Prior to the year 2000, traditional publishing was virtually the only one way to get your book published. You'd finish your manuscript, seek out a literary agent, hope they would take you on as a client, and have them shop your book to traditional publishing houses. The publisher would have you work with one of their in-house editors to revise your manuscript, often assuming the creative lead. The publisher would then pass your book on to their in-house design team to work on the interior, book cover, and other creative finishing touches.
The nice thing about traditional publishing is that the publishing house is full of publishing experts and assumes the financial risk associated with publishing your book, including paying you an advance on potential sales.
Once the 21st century rolled in, however, traditional publishing was no longer seen as the only way "real" authors got published. Thanks to good-old-fashioned readership and advances in experience and technology, hybrid publishing started to trend. As the volume and quality of co-published books improved, more readers and writers began to look at hybrid- and self-publishing in a new, more positive way.
By the year 2000, even some traditional publishers were getting into hybrid publishing. Typically set up as a separate division of a big publishing house, hybrid publishing became a "normal" or "acceptable" way to get your book published. Hybrid publishing combines some elements of traditional publishing with those of independent publishing. The traditional publisher takes a financial risk by investing in the hybrid arm of the parent company, but authors take on some of the financial risk as well. Whether part of a larger publishing company or a stand-alone operation, the hybrid publisher takes on expenses such as production, marketing, and distribution to brick-and-mortar stores. The author pays a set fee. The publisher and the author then split what’s earned from the sale of the book. A good hybrid publisher will offer you something of value that you might not have the time, talent, or desire to do yourself. Under the best scenario, your hybrid publisher will work with you both before and after your book is published to ensure the quality of your—and their—investment.
Many authors decide to forgo the services and fees associated with hybrid publishing in favor of potentially spending less money and maintaining all creative control. Now almost 20 years into the 21st century, traditional publishing is for the few compared to the millions of authors who are self-publishing their own work. Often referred to as independent publishers, authors who choose to self-publish may still end up investing financially in their work in the form of design, editorial, and book marketing help if those areas of expertise do not fall into their natural skill set. With independent publishing, you get to choose which professional service(s) you're willing to pay for up front, if any. When it comes to distribution, you make money when someone buys your book. If you have the indie spirit and go-getter attitude to succeed, self-publishing might be your best option.
This chapter was compiled from the following posts on the IngramSpark blog:
"Publishing Options: Traditional, Hybrid, and Self-Publishing" by IngramSpark
