Very interesting thoughts. I agree that you need to decide what your goals are. What about Hybrid Publishing ? I am a hybrid publisher who works with speakers, entrepreneurs and coaches to write a book to help them become more visible on speaking stages, radio shows and podcasts and creating workshops , masterclasses and courses . This is the real way they make money by having a book.
Not for everyone but a good option if you are interested in elevating your business.
Sure. Hybrid publishing is a cross between traditional publishing and self publishing. They provide a full team of vetted people who will do everything from the editing to the production , cover design , distribution and marketing .
You pay for these services but you get the bigger share of the royalties than
In traditional publishing
You also own the rights to your book unlike traditional publishing where they buy the rights to your book
I would be glad to discuss this in further detail . Email me at kbstrauss@gmail.com
I recently decided that instead of waiting and waiting for the call from a literary agent that never comes, I will go the hybrid publishing route. Coming from the world of documentary film – where almost everyone has to raise the money themselves in order to make their films and get them 'out there' – doing some form of self or hybrid publishing feels a lot more empowering 😊
I tried a publisher 10 years ago and learned about the world of the VANITY PRESS.
Since that day, when I spent $4k and sold 1, yes, that's one, book I decided to self pub and I sell Mayne 40 books a month with my publisher being me, SnipDawg Publishing and the printer is Amazon.
For me to go back to a regular publisher it would have to be an amazing deal. Not quite sure any publisher would touch me since I am an unknown factor, I know no agent will touch me because I am an unknown writer however in order to become unknown writer you need to publisher in an agent. So 40 bucks a month is fine for me. Someday I would like to be on the top 100 best seller list and I would even take position 100.
Every book, agent, author, and experience varies, but agents take on "unknown" authors all the time. :) There are just a LOT of "unknown" authors trying for those spots.
If you're selling 40 books a month, why are you only making $40? I sell about the same and make about $120: thanks to Amazon kdp. I have published one novel and one non-fiction book this year: hard work but was advised to publish independently by the Society of Authors.
I'm making about the same James. Yes I have 40 books, but my sales are predominantly five specific books not dealing with any of my science fiction but rather with my business that I do for a living. I am an EDI programmer and developer and those books explain EDI and painstaking detail so somebody can go from nothing to understanding edi. These books are sold in every market around the world and I sell between 40 I think my best month was 75 books. I get emails from CEOs cios and people breaking into the field telling me that because of the books they became an active part of the department and understood what they were doing.
It's an interesting post and I was also interested in waiting a bit to read some of the comments. I have to say that self-publishing is just SO much work. I think a person needs to be more of an entrepreneur (or not care about their sales) to really make that work. As someone who started a business earlier in life, I just don't have the energy anymore for projects like that -- thinking about the layout AND the editing AND the marketing ... it's a lot to take on! Way more than just writing the book and helping promote it!
I have a book coming out in October (from a subsidiary of a big 5), and I'm amazed at how much work they've done. I could never have done anything equivalent. But, like you say, if someone has a huge platform and KNOWS they could sell books AND can hire people to help them do layout, editing, etc. then for sure they can make more money per book. My royalties are going to be wee and little!
Great stuff here, as usual, Kate. I'm in a middle-of-my-career crisis and need to re-think my goals after being both trad pubbed (small publishing) and self and making a genre switch on top of that! Thanks for prompting this process for me.
Great article. It all comes down to the author's "Why" and mission statement. If it's clear enough, the mission statement can guide decisions on traditional vs indie publishing, submitting short stories, creating Substack serials and more.
This is great advice, since it encourages writers to actually think about their publishing goals instead of a default option (thinking one is "easier") or a dream (dream of trad pub, dream of making $$$ right away with self-pub). Writers are lucky they have so many options these days, but figuring out which one is right for you, at this time, for this book, can be tricky.
Asking questions about goals is the first step. I’m about to publish my third book, a memoir, with a hybrid publisher, She Writes Press. My goal for this book was different than my previous books. For those, I intended to use them as back of the room sales with clients. However, I want more for the memoir. SWP now has Simon & Schuster as their distributor. The book will get into bookstores and libraries. I also didn’t have the time and energy to do all the logistics of the book like cover design, formatting, meta data, sales team, etc. You do pay up front but retain your rights and a greater percentage of the royalties. I view this as me giving myself an advance instead of a traditional publisher doing so. If you choose a hybrid publisher do your homework and choose a professional and vetted company. @brookewarner has written extensively about hybrid publishing. She runs She Writes Press. It felt good to feel supported with a knowledgeable team. My next book will have different goals and I’m considering going back to self publishing again. I’ve learned that it’s true, there isn’t a right way to publish. As authors we have more freedom and possibilities. It just depends on our goals which we choose.
