The Hidden Cost of Signing Away Your Rights

The Hidden Cost of Signing Away Your Rights

Over the past few months, I’ve been hearing the same story more and more often.

An author writes a book.

They’re excited. Proud. Maybe a little overwhelmed by the whole publishing world.

Along comes a hybrid publisher offering to “handle everything”. Editing. Design. Publishing. Distribution. Marketing.

It sounds reassuring. Professional. Safe.

And sometimes, it genuinely can be helpful.

But there is one element of these arrangements that many authors don’t fully realise the implications of what they’re agreeing to.

Their rights.

And once those rights are signed away, getting them back can be extremely difficult.

Let’s talk about why that matters.

Now, before we begin, I want you to know I’m not an intellectual property specialist, though I must admit as time is going on and I’m being asked for help more and more often, I am considering heading back to university to deep dive into this field.

What Does “Giving Away Your Rights” Actually Mean?

When you write a book, you automatically own the intellectual property. The words, the story, the characters, the ideas – all of it.

That ownership is incredibly powerful.

It means you control:

• who publishes the book
• how it’s distributed
• what formats it appears in
• who adapts it into film or television
• who translates it into other languages
• who creates audiobooks or special editions

When you sign with some hybrid publishers, you may be licensing or assigning some of those rights to them.

Sometimes temporarily. Sometimes indefinitely.

And this is where problems can begin.

Because once those rights sit inside someone else’s contract, you no longer control the future of your own book.

The Transparency Problem

One concern I sometimes hear from authors is around transparency.

They may receive royalty statements, but the information behind those numbers is often limited.

Instead of seeing exactly where their books are selling and how many copies have been sold through each retailer, they receive a summary created by the publisher.

A single document.

A typed statement.

And that’s all.

There’s no direct access to the retailer dashboards.
No independent reporting.
No way to verify the numbers.

Most authors simply have to trust that the figures they are given are correct.

For many people, that lack of visibility feels uncomfortable once the initial excitement of publication has worn off.

The Contract Trap

Another situation that’s becoming more common is authors discovering they can’t leave.

They may want to move their book elsewhere.
Republish it independently.
Create an audiobook.
Produce a second edition.

But their contract doesn’t allow it.

Or it allows it only after a long waiting period.

Or the publisher retains the rights indefinitely unless the author buys them back.

In the meantime, the book simply sits there.

Not actively promoted.
Not actively growing.

Just… locked.

When Publishers Walk Away

The other side of this arrangement can be just as difficult.

Some hybrid publishers will stop working with a book if it doesn’t sell enough copies.

From a business perspective, that may make sense. They have limited time and resources.

But from the author’s perspective, it can be devastating.

You’ve paid thousands of pounds to publish your book.

Then a year or two later you’re told it isn’t performing well enough for them to continue supporting it.

Yet the contract – and the rights – may still remain in place.

Your book exists, but you can’t properly move it forward.

To Be Fair – Hybrid Publishing Can Help Some Authors

It’s important to have some balance here, and to be clear about it.

Hybrid publishing is not automatically bad.

For some authors, it offers a useful stepping stone.

It can provide structure, guidance and professional services in one place. For someone who feels overwhelmed by the publishing process, that support can be extremely valuable.

The problem isn’t the services themselves.

The problem is often the contract behind them.

Many authors assume they are simply paying for professional help to produce their book.

In reality, they may also be giving away control of the intellectual property they created.

Go Into Any Agreement With Your Eyes Open

If you decide that working with a hybrid publisher is the right path for you, the key thing is to go in with your eyes open.

Read the contract carefully. Ideally, have someone experienced look at it with you.

There are a few specific questions worth asking before you sign anything.

First – what rights are you granting to them, and for how long?

Is the publisher taking global rights, or just certain formats, distribution to particular retailers or countries? Are they licensing them for a fixed number of years, or indefinitely? What exactly happens to those rights if the relationship ends?

Second – how are royalties reported and paid?

Will you see the retailer dashboards yourself, or only the publisher’s reports? How frequently are royalties paid, and what level of detail will be included in the statements?

Third – what happens if things don’t go to plan?

This is something authors often overlook in the excitement of getting their book published.

Every contract should include a clear exit route for both parties.

What happens if the publisher decides they no longer want to continue with the book?
What happens if the author wants to move on?
Can the author reclaim their rights easily, or is there a buy-back clause?
Is there a clear time frame for rights reverting?

