors barely, if ever, have received any return on their investment with AM.
I really appreciate all the feedback that I’m seeing on this website I have been offered a contract from this company I have not used hybrid before I had been traditionally published and republished self publishing some years ago and didn’t receive any funds whatsoever and whatsoever for anything that was done with my book I had my own illustrator and the book was wonderful however my traditional publisher has some circumstances that hurt some circumstances that hurt her financially so I moved on with a on with the recommendation from my lawyer I have written many children’s books and I have some adult novels that I’m working on and I’m looking for a more traditional company in Ontario Canada I am not willing to spend ridiculous money to accompany with no guarantees Although they are offering me 25% royalties and a lot of promises there is no guarantees and the money that they want in US dollars is great I appreciate all that you’re sending me and I will really think more than twice about setting myself up with a company with no guarantees I am someone who would prefer to receive grants for books to write in the future as this company does not allow that either as a Canadian writer as a Canadian writer I find this is more difficult to be dealing with in American publisher although I have been published through an American publisher before and received nothing for all the hard work that I did I really appreciate and I wish you all the very best thank you so much for your input it really helps my decision immensely
I have a children’s book is a hybrid publisher a better fit for me or should I look for an agent
“They providing editing.” Really?
In my case, OVER-editing. And we are 5 months beyond the contract publication date.
Hybrid publishing is fast becoming the new normal. It is as good, if not better, than traditional publishing. Don’t knock something because of being ‘suspicious’.
Does doing Hybrid publishing land your book in stores? Or does Traditional publishing only put your book in stores? I was offered a Hybrid publishing contract but I want to make sure my book ends up in stores. Does it do that?
Hybrid publishing will put your book on Ingram or another database so stores can order it.
Some (not all) hybrid publishes use a sales force to call on bookstore chains and attempt to get the book into stores. For example, Greenleaf Book Group does this. You will pay for this service. And the existence of the sales force does not guarantee the book will get into stores.
However, be aware that it is increasingly difficult for traditional publishers to get your book into stores. They too have sales forces — often large ones — but the bookstores are limiting inventory for books by new authors.
I think I have definitely been scammed by Austin McCauley. In February and again in April, I protested to AM that we had passed the contracted publication date. In July, I received a mangled first proof. They had applied an automatic editing process that applied their “styles” regarding things like: ‘ or “; indents; line spacing; italics; et al. The book is self-help for survivors of childhood trauma who are still suffering severe PTSD. I used indenting of paragraphs to separate the didactic ‘voice’ of the present author from examples in the ‘voice’ of the past child. Their changes completely wiped out the distinction and rendered the text un-intelligble. I returned the proof, accepting those changes that were acceptable and protesting that the paragraph format must remain as I had designed it.
Since then, nothing except an apology from my (new) production person that he had been on annual leave. I addressed my last Email to the ‘Editors’ as well as my production person – that was October 4. Still nothing.
The article by Harry Bingham on Jerico is scathing about AM but does not accuse them of anything illegal, only immoral. Breach of Contract? I think that is illegal. I am not sure how to proceed but will explore. Any suggestions?
Had difficulty with Hybrid publisher Fulton Books. Incredibly difficult representative. Felt like they were an adversary rather than a publisher. Terminated my contract during editing. Now looking for someone else. Any suggestions?
Its really difficult as to who do you trust these days. We all want our books out there and doing well. Its a lot to ask us to pay these high amounts to publish. Then you have more fees to promote and no way of knowing if you will make any $$$. We are writers and we want to give to so many in the world. We also need to live. There are many companies out there offering to publish however how many actually make you successful? Does anyone know who to trust and actually make success of our books?
I do not think it’s the publisher’s job to make you “successful.” Their job is to print and get your book out there for people to see. If your book is good, then it will sell. If not well, people aren’t interested. As far as a price for hybrid publishing…these companies offer a service to produce a book. They aren’t charities. They have to be paid for their services. I don’t understand the thinking that its the job of the publisher to turn your book into a number one bestseller, no more then a record label being responsible to make sure a song is number 1. At the end of the day it’s ALL about if what you wrote is interesting and enjoyable to people.
I am considering a Hybrid deal and cannot find anyone in UK I believe in enough (both AM and Olympia have offered a contract). I have had offers from GreenLeaf and Amplify but they are a high costs does anyone have any experience of either of these or advice on a UK Hybrid that is reputable? Thanks (its a business motivational book)
Hi Nick. I would say don’t touch Austin Macauley. I have had a terrible experience with them. I had a self-help book for survivors of child trauma. Qualified counselor, lived experience. AM said it “deserved to be published but .. [it was unlikely to be much of a money maker]”. So they offered a “partnership” deal in which I put AU$5000 into the editing process … etc. I agreed with their assessment and it was a fair deal. That was Feb 2019. Their first edit was a mash-up that clearly resulted from an automatic program that checked style: commas, indents, paragraph format,,, but only the first half. Since the narrative was in two different “voices” (the hurt child and the now-therapist) that were distinguished by indentation of the txt, this completely destroyed the sense. The second draft, from a different person, was rather better. The third communication was October 2022 and was still a long way from complete. I simply gave up and have not heard from them again. In the interim I have seen web sites with many similar tales of woe. e.g. https://jerichowriters.com/austin-macauley/. https://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/9ocp9c/stay_away_from_austin_macauley/