List of Reputable Hybrid Publishers for Nonfiction Books US
If you’re writing nonfiction . . .
and your book is a memoir, business, thought leadership, self-help/self-improvement, health & wellness, or inspirational/faith-based, or even a politics book, a humor book, or a gift book . . .
and you’re considering hybrid publishing . . .
below is a list of some of the best reputable hybrid publishers for nonfiction books by US authors.
First, a reminder on the definition of hybrid publisher and some tips on how to find a hybrid press that is reputable, and then the list of the best of the reputable companies.
What is a hybrid publisher?
Under the hybrid publishing model, the author pays a company to produce and distribute their book in exchange for a high percentage of the royalties.
As a hybrid-published author, you keep the rights, you get creative control, it’s convenient, it gets your book out into the world, and it’s faster than traditional publishing.
But it’s expensive, there’s a stigma to it, you’ll still have to do a lot of book marketing on your own, you may be let down by the publisher’s reach and connections, and it’s easy to be scammed or upsold.
You may prefer to hire a book publishing coach to either help you navigate the self-publishing process yourself (it will cost you less money, give you even more creative control, but take more time and patience), or to try to get traditionally published, which may give your book more status and prestige and a wider reach and may better position you for a future traditional publishing deal. (You can find a full list of traditional publishing companies in the US here.)
Weigh the ins and outs and the pros and cons of hybrid publishing and determine what matters most to you.
If you’re looking for some options and want to dig a little deeper into what’s included and how much it will cost you, here is a list of publishers to evaluate.
For each hybrid publisher on the list, there are examples with links to the book page on the publisher’s website (if available) and to the book’s Amazon.com sales page.
Always do your own due diligence when carefully vetting a hybrid publisher for your book. Individual results may vary.
I was shocked by just how many (and how few) Amazon reviews some of the books had. Some on this list have 7,000+. Others have fewer than 50.
What makes a hybrid publisher reputable? How to find a reputable hybrid press?
The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) spells it out the best.
The IBPA’s Hybrid Publisher Criteria includes the following list of expectations, which all hybrid publishers are expected to meet (expanded details here):
Define a mission and vision for its publishing program.
Vet submissions.
Commit to truth and transparency in business practices.
Provide a negotiable, easy-to-understand contract for each book published.
Publish under its own imprint(s) and ISBNs.
Publish to industry standards
Ensure editorial, design, and production quality.
Pursue and manage a range of publishing rights.
Provide distribution services.
Demonstrate respectable sales.
Pay authors a higher-than-standard royalty
List of reputable hybrid publishing companies / Best hybrid presses for US nonfiction books
Compiled by publishing coach Daniel Tortora
Amplify Publishing Group
Imprints: Amplify Publishing | RealClear Publishing (politics) | Tagged Publishing (nonfiction and memoir) | 100 Coaches Publishing (executive coaching)
Amplify publishes Business, Politics, and Big Ideas books in these internal categories: Business and Finance; Health, Medicine, and Wellness; History; Industries; Inspirational and Personal Success; Memoirs and Biographies; Politics and Current Affairs; Professional and Technical; Sports and Recreation
Examples:
Speaking While Female: 75 Extraordinary Speeches by American Women by Dana Rubin (RealClear Publishing)
Find a Way: Three Words That Changed My Life, 2nd ed. by Merril Hoge
You Are Enough!: Reclaiming Your Career and Your Life with Purpose, Passion, and Unapologetic Authenticity by Charlene Wheeless
Atmosphere Press
Austin, Texas-based hybrid publisher of Fiction, Nonfiction (including Self-Help, Memoir, General Nonfiction); Poetry, Kids, and YA/Middle Grade books.
Examples:
For the Love of Cookies by Marilyn Alice Tuckman
What If You’re Right: Discover How Right You Are in a World That Makes You Feel So Wrong by Dr. Emily Colwell
Berrett-Koehler
An Oakland (California)-based publisher of books, many of them on business, current issues, DEIJ, and professional topics.
Examples:
The New Rules of Influence: How to Authentically Build Trust, Drive Change, and Make an Impact by Lida Citroën
How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive by Jennifer Brown
Dexterity Books
Self-Help, Memoir, Inspirational, and Christian-oriented books.
