You’ve undoubtedly heard of traditional publishers such as Simon & Schuster, and are probably aware of self-publishers such as iUniverse. Now there’s something new: Strategic Partnerships.
Strategic partnerships are hybrids, that is, self-publishing firms that operate under the umbrella of established traditional publishers such as Thomas Nelson, Harlequin and Hay House. However, the traditional publishers don’t handle the actual publishing: that’s done through a self-publishing firm.
The idea is you self-publish your book with one of the hybrid firms (for a fee, of course). But the “parent publisher” keeps an eye on these books, always looking for one that deserves to be “promoted” and published under the “parent’s” name. It’s kind of like being in the minor leagues, playing your heart out and hoping you’ll get to move up to the Big Leagues. There is, of course, no guarantee that your book will be “promoted.”
AuthorsSolutions, the parent company of self-publishers AuthorHouse, iUniverse and others, has created several of these hybrids, including:
- WestBow Press (westbowpress.com) – In partnership with the Christian publishing firm Thomas Nelson, WestBow says that although they will publish works in all genres, they specialize in “books with Christian morals, inspirational themes and family values.”
- Balboa Press (balboapress.com) – In partnership with the self-help publisher Hay House, Balboa Press says it will “help authors self-publish books that empower and improve the lives of others.”
- Dellarte Press (dellartepress.com) – In partnership with Harlequin Enterprises, well-known for its Harlequin romances. Dellarte offers “the opportunity for women’s fiction writers and romance authors to self-publish their books and achieve their dreams.”
AuthorSolutions explains the hybrids this way: “Authors get published and publishers can keep watch for the next great book.”
The idea is intriguing, but as these ventures are new it’s too early to say if a significant number of self-published books are re-released by the “parent publishers,” or if self-publishing through the Strategic Partnerships brings any benefits you can’t find with any other self-publishing firms.
We at Taylor-Fox can help you create your business book, health book, memoir, biography, inspirational book or other book and get it ready for publication. We’ve helped scores of people achieve their goals, and some of their books have landed on bestseller lists. Let us help you! Call us at 818-594-0379.
Note: All of the information in this blog entry came from the company websites. Before signing on with any firm, read the contract carefully and check review sites to see if there are any problems or special issues regarding this firm. I’ll address these issues in future blogs.
Nadine Taylor and Barry Fox write, ghostwrite, rewrite and edit books in many genres, including health, business, inspiration/ spirituality and memoirs. Their resume is long and varied but there’s one thing that never changes: They love to work with words, creating books that are clear, compelling and pleasurable to read. If you’re interested in writing a book, editing a book and/or publishing a book, you’ve come to the right place!
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