If you’ve been following along in my My Journey to Publication series, you know my memoir Sober Mom is getting published by She Writes Press in July 2026. (Available now for pre-order!) Outside this writing community, though, people are unaware, and I have to tell them. This is how a typical conversation goes:   

Me: Did I tell you my memoir is getting published?

Friend/Family: No! Oh my god, that’s amazing!

Me: Yeah, July 2026!

Friend/Family: That’s so great! Congratulations!

Me: Well, it’s a hybrid publisher …

And immediately after I say, “Well, it’s a hybrid publisher,” I hate myself for downplaying my accomplishment, for apologizing for not taking the traditional publishing route. Why can’t I just be proud that my book is getting published?  

What Is a Hybrid Publisher? 

For those unfamiliar, a hybrid publisher combines elements of traditional and self-publishing. Authors pay upfront costs but receive higher royalty percentages than traditional publishing offers. It’s the middle ground between going completely solo and landing a Big Five contract. As Barbara Linn Probst explains in her comprehensive guide “Hybrid Publishing: Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know,” reputable hybrid publishers maintain quality control by vetting manuscripts, provide professional services, and offer real distribution—not just print-on-demand uploading.

But let’s be clear, the author pays. She Writes Press requires a $10,000 upfront investment for their publishing package. As someone who had dreamed of receiving an advance rather than paying to publish, this felt like a failure at first. 

And I’m under no illusions that I will even break even on my investment. 

Last year’s article, “The Cruelty—and Possibilities—of 21st-Century Book Promotion,” by Michael Castleman (The Authors Guild Bulletin, Spring/Summer 2025) warns, “Releasing a book? Keep your expectations low. Only 20 percent of new titles sell 100 copies. On the other hand, if your book sells 100, it’s in the top 20 percent. Sell 1,000, you’re in the top 6 percent.”

How much I will earn depends on how my books are sold. For books I sell directly at events, I can expect to earn $13.95-15.95 per book; books sold through retailers like Amazon will net me only $1.39-$3.39 per book, and e-books will earn me approximately $3-$5 per book, depending on the platform.

Can you do the math? I cannot. I’m a writer. 

But I know enough to realize that I won’t make enough from book sales to buy my dream Vermont house where I can host a writing retreat. Bummer! 

Why I Chose Hybrid Over Self-Publishing

So wouldn’t it be better to self-publish, you might be asking yourself? To avoid the upfront costs and to keep all the money from the sales of my book? Maybe for some. But I knew I didn’t have the bandwidth to navigate Amazon’s publishing platform, coordinate professional editing, or manage metadata across multiple retailers. As Probst notes in her guide to hybrid publishing, the model combines the professional support of traditional publishing with the higher royalty rates and creative control of self-publishing.

She Writes Press vets manuscripts for literary merit. They handle the complex relationships with distributors, manage inventory from their warehouse, and provide quarterly royalty statements to their clients. Most importantly, for someone like me, they offer the hand-holding that self-publishing platforms don’t. Every Tuesday, the publisher Brooke Warner hosts Zoom office hours so she can answer any question authors have about the publishing process.  

Confronting Publishing Hierarchy Shame

But why did I initially feel embarrassed about choosing this path? The publishing industry has long perpetuated a hierarchy that places traditional publishing at the apex of legitimacy. I had internalized the belief that anything other than a Big Five contract meant settling for less.

She Writes Press books are distributed through Simon & Schuster, appear in bookstores nationwide, and are eligible for traditional review outlets that exclude self-published works. They’re listed in industry catalogs and benefit from professional sales processes. When I realized most readers couldn’t name three of the Big Five publishers anyway, I understood that perceived prestige matters far less than reaching the right readers.

My goal isn’t literary fame or mortgage-paying royalties. It’s sharing my story with people who need to hear that recovery is possible, that there are many paths forward, and that sometimes the unconventional route leads exactly where you need to go.

The Real Measure of Success

Recently, when I told a childhood friend about my book news, I said my usual. “Well, it’s a hybrid publisher …” 

“I don’t know what that is,” she responded. 

“Nevermind,” I said, with a wave of my hand. “My book will be in bookstores in July! And it’s available now for pre-order!”