Luminare Press - Hybrid vs. Self-Publishing with Patricia Marshall {ep. 163}
April 30, 2025
Publishing expert Patricia Marshall breaks down the differences between hybrid and self-publishing, shares her journey founding Luminare Press, and offers vital advice for authors navigating publishing choices in a fast-changing industry.
As hybrid presses become a more popular option, we're often asked about the difference between hybrid presses and self-publishing. Here's a breakdown of the differences at Luminare Press
đź“š Self-Publishing Assist vs. Hybrid Publishing
đź“š Self-Publishing Assist vs. Hybrid Publishing
Self-Publishing Assist (Luminare Press)
- Offers fee-for-service publishing help: editing, cover and interior design, layout, POD setup (via KDP and Ingram), ebook formatting.
- Authors retain full control and 100% royalties by publishing under their own accounts.
- Best for authors who want a high-quality product but maintain ownership and marketing responsibility.
- Ideal for personal legacy projects, entrepreneurs, or authors with built-in audiences.
Hybrid Publishing (Lucent Book Group - launching soon)
- Offers curated publishing partnership: more involvement in editing, development, and marketing.
- Patricia and team select manuscripts they believe in and help authors from developmental edits to post-launch marketing.
- Author still retains creative control, but receives hands-on collaboration and a professional publishing experience.
- Higher cost, but greater long-term support and potential reach.
In this episode, Alexa and Patricia discuss:
- How a family self-publishing project sparked Patricia’s publishing career
- What sets self-publishing assist services apart from hybrid publishing
- How to align your publishing path with your goals and budget
- The risks of unprofessional book design and formatting
- Why editing is the first step in effective book marketing
- How scams are targeting indie authors—and how to avoid them
- Trends in cover design, metadata, and the evolving expectations of readers
- The upcoming launch of Patricia’s new hybrid imprint: Lucent Book Group
- How authors can build long-term publishing partnerships
đź”— Learn more about Luminare Press and get their Women in Publishing Summit special offer:
https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/luminare
🎙️ About Patricia Marshall and Luminary Press
https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/luminare
🎙️ About Patricia Marshall and Luminary Press
- Patricia is the founder of Luminare Press, offering publishing assistance and hybrid publishing since 2011.
- Inspired by helping her 89-year-old mother self-publish a novel, Patricia saw the need for a professional, author-supportive publishing service.
- Luminare Press has evolved from a family venture into a company of 10+ professionals with editors, designers, and contractors.