THANK YOU for this, Kate. I am currently self-publishing my third cookbook (the first two were with traditional publishers, but this one is a quirkier concept--and I wanted to get it on the market sooner--so I took the leap). It's so much work, and there's lots of self-doubt when you're all on your own, but your post reinvigorated me a bit. :)
Hi Kate, I have a couple of questions: you mentioned that the person you talked to had queried a healthy number of agents (around 30). I know this can depend, but is that the average number a prospective author will query?
Also: what about indie publishing? Sounds like it could be a middle ground for authors who don't want to do everything themselves, but also don't want to (or can't) get traditionally published?
There's no data to give us an average query number. Some query 4 agents. Some query 140. It varies person to person, genre to genre.
Afaik, "indie" publishing is another name for self-publishing and/or hybrid publishing. I suppose it could refer to smaller publishers who take unagented submissions, too.
Many thanks, Kate! Your newsletters are just what all of us writers and illustrators know we need. We love them.
But what do people need from us that can help build engagement and our platforms? I’ve 1300 Facebook friends, but I view few of their posts and rarely, if ever, hear from 95%. I spend most time contributing to three groups. Same for X-Twitter. Out of all the published authors’ newsletters offered, how many get read? And then there’s those available from writers with no track record, along with podcasts, YouTubes and more...with no comments. And they all take so long to produce with content we believe is worthwhile...to who? Lack of comments received made me wonder if my newsletter effort was worth it. It's dormant..
I was once co-editor of online magazines for a branch of the librarian dominated Children’s Book Council of Australia. We tried to provide interest, such as interviews with creators of new books and a member of their publishing team...but a large number of members were apparently too busy to open and read them.
I used to think having a legacy website packed with with articles, tips, images and resources for teachers might be enough.
My first books were traditionally published without an agent: how-to calligraphy books for adults, and Middle Grade science. Others have followed: a picture book and several more calligraphy and papercrafts books, and multiple spin-offs, and I'm writing in new genres. Those published have all been much better books that I would have created by self-publishing. I would have stopped paying for editing earlier. 300+ emails were exchanged with one how-to book’s editor. The publisher paid for two designers who screened back images for page backgrounds, paid for AC/DC stock image use, wanted extra art from me for borders and decorations. The result is/was the best ever business card—it’s out of print.
For picture books, an art director said traditional publishers like to use illustrators who are likely to create what no one else (most authors) would imagine from the words. For my text of a creepy crocodile tempting a bird to come closer, the illustrator pictured the crocodile in a Fred Astaire pose tempting the bird with dance moves, and the bird responding like Ginger Rogers—far better than my idea. And top illustrators can be fully booked with work for years ahead, but traditional publishers will wait for the 'right one', whose work I would not be able to afford.
If a traditionally pub’d book doesn’t do well, a team member can lose their job, especially with repeated failures. The team will try very hard to help a book succeed, so I prefer the traditional route with agent input. When I had an agent (now retired—sigh) she got me double what a publisher offered for the deal. I’m querying...
But would a traditional publisher pay all their team and risk releasing a book on ‘How to do Gold Leaf Illumination of Capital Letters, Medieval Style’? I do believe it would be of value, but to how many people? I like to share my long experience, and may be tempted to self-publish that somehow, though I’m sure if I do, it won’t be as attractive as a traditionally published book, not such a sumptuous experience.
I know of no writer who would pass up a big 5 (or is it big 4) offer. The reach, power, and prestige of the bigs can't be minimized. If we're talking money, the author will make some money. Maybe a lot, and even more if the book will is optioned by Netflix or some other media giant. The chances of any of this happening with self publishing is minimal. To say the least.
You're right! The chances are slim a book will be optioned for film if it is self-published. But chances a book will be optioned at all are super, duper slim. I do know authors who've turned down big 5 offers! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Very interesting thoughts. I agree that you need to decide what your goals are. What about Hybrid Publishing ? I am a hybrid publisher who works with speakers, entrepreneurs and coaches to write a book to help them become more visible on speaking stages, radio shows and podcasts and creating workshops , masterclasses and courses . This is the real way they make money by having a book.
