Publishing With Hybrid Publishing Companies

So even Tarzan wants to publish a book? Well, everybody - or nearly everybody - is writing and writing or dreaming of doing just that. Some even have high hopes of turning their writings into a new career, but that part of their dreams may prove more difficult than they imagined, even for good authors. A truth that's not even news as it always has been that way, just think of e.g. Jane Austin and Mary Shelley who had to pay their way into the business and who didn't make much money out of it even though they wrote what has become classics.

Mary Shelley

These day one of the roads toward the status of "published writer" is what is called "the hybrid press". It's my impression that many authors who believe in their art are willing to pay some of the costs of publishing although that system seems to belong to an earlier time period. Modern times ideal has been the traditional publishing, and that's what the hybrid publishing resembles, but isn't. Traditional publishers live by the SALE of books which is what gives them their revenue, but the hybrids live by the authors paying them and, in some cases, the funds of some foundations which were set up to support art and literature. It goes without saying that the main purpose of publishing for publishers is to earn money and keep it without having to spend it on e.g. their clients: The authors. As the revenue for hybrid publishing companies isn't entirely tied up with sale, but with funds and the more or less substantial fees from authors they may skip what's one of the most important part of the deal for the authors: PR. 

The author, up on a cloud, may be dreaming of that new career as a published writer which is what he/she wants the most. I think that's the main reason why people may, sort of, overlook the real substance of the contracts with these publishers. Having published with traditional publishers one takes for granted that sale of one's book is the main point for the hybrids, but no, it's not. To keep what fees and funds they've got is what it's about so they feel free to e.g. state some of their most important obligations as "PR as planned by publisher" which in some cases means none at all. In my opinion that spells CHEATING! Both The Independent Book Publishers Association and The Society of Authors and the Writers Guild of Great Britain have tried to curb the most scandalous of the hybrid publishers, but seemingly without success. - By the way, as far as I can see, right now we only have one hybrid publishing company in Denmark, namely Mellemgård which always seems to be the focus of angry and unsatisfied clients ....

It's confusing that some/most of these new publishing companies doesn't even identify as "either-or" set-ups because the borders of each type are wavering. Hybrid publishing in many ways looks like traditional publishing, but is anything but. In other ways it looks like self-publishing with a twist. Right now the publishing industry is very confusing and I fear that it shall get worse in the future as it's not regulated and the offers by the companies aren't transparent. One may sign up for something which turns out to be very different from what it looks like to newbie authors ....

 

Wikipedia

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/337548986330055/permalink/481565705261715/ 

 

https://www.austinmacauley.com/about-us 

 

https://janeyburton.com/self-publishing-hybrid-vanity-a-simple-guide/ 

 

https://jerichowriters.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hybrid-publishing/ 

 

https://www.authorimprints.com/hybrid-publishing-self-publishing-definition/