Hybrid publishing with Jennie Marts

In January, we had a guest speaker discuss hybrid publishing with us. Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after.

What is hybrid publishing? That term is typically applied to an author who publishes with a traditional publisher and also Indie publishes. The difference between the two, according to Marts, is control and timing. In Indie publishing, you have control over everything, but you do more work (and you have to pay for it all). With traditional publishing, you have zero control, but they do all the work (and they pay for most of it).

As an example, professional editing is one of the most important parts of publishing. In traditional publishing, the publishing company pays for editing, while with Indie publishing, the author pays. It's expensive, but some of the best money a writer can spend. The same with book covers and formatting.

While those are costly and important differences, the writing remains the same. Write, edit, revise, and promote (no matter if you're the publisher or you have a traditional publisher). “Writing is a marathon, not a sprint,” Marts says. It’s all about the long run.

If you're considering Indie or hybrid publishing, Marts will be presenting this topic and more at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in April.