Not for everyone but a good option if you are interested in elevating your business.
Thanks, Karen. Could you go into more detail about hybrid publishing and how one goes about it.
Sure. Hybrid publishing is a cross between traditional publishing and self publishing. They provide a full team of vetted people who will do everything from the editing to the production , cover design , distribution and marketing .
You pay for these services but you get the bigger share of the royalties than
In traditional publishing
You also own the rights to your book unlike traditional publishing where they buy the rights to your book
I would be glad to discuss this in further detail . Email me at kbstrauss@gmail.com
Best
Karen
I recently decided that instead of waiting and waiting for the call from a literary agent that never comes, I will go the hybrid publishing route. Coming from the world of documentary film – where almost everyone has to raise the money themselves in order to make their films and get them 'out there' – doing some form of self or hybrid publishing feels a lot more empowering 😊
https://kristinfellows.substack.com/p/hybrid-publishing-lessons-from-the/
Wonderful! Good luck!
I tried a publisher 10 years ago and learned about the world of the VANITY PRESS.
Since that day, when I spent $4k and sold 1, yes, that's one, book I decided to self pub and I sell Mayne 40 books a month with my publisher being me, SnipDawg Publishing and the printer is Amazon.
For me to go back to a regular publisher it would have to be an amazing deal. Not quite sure any publisher would touch me since I am an unknown factor, I know no agent will touch me because I am an unknown writer however in order to become unknown writer you need to publisher in an agent. So 40 bucks a month is fine for me. Someday I would like to be on the top 100 best seller list and I would even take position 100.
Every book, agent, author, and experience varies, but agents take on "unknown" authors all the time. :) There are just a LOT of "unknown" authors trying for those spots.
On the totem pole of unknown authors, I'm on the bottom covered by the growing grass..... 😉
If you're selling 40 books a month, why are you only making $40? I sell about the same and make about $120: thanks to Amazon kdp. I have published one novel and one non-fiction book this year: hard work but was advised to publish independently by the Society of Authors.
I'm making about the same James. Yes I have 40 books, but my sales are predominantly five specific books not dealing with any of my science fiction but rather with my business that I do for a living. I am an EDI programmer and developer and those books explain EDI and painstaking detail so somebody can go from nothing to understanding edi. These books are sold in every market around the world and I sell between 40 I think my best month was 75 books. I get emails from CEOs cios and people breaking into the field telling me that because of the books they became an active part of the department and understood what they were doing.
It's an interesting post and I was also interested in waiting a bit to read some of the comments. I have to say that self-publishing is just SO much work. I think a person needs to be more of an entrepreneur (or not care about their sales) to really make that work. As someone who started a business earlier in life, I just don't have the energy anymore for projects like that -- thinking about the layout AND the editing AND the marketing ... it's a lot to take on! Way more than just writing the book and helping promote it!
I have a book coming out in October (from a subsidiary of a big 5), and I'm amazed at how much work they've done. I could never have done anything equivalent. But, like you say, if someone has a huge platform and KNOWS they could sell books AND can hire people to help them do layout, editing, etc. then for sure they can make more money per book. My royalties are going to be wee and little!
Great stuff here, as usual, Kate. I'm in a middle-of-my-career crisis and need to re-think my goals after being both trad pubbed (small publishing) and self and making a genre switch on top of that! Thanks for prompting this process for me.
Thank you. Great insights and a methodology that is helpful. Appreciate it.
Great article. It all comes down to the author's "Why" and mission statement. If it's clear enough, the mission statement can guide decisions on traditional vs indie publishing, submitting short stories, creating Substack serials and more.
This is great advice, since it encourages writers to actually think about their publishing goals instead of a default option (thinking one is "easier") or a dream (dream of trad pub, dream of making $$$ right away with self-pub). Writers are lucky they have so many options these days, but figuring out which one is right for you, at this time, for this book, can be tricky.
Asking questions about goals is the first step. I’m about to publish my third book, a memoir, with a hybrid publisher, She Writes Press. My goal for this book was different than my previous books. For those, I intended to use them as back of the room sales with clients. However, I want more for the memoir. SWP now has Simon & Schuster as their distributor. The book will get into bookstores and libraries. I also didn’t have the time and energy to do all the logistics of the book like cover design, formatting, meta data, sales team, etc. You do pay up front but retain your rights and a greater percentage of the royalties. I view this as me giving myself an advance instead of a traditional publisher doing so. If you choose a hybrid publisher do your homework and choose a professional and vetted company. @brookewarner has written extensively about hybrid publishing. She runs She Writes Press. It felt good to feel supported with a knowledgeable team. My next book will have different goals and I’m considering going back to self publishing again. I’ve learned that it’s true, there isn’t a right way to publish. As authors we have more freedom and possibilities. It just depends on our goals which we choose.