If there isn’t a straightforward answer to those questions, it’s worth pausing before signing. Ask for clarification and ask them to include the results in the agreement.

Publishing relationships can last for many years. It’s sensible to understand what the end of that relationship might look like, even before it begins.

The Confusion Around the Term “Hybrid Publisher”

Another thing that can make this landscape confusing is that the term “hybrid publisher” isn’t always used consistently.

Because these terms aren’t formally regulated in the publishing world, different companies use them in slightly different ways.

Some companies that describe themselves as hybrid publishers operate in a way that is very similar to assisted independent publishing. Others use the term for models where the publisher retains certain rights. This is why it’s always worth looking beyond the label and understanding the structure of the agreement itself.

Organisations such as the Independent Book Publishers Association describe hybrid publishing as a model that blends elements of traditional publishing and self-publishing. The author typically contributes financially to the production of the book, while the publisher provides professional services and distribution, and shares in the royalties.

That sounds simple enough.

But in practice, the label is sometimes used very broadly.

Some companies that call themselves hybrid publishers are essentially offering bundled services. Others operate much more like traditional publishers, controlling rights and distribution in a very similar way.

This is where terminology starts to overlap.

You might also hear terms such as:

Independent/Indie publishing

Usually referring to authors who publish their own books directly through platforms like Amazon KDP, while hiring service providers for editing, design, formatting or marketing. Indie publishing, however, is also used as a shorthand for authors who self-publish independently, building their own catalogue while maintaining control of their rights and income streams.

Assisted publishing

A model where a company provides professional publishing services and guidance, but the author retains ownership of their book and controls the publishing accounts.

Because these terms are not regulated, different companies use them in different ways.

That’s why it’s important not to focus too much on the label itself, and instead look carefully at the contract and ownership structure behind it.

Where We Sit in That Landscape

At Jo Wildsmith Publishing, the model we work within is closest to assisted indie publishing.

Authors retain their rights.

They see their sales dashboards.

Retailers pay royalties directly to them.

Our role is to guide, support and provide the professional production services needed to bring the book to market properly.

In other words, we help authors publish their books to a professional standard while maintaining control of the intellectual property they’ve created.

Because ultimately, that’s the asset.

The Real Goal

The aim of this week's blog post isn’t to discourage authors from working with publishers or service providers. Far from it, it is in our interest to see the industry thrive in all its capacities, shapes and forms. Opening the doors to authors to get their stories out there, their beautiful books, to readers who will benefit by reading them.

Most authors benefit enormously from professional help. Editing, design, formatting, audiobook production, launch planning – these are all specialist skills.

But ownership matters, and clarity is imperative.

Before signing any publishing agreement, make sure you understand:

• which rights you are granting
• how royalties are tracked and reported
• how either party can exit the contract
• how and when rights revert to you

When those things are clear, you can move forward with confidence.

Because publishing a book should feel exciting.

Not like something you might regret later.

The Alternative: Keeping Your Rights

One of the reasons independent publishing has grown so rapidly over the last decade is because it allows authors to keep ownership of their work.

You can hire editors.

Hire designers.

Hire formatters.

Hire marketing specialists.

But the rights remain yours.

That means:

• you see your sales dashboards directly
• royalties are paid to you by the retailers
• you decide when to update the book
• you choose if and when to produce an audiobook
• you control translations, film rights and licensing

And if an opportunity appears in the future, you can make the decision yourself.

Not ask permission.

The Long-Term View

Most authors don’t write just one book.

They build a catalogue over time.

And every book becomes part of a bigger body of work.

The decisions made at the beginning of that journey can affect everything that comes later.

That’s why contracts matter so much.

Not because publishing agreements are inherently bad.

But because authors deserve to fully understand what they’re agreeing to before they sign.

Your book is more than a product.

It’s your intellectual property; your creative work.

And potentially, a long-term asset.

So before handing over any rights, it’s worth asking one simple question:

Is this agreement helping my book grow… or limiting what it might become?

Because you never know where a book might lead.

A translation deal.
An audiobook opportunity.
A film or television adaptation.

Those things may never happen.

But if they do, it’s a very nice position to be in when the rights still belong to you. And if it’s Brad, Leonardo or Tom that come knocking, send them round to mine for a cuppa once you’ve sealed the deal.

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