Examples:
So Long as It’s Wild: Standing Strong After My Famous Walk Across America by Barbara Jenkins
The Satisfied Guide to Eating Well: A Healthy Plan for Your Spiritual Journey Toward Food Freedom by Dr. Rhona Jenkins
Look What You’ve Done: The Lies We Believe and the Truth That Sets Us Free by Tasha Layton
Fedd Books
While Fedd is also a literary agency, they have a hybrid publishing division with a number of categories represented in Business/Leadership, Children’s, Faith/Inspirational, Fiction, Memoir/Biography, Political, Self-Help/Self-Improvement, Sports, Social Justice, Devotionals, Study Guides, and Journals.
Examples:
Open to Love: The Secrets of Senior Dating by Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Frank Powers
You Can Do Hard Things: How to Ditch the Excuses & Achieve Your Dreams by SheriLynn Alcala
Forbes Books
Business, Thought Leadership, etc.—books by business leaders, entrepreneurs, and industry experts.
Examples:
Valley Girls: Lessons from Female Founders in the Silicon Valley and Beyond by Kelley Steven-Waiss
Take Six: Essential Habits To Own Your Destiny, Overcome Challenges, and Unlock Opportunities by Veta T. Richardson
The Versatile Leader: The Confidence to Excel in Every Situation by Msuega Tese
Forefront Books
A relatively new-to-the-game but rapidly-growing conservative-leaning hybrid publisher of books in these categories: African-American Voices, Business, Children, Christian Living, Current Events, Devotional, Education, Fiction, Frederick Douglass Books, Health & Wellness, History, Humor, Inspirational, Leadership, Memoir, Military, Philanthropy, Politics/Global Affairs, Relationships, Self Help, Social Justice, Women in Business
See Forefront’s various imprints and partnerships here. They include Frederick Douglass Books, Maxwell Leadership, Southwestern Books, StoryBrand Books, and Worth Books.
Examples:
Bending Reality: How to Make the Impossible Possible by Victoria Song
No Bad Days: How to Find Joy in Any Circumstance by JT Jester
America vs. Americans: How Capitalism Has Failed a Capitalist Nation and What We Can Do About It by Eric Wade
Greenleaf Book Group
Categories include Art, Biography & Autobiography, Business & Economics, Cooking, Education, Family & Relationships, Fiction, Foreign Language Study, Health & Fitness, History, House & Home, Humor, Juvenile Fiction, Juvenile Nonfiction, Nature, Pets, Photography, Political Science, Religion, Science, Self-Help, Social Science, Sports & Recreation, Travel.
Includes the Wonderwell Press imprint, with a “focus on nonfiction books that help, heal, and inspire.” One of the more established hybrid publishers out there.
Examples:
She Writes Press
Fiction and memoir by women, for women.
Examples:
Redeemed: A Memoir of a Stolen Childhood by Penny Lane
Finding My Badass Self: A Year of Truths and Dares by Sherry Stanfa-Stanley
Sibylline Press
Categories include Fiction, Romance, Narrative Nonfiction/Memoir, and Business books by women authors over 50.
Examples:
Rottenkid: A Succulent Story of Survival by Brigit Binns
These Broken Roads: Scammed and Vindicated—One Woman’s Story by Donna Marie Hayes
Page Two Books 🇨🇦
This Canadian company with US and Canadian distribution publishes in the following Categories: Business & Leadership, Health, Current Events, Biography & Memoir, Children’s, Food, Humour, Relationships & Parenting, and Self-Help. The vast majority of its titles are in Business & Leadership and Self-Help.
Examples:
Dial Up the Dream: Make Your Daughter's Journey to Adulthood the Best—For Both of You by Colleen O’Grady
Move the Room: Seven Secrets of Extraordinary Speakers by Trevor Currie
The Collective Book Studio
A woman-owned company focusing on lifestyle, food, gift and children’s books.
Categories on their website: Food & Cooking, Lifestyle & Entertainment, Art & Design, Gift & Humor, Inspiration & Self Help, Education & Parenting, Coaching & Business, Workbooks & Stationery. There are also several Kids & Youth categories as well.
Examples:
Chaos to Calm: 5 Ways Busy Parents Can Break Free from Overwhelm by Jenna Hermans
Dear White Women: Let’s Get (Un)Comfortable Talking About Racism by Sara Blanchard and Misasha Suzuki Graham
The Modern Hippie Table: Recipes and Menus for Eating Simply and Living Beautifully by Lauren Graham
Victory Belt Publishing Inc.
Cookbooks (including Vegan, Keto, and Paleo), Fitness, Health & Wellness, Nutrition, and Personal Development.
Examples:
