The Hybrid: What Makes REUTS Different?

You’ve seen it on our website, REUTS distinguishes itself from other publishing companies by being a “hybrid of self-publishing and traditional methods.” This description is an extension of our “independent” title, and a way for us to better explain our process. But look! We have a blog, and can further expand on this “hybrid” nomenclature, hopefully providing a little more insight into the REUTS method, and what it means to be an author with our agency.*

So, what exactly is a hybrid of self-publishing and traditional publishing methods? Let’s elaborate.

 

Self-Publishing

There are articles upon articles discussing the pros and cons of going the self-publishing route with your novel. The pro which typically heads up the list is control. As a self-publisher, you make all the milestone decisions when producing and publishing your manuscript; from how you want your book printed–double spaced lines, or 1.5 spaced lines? It does make a difference!–to cover art designed exactly the way you dictate, to the release date, etc. All the control falls within your hands. But, as we all know, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” So, as a self-publisher, you bear the brunt of the work (or must find experts to contract the work out to) and the stress that comes with publishing sans publisher. You get the good (control) with the bad (work, problems, decisions, responsibility, all of the consequences, etc.).

REUTS is interested in the “good” that comes with self-publishing, and that’s where the first part of our hybrid nature comes in. We give authors the control over how their novel is produced during every aspect of production. While editing, we don’t dictate changes or rewrite for you. We suggest alternatives and options we feel would make your story stronger. When discussing cover art, the first question we ask is: “What is your ideal cover to represent your story?” And we do our best to make that ideal a reality. If you have any problems with any aspect of your book’s production, we work with you to find the route that makes you happy.

Our team is comprised of experts, but we use that expertise to guide your vision, not strip you of control.

^{AND PLEASE NOTE: Even though REUTS utilizes self-publishing’s philosophies, we are not a self-publishing service. We have a standard submission process, and manuscripts are turned away if they don’t meet the criteria we’re looking for in our collection. We do not charge the author a penny. Ever. Period. No ifs, ands or buts.}

 

Traditional Publishers (Big NY Presses)

On the opposite side of the spectrum, we have the “big press” publications everyone’s familiar with: Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Penguin, etc. Those companies sport rigorously high submission standards, and sometimes only seem to seek immediate bestsellers. What does REUTS borrow from their methodology? The experts.

Aspiring authors seek traditional publishers because of what the publisher has to offer: professional editing, professional marketing/design and professional promotion. REUTS offers all of that as well as full control over the production of your manuscript, blending the best of both worlds into one progressive service.

Each of our team members hails from a specific discipline. We love what we do, and coming together with REUTS has allowed all of us to blend our previous work experience with our passion: books.

Still not convinced? Here’s a quick look at what you can expect when working with us:

• REUTS offers two rounds of editing, which both involve the author from start to finish. Instead of working “offline” in Microsoft Word for the editorial phase, our editors work with an author in Google Docs, collaborating on edits together, and avoiding the dreaded “red wall of text” that comes with tracking changes in Microsoft Word. A manuscript goes through the First Round of editorial with a lead editor, to tighten up the story structurally and clean up the mechanics. The second phase (dubbed “Second Look Editorial”) pulls in a second editor to pore through the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb, looking for would-be errors, ensuring the document sparkles for publication.

 

• Cover art is another important phase in the creation of a novel. “You can’t judge a book by the cover,” they say… yet we all know that a great/poor cover can make or break a book. REUTS understands this, and has a team dedicated to creating superb cover art, and extending that branding across different promotional platforms (social media skins, poster/swag products, advertisements, etc.). Some of our team members have over ten years of design experience. Collectively, we’ve got a lifetime of knowledge!

 

• Some would argue that the most important phase in the production and success of a book is promotion. As the Creative Director, I come from a background of professional advertising in a nationally recognized advertising agency (with clients such as CITGO, Southwest Airlines, and Loyola University). What benefits stem from an advertising agency background? Advertising tips, tricks and experience. How do we apply this to the promotion of a REUTS title? We cover things from digital book/blog tours (reveals, interviews, reviews, events, etc.), sending out press releases, providing authors with swag, traditional advertisement banners on GoodReads or applicable book websites/blogs, book trailers and more! We utilize every outlet, every shred of knowledge our team has gained over the years, toward the benefit our titles. We’re not successful unless you’re successful, so we work hard to put your book in reader hands (or digital shelves… we embrace the eBook readers, too!)

 

• Last but not least: royalties. REUTS offers above industry standard royalties. We believe the profits should go back to the author, which is why REUTS pays the author their cut first, before any money reaches the production team. Our team doesn’t get paid unless the author gets paid, because we are all compensated based on the same sales royalties! We all have a vested interest in the success of your novel, which creates a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes trust and productivity.

 

So there you have it! Just a little bit of insight into REUTS, our process, and what being a hybrid company truly means. We’ve taken the best from both worlds, and are combining those benefits into an experience authors can look back on and see as fun, enriching and worthwhile. At REUTS, we endeavor to bring both aspiring and veteran authors an unparalleled feeling of confidence and clarity when publishing their work. That’s what makes us stand out in an industry where transparency is often a tradeoff of prestige.

We realize information can often be misconstrued across the Internet, and urge anyone with even a shred of confusion to contact us with any specific questions you might have about REUTS, how we operate, what we offer, etc. We’re here to serve, and want to make sure you have the most accurate information out there.

You can also check out our FAQs page, to see if your question has already been answered.

Finally, here’s a picture of a cat… in space… because we like to offer a little something for everyone.

^{*You’ll see we prefer to refer to ourselves as a “publishing agency,” because– in addition to providing the actual publication of a book via editing and typesetting– we have the expertise to focus on the aesthetic and brand of a book and author, together. Again, this goes along with our hybrid mentality.}