THANK YOU for this, Kate. I am currently self-publishing my third cookbook (the first two were with traditional publishers, but this one is a quirkier concept--and I wanted to get it on the market sooner--so I took the leap). It's so much work, and there's lots of self-doubt when you're all on your own, but your post reinvigorated me a bit. :)
I completely agree, it’s all about asking about goals to determine the path that’s “right”’for each person.
Hi Kate, I have a couple of questions: you mentioned that the person you talked to had queried a healthy number of agents (around 30). I know this can depend, but is that the average number a prospective author will query?
Also: what about indie publishing? Sounds like it could be a middle ground for authors who don't want to do everything themselves, but also don't want to (or can't) get traditionally published?
There's no data to give us an average query number. Some query 4 agents. Some query 140. It varies person to person, genre to genre.
Afaik, "indie" publishing is another name for self-publishing and/or hybrid publishing. I suppose it could refer to smaller publishers who take unagented submissions, too.
Self.
Many thanks, Kate! Your newsletters are just what all of us writers and illustrators know we need. We love them.
But what do people need from us that can help build engagement and our platforms? I’ve 1300 Facebook friends, but I view few of their posts and rarely, if ever, hear from 95%. I spend most time contributing to three groups. Same for X-Twitter. Out of all the published authors’ newsletters offered, how many get read? And then there’s those available from writers with no track record, along with podcasts, YouTubes and more...with no comments. And they all take so long to produce with content we believe is worthwhile...to who? Lack of comments received made me wonder if my newsletter effort was worth it. It's dormant..
I was once co-editor of online magazines for a branch of the librarian dominated Children’s Book Council of Australia. We tried to provide interest, such as interviews with creators of new books and a member of their publishing team...but a large number of members were apparently too busy to open and read them.
I used to think having a legacy website packed with with articles, tips, images and resources for teachers might be enough.
My first books were traditionally published without an agent: how-to calligraphy books for adults, and Middle Grade science. Others have followed: a picture book and several more calligraphy and papercrafts books, and multiple spin-offs, and I'm writing in new genres. Those published have all been much better books that I would have created by self-publishing. I would have stopped paying for editing earlier. 300+ emails were exchanged with one how-to book’s editor. The publisher paid for two designers who screened back images for page backgrounds, paid for AC/DC stock image use, wanted extra art from me for borders and decorations. The result is/was the best ever business card—it’s out of print.
For picture books, an art director said traditional publishers like to use illustrators who are likely to create what no one else (most authors) would imagine from the words. For my text of a creepy crocodile tempting a bird to come closer, the illustrator pictured the crocodile in a Fred Astaire pose tempting the bird with dance moves, and the bird responding like Ginger Rogers—far better than my idea. And top illustrators can be fully booked with work for years ahead, but traditional publishers will wait for the 'right one', whose work I would not be able to afford.
If a traditionally pub’d book doesn’t do well, a team member can lose their job, especially with repeated failures. The team will try very hard to help a book succeed, so I prefer the traditional route with agent input. When I had an agent (now retired—sigh) she got me double what a publisher offered for the deal. I’m querying...
But would a traditional publisher pay all their team and risk releasing a book on ‘How to do Gold Leaf Illumination of Capital Letters, Medieval Style’? I do believe it would be of value, but to how many people? I like to share my long experience, and may be tempted to self-publish that somehow, though I’m sure if I do, it won’t be as attractive as a traditionally published book, not such a sumptuous experience.
I snorted at "Choose Your Fighter." That's exactly it, isn't it? Thank you for all you share, Kate!
I know of no writer who would pass up a big 5 (or is it big 4) offer. The reach, power, and prestige of the bigs can't be minimized. If we're talking money, the author will make some money. Maybe a lot, and even more if the book will is optioned by Netflix or some other media giant. The chances of any of this happening with self publishing is minimal. To say the least.
You're right! The chances are slim a book will be optioned for film if it is self-published. But chances a book will be optioned at all are super, duper slim. I do know authors who've turned down big 5 offers! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Turned down a big 5? I assume they're also looking for a new agent : ) Thanks Kate