SparkPress is an Award-Winning Hybrid Publisher.

SparkPress is unique in the world of publishing because we’re neither traditional publishing, nor are we self-publishing. As an independent publisher, we bill ourselves as a “third way” for authors, and we proudly occupy the gray zone, a much-needed alternative in a rapidly changing publishing landscape.

Unlike self-publishing platforms that publish whatever comes through regardless of quality, SP is a curated press that works with authors to ensure that their books will be well-received in the marketplace. Unlike traditional publishing houses, which buy the majority stake in your book but often don’t deliver when it comes to providing the editorial and marketing help you need, SP gives authors an experienced editorial and production team, while allowing them to retain full ownership of their project and earnings.

We have been called hybrid publishing, partnership publishing, and co-publishing, and all of these terms are representative of what we do.

Read She Writes Press and SparkPress publisher Brooke Warner’s 2023 article in Publishers Weekly about the importance of understanding a publisher’s business model and transparency.

WHY SPARKPRESS?

Keep Creative Control

Authors get the best of both worlds with us: they are collaborative partners who get creative control!

Get Full Distribution

Get seamless distribution to big retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as your local bookstore, libraries, and specialty markets.

Qualify for Reviews

Our books qualify for traditional review outlets that self-published authors are not eligible for.

Earn More Royalties

Authors invest in a publishing package while keeping up to 70% of net on their royalties.

Presell Your Book

We presell your book into national accounts and bookstores for you.

Fully Vetted Catalog

We carefully vet our books on literary merit alone for high standards.

PEOPLE ARE RAVING ABOUT SPARKPRESS?

SparkPress has published and help create

40+

best-selling authors.

SparkPress authors have won

360+

medals and finalist titles.

Our authors have been blurbed by

70+

award-winning and best-selling authors.

THE SPARKPRESS STORY

SparkPress was founded by Crystal Patriarche in 2013 as a Booksparks imprint, as a way to align book publishing and book publicity together.

SparkPress and Booksparks, an in-house marketing and publicity team, are divisions of SparkPoint Studio, a multi-dimensional storytelling brand founded over 10 years ago, dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and changing the way these stories are heard. Booksparks is SparkPoint Studio’s publicity company. CEO Crystal Patriarche started SparkPress as a way to deliver full service elevated book publishing and publicity services to clients.

In 2014, SparkPress secured traditional distribution through Ingram Publisher Services when She Writes Press became part of the SparkPoint Studio, LLC, family, establishing both imprints as real players in the hybrid publishing world.

This relationship secured the right for SP authors to submit their books for review through traditional channels, creating a more level playing field. Publishers Weekly called SparkPress and She Writes Press “better together”, as a powerful combination that no other hybrid publisher brings to the table: 1) a curated list with a strong editorial vision; 2) traditional distribution; and 3) an in-house marketing and publicity team through BookSparks that SP authors can choose to utilize.

In 2018, She Writes Press and SparkPress launched the STEP contest.

In an effort to address the publishing industry’s lack of diversity, we launched the She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing (STEP) contest to offer a publishing package (plus a 500-book print run) to two authors to publish on either She Writes Press or SparkPress. Every season since fall 2019, a winner has been published on one of the imprints.

As of 2022, SparkPress reached another milestone, signing its 215th author, and began distribution with Publishers Group West (PGW).

We are a mission-driven, female-run company with a strong vision, passion, and work ethic. Our roster of impressive, accomplished authors speaks for itself, and we’re proud of being an industry game-changer. We also switched our traditional distribution services from Ingram Publisher Services to Publishers Group West.

As of August 2024, She Writes Press will be distributed by Simon & Schuster.