What is a hybrid press?
According to Wikipedia, the definition is as follows:
The traditional publishing model assumes no financial risk for the author. The publisher pays an advance to the author to publish their work, then proceeds to prepare that work for publishing. The publisher pays for all the editorial including the authors advance, production, marketing, sales, distribution, and wholesale costs and does not begin to recoup their investment in the book until the book is on the market and begins to sell.
The hybrid publisher follows this same model except the author is the one to assume the financial risk for their book. Rather than paying an author an advance, the hybrid publisher charges the author a fee for their publishing services. The author stills receives royalties on their book sales, as with the traditional method, but they must pay the fee for publishers services to get their book to market. Another qualification of the hybrid model is that the royalties for authors who elect to publish with the hybrid method should be higher than with the traditional publishing standard. In some cases the publisher also bears a portion of the cost for production, printing, or other publishing-related services—such as marketing or sales, since both the author and publisher share in the profits.
All the functions of a traditional press including evaluating submissions, editorial reviews (including substantive, developmental and stylistic editing), copywriting, design, proofreading, and print production are all part of the services that a hybrid publisher must also offer.
As hybrid publishing has become more popular over the years, the definition has become more clear, especially with standards put forward by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in 2018 for hybrid publishers to follow. The IBPA lists the following nine standards that should be followed by hybrid publishers:
Does HISTORIUM PRESS measure up to these standards?
Hybrid publishers must set forth a vision to follow for their company. CHECK
Submissions must be reviewed and vetted to not be classified as a vanity press. CHECK
The publisher must publish as its own defined imprint and request its own ISBNs. CHECK
Hybrid publishers must meet the standards and best practices set out by the publishing industry. CHECK
The quality of the production (design and printing) and editorial services must be up to industry standards. CHECK
The hybrid publisher must manage the rights of the works they publish as well as any subsequent rights that are acquired and work to find additional rights to sell for their authors. CHECK CHECK author maintains 100% of their rights
Hybrid publishers must manage distribution services or hire a distributor for their authors' works. CHECK
Hybrid publishers need to report reputable sales on the titles they publish. CHECK
Authors who sign with hybrid publishers must be paid a higher royalty than that of standard traditional publisher rates. CHECK CHECK - author keeps 100% royalty
Hybrid publishers often have their own specialties, as is the case with HISTORIUM PRESS. We specialize only in historical fiction, and all the sub-genres under that classification: Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Historical Biography, Historical Time Travel / Timeslip / Dual Timeline, Historical Non-Fiction, Historical Alternate, and General Historical.
Our packages are pretty clear and simple, and an author may utilize the premier ROYAL package to take their novel to the ultimate level of publishing success; the same model used for years for other hybrid publishing houses like SheWrites Press and Gatekeeper Press. We will uphold the same high standards, vetting manuscripts submitted to us through the submissions process and creating personal relationships with the authors we select, all with the goal of producing fine historical fiction for the marketplace.
Why purchase a package to publish your novel?
A very good and valid question. While most authors would love to get a big 5 publishing contract, or even a contract with a small traditional publisher, the reality is... it may not happen; and even if it does, this does not mean that you will not have to invest some money into marketing the book yourself. Unless you are a Gabaldon, Rowling, or King whose names mean instant success to a publisher, most houses only look at the bottom line when it comes to taking a chance on a new author.
In this world of publishing, face it, most authors imagine their creation is going to be the next big thing... and it might, but again, the reality needs to be that you view this more from the logical business mind rather than from the emotional attachment to your novel. Which, honestly, is a hard thing to do since you have labored over this creation with blood, sweat, and tears. However, this is a necessity to get anywhere in this vast world of novel writing. Being an author must become your career, and in any career, investment must become the reality. Art is subjective and not everyone will see your work the same way you do, so if you take your creation from a business standpoint instead of a artistic standpoint, then you will see the validity in investing in something that you believe in.
Think about it in terms of YOU standing in front of the 5 people on Shark Tank. You see hundreds of people come through there with a passion for what they have created, BUT the only way most of them stand a chance of finding a collaborating partner is to show good faith by what they themselves are willing to invest, whether time or money, in their own business.
It is the same with your novel. Passion and belief are good, and necessary, but are you willing to back up that passion and belief with your own time and money?
We take all the pressure off of you so you can focus on your career.... the career of writing. Yes, it is easier nowadays to do everything yourself, and if you have the time and money, then do it. Or if you can get a traditional publisher, by all means, go for it. Our services are the in-between, alleviating all that so you can be the author you want to be, without having to add the titles of 'editor', 'designer', and 'marketer' on your shoulders. Focus on your writing, let us do the rest. Believe in your words, and invest in your passion.
Thus, the model of any hybrid press. And again, this is quite different from a vanity press who devours authors, any and all authors, without any further assistance or even care of what kind of content they publish. HISTORIUM PRESS cares, and we will ensure that only quality comes through our imprint, thus giving any author publishing through us a solid and trustful foundation.
So, our doors are now open... step inside, and learn more about the next phase of The Historical Fiction Company.