Hybrid publishing has grown tremendously over the past decade, and yet it remains one of the most misunderstood parts of the book world.
In this Author Insider conversation, I spoke with Brooke Warner, publisher of She Writes Press, about what hybrid actually is, how it differs from traditional and self-publishing, and what authors should understand before choosing a path.
If you’re weighing your publishing options—especially as a debut author—this should bring clarity to a space that often feels murky.
And if you don’t have time to watch the full conversation straight through, here are a few key moments you can jump to:
Key moments from the conversation
00:53 — What is hybrid publishing, really?
Brooke defines hybrid publishing and explains what separates it from vanity and self-publishing.
04:03 — How submissions work
We get into agented vs. unagented submissions, editorial curation, and why the size of an author’s platform isn’t a gatekeeper in the hybrid model.
10:11 — Distribution & bookstore access
What it means to have your hybrid-published book distributed through Simon & Schuster, and how that affects reviews and placement.
18:26 — The financial structure
How hybrid investment and royalties differ from traditional advances.
24:54 — Editorial control & cover decisions
Hybrid doesn’t mean “the customer is always right.”
32:34 — Rights & termination
What happens if an author wants their rights back?
36:01 — Is hybrid growing?
The rise of the middle space, and the definition tensions playing out in real time.
If this conversation raised questions for you about your own publishing path, don’t miss our upcoming “Pitch Your Novel” Substack Live, where we’ll shift from publishing models to the work itself and talk through how to position your project in a way that actually gets attention. It will be practical, candid, and (as always) focused on helping writers move forward.
And a special thank you to Irena Smith, Lisa St. Lou, Amy Benavides, Alizah Salario, Chip hauss, and many others for tuning into my live video. I hope to see you all at the next conversation.
Until next time,
Panio Gianopoulos
Editorial Director, Author Insider & The Next Big Idea Club
