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Vanity, Hybrid or Traditional?

There are a lot of choices when it comes to publishing your book. One of the choices you, as an author have to navigate is the route to getting your manuscript published. There are lots of misconceptions about this, and there is no 'right' path.

Below are the straightforward explanations of the differences between each type. They're not listed as pros or cons, simply because we believe that the path you choose should be without bias: you're the author, so as far as we're concerned, that's what matters.

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 Having spent months or years thinking, dreaming, writing and editing your manuscript to perfection, choosing how and with whom to get it published with can feel like a daunting task. The information below is to make it clearer for you to navigate and choose.

Surreal World

Types of Publishing 

As the author, it's your right to choose whichever one you prefer.

Hybrid

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​IBPA Hybrid Publisher Regulations;

  • Define a mission and vision for its publishing program

  • Vet submissions.

  • Publish under its own imprint(s) and ISBNs

  • Publish to industry standards

  • Ensure editorial, design, and production quality

  • Pursue and manage a range of publishing rights

  • Provide distribution services

  • Demonstrate respectable sales

  • Pay authors a higher-than-standard royalty (minimum 50% or higher)

Traditional

We're offering this now!

 

  • Most of the larger publishing houses don't accept unsolicited manuscripts

  • They will use their own imprint

  • The publishing house will take all the risk

  • They will issue the ISBN

  • They will edit and proofread the manuscript

  • They will vet submissions

  • They will offer an initial payment to the author which is then recouped from the sales, usually at a percentage that has been negotiated

  • They provide a distribution service

  • Demonstrate respectable sales

  • Pay authors high royalty percentage (65%)

  • Have regulations they must adhere to

  • Will do limited marketing and the author will be expected to do some as well. Some PH's will do all of this, but it depends on the author/book/publisher

Vanity

This is NOT what we're offering:

 

  • There are no specific regulations

  • The author takes all the risk

  • The author pays an amount to the company, who prints the book on demand 

  • The cost cast vary from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds

  • The author is expected to edit and proofread the manuscript

  • The author sources and pays for the cover separately (this can also cost several hundred pounds)

  • The author retains the rights to their manuscript

  • The author sources their own ISBN

  • They won't vet any submissions

  • Author retains 100% of the royalties

  • The author will do all of the their own marketing

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