Hybrid Publishing – A Response
The recent report published by the Society of Authors titled, ' Is it a steal? An investigation into ‘hybrid’/paid-for publishing services' , makes for interesting and fairly depressing reading. Depressing for authors as it sets out the myriad ways they can be taken advantage of and depressing for us – a publishing company, established in 2014, that is a hybrid – or ‘paid-for’ publisher. At RedDoor we’re not particularly keen on the term hybrid. It’s too loose and woolly, and open to interpretation – and therefore corruption. But it’s a label that seems to have stuck and that we have accepted – even accepting the negative connotations that come with it, hoping that our commitment to great books, great quality and great author care will ensure that the industry will see beyond the ‘paid-for’ element of our business and see what we are trying to do. Please bear with me as I am very well aware that any publisher trying to justify the ‘paid-for’ model is usually decried and der...