For Many Authors, Hybrid Publishing Is the Best of Both Worlds
“Hybrid publishing is not just for authors who can’t get a traditional book deal. It’s for authors who want more control over their publishing journey and are willing to invest in their own success.”
– Jane Friedman, publishing industry expert.
Hybrid publishing is a publishing model that combines the best of traditional and self-publishing. As such, it gives authors the flexibility and control they need to bring their books to market. It is a relatively new concept, with the term “hybrid” first being used to describe this publishing model in the early 2000s. However, the idea of combining elements of traditional and self-publishing has been around for much longer.
Today, hybrid publishing is becoming increasingly popular as more authors seek to take control of their publishing journey while still benefiting from professional support and wider distribution. The hybrid publishing model has been taken advantage of by many bestselling authors, such as Hugh Howey, Mark Dawson, Bella Andre, Rachel Abbott, and CJ Lyons.
A key feature of hybrid publishing is that an ethical hybrid publisher—Atmosphere Press is an example—will focus on author satisfaction throughout the publishing process, taking the author’s artistic interests and desires into account more than a traditional publisher would. To enable this service-oriented approach, it is understood in hybrid publishing that the author will contribute financially to the project, and will receive a higher percentage of sales proceeds.
Here are the top 9 reasons hybrid publishing might be the best option for you:
1. Control
With hybrid publishing, you have more control over the creative process and how your book is marketed and distributed. You can make decisions about the direction of your book and have a say in how it’s presented to the world. Ally Machate, book editor and publishing consultant, said it well: “Hybrid publishing is the perfect solution for authors who want to take their writing career to the next level, but don’t want to sacrifice creative control or quality.”
2. Quality
Hybrid publishers offer professional editing, design, and production services to ensure that your book is of the highest quality. This means you can produce a book that you can be proud of and that readers will love. Hybrid publishers, unlike vanity presses, have a rigorous vetting process to ensure that the books they publish meet certain standards.
3. Support
Hybrid publishing companies offer support and guidance every step of the way to help you navigate the publishing process and achieve your goals. You’ll have a team of professionals at your disposal to help you produce a top-quality book.
4. Royalties
Hybrid publishing companies often offer higher royalty rates than traditional publishers, so you can earn more for your hard work. In traditional publishing, an author usually receives between 8% and 15% of the book’s list price. The publisher keeps the rest of the revenue to cover their costs and make a profit. In hybrid publishing, the author typically receives between 80% and 100% of the book’s net revenue (i.e., revenue after any distribution fees, printing costs, retailer fees, and other expenses are deducted).
5. Efficiency
Hybrid publishing companies offer faster production cycles, which means your book will be published more quickly than it would be with a traditional press. This is because a good hybrid publisher’s author-service approach means they are more responsive to authors, and help guide them through the process.
6. Exposure
Hybrid publishing companies can increase an author’s visibility and exposure through the use of promotional and marketing strategies tailored to the book and author. This is unlike self-publishing, in which the author often doesn’t have a support team to build influence for their book.
7. Credibility
Although self-publishing has become more mainstream in recent years, traditional publishing still carries a certain level of prestige and credibility. Hybrid publishing can offer authors the opportunity to work with a publisher and gain some of that credibility while still retaining more control over the process.
8. Accessibility
Hybrid publishers are more selective than vanity presses but typically less selective than traditional presses. They can take on more books than traditional publishers, meaning you are more likely to score a contract with them.
9. Distribution
Hybrid publishers can provide authors with access to distribution channels that are typically only available to traditionally published authors. This can help authors reach a wider audience and increase sales. This is one big reason hybrid publishers are often chosen over self-publishing companies.
In short, hybrid publishing is a flexible and supportive way to get your book published, while still maintaining control over the creative process. It’s the best of both worlds!
—
A writer is someone who writes. An author is someone who publishes. Are you ready to be an author?
Atmosphere Press has been guiding authors on rewarding journeys through publication and beyond since 2015. Our authors’ award-winning and acclaimed books have sold tens of thousands of copies across six continents, and our Press ethos is to put the power not in the hands of the publisher, but in the hands of the writer, where it belongs. Accredited with an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, we partner with the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Writer’s Digest, Poets & Writers, Winning Writers, and Writing Magazine, among others.
If you would like to explore taking this author journey with us, please reach out to us directly through our submissions page. We’ll look forward to helping you achieve your goals as a writer…and as an author!
