Online publisher for first-time authors

Authors who pay a fee towards production in a hybrid model, and readers who buy the books online.

Production fees from authors where agreed, plus a share of book sales. Be clear and fair about which costs the author pays and which you cover.

• Editorial judgement
• Managing freelancers
• Clear communication with authors
• Basic book marketing

• Authors can be burned by unclear fees, so be transparent and check the Society of Authors' and Alliance of Independent Authors' guidance on fair deals
• Have contracts checked by a solicitor, covering rights, royalties and refunds
• Check data protection (UK GDPR) rules for holding author and customer details
• Consider professional indemnity insurance in case of copyright or defamation claims
• Selling directly to consumers means following consumer law, so check the rules

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £8,000, depending on your website, freelancer budgets, marketing and the tools you use for editing and design. These are estimates, so cost out your own setup before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on how many authors you work with, your fees and book sales. The estimates start from about 12 hours a week. Treat these figures as estimates, not guarantees.

Be transparent about fees and check the Society of Authors' and Alliance of Independent Authors' guidance on fair deals. Have contracts checked by a solicitor, covering rights, royalties and refunds. Look at UK GDPR, professional indemnity insurance and consumer law for direct sales.