Cedar Fort's Publishing Services
A Better Way to Publish
The Traditional Publishing Model Is Broken
Every year, thousands of talented authors submit their manuscripts and wait months for a decision — only to be rejected. Not because their writing isn't good enough, but because traditional publishers are constrained by capital. They can only take on a fraction of submissions, and when they do, they're making a high-stakes bet with limited information.
The biggest unknown? The author.
The publishing industry has changed dramatically over the past decade. Publishers once handled the bulk of marketing — booking radio appearances, organizing book signings, managing PR campaigns. That era is largely over. Today, marketing responsibility has shifted squarely onto authors. Publishers prepare books for press and manage distribution. Authors are expected to build and drive their own audience.
That means the success of any book rests primarily in the author's hands — and it's nearly impossible for a publisher to know in advance how hard an author will work to promote their book. We've passed on many well-written manuscripts over the years, not because of quality, but because we couldn't predict whether the author would put in the effort needed to make the investment worthwhile for everyone.
We think it's time for a better model.
Introducing Cedar Fort's Publishing Options
We've created a publishing model that gives every author a path forward — whether or not they're selected through our traditional acquisition process. It's designed to align effort with reward, give authors more control, and reduce the risk that has historically made publishers so selective.
There are three options:
Option 1: DIY Self-Publishing
You invest in our professional editorial, design, and printing services to produce a polished, market-ready book. Once it's in your hands, you control everything — sales, distribution, pricing, and rights. This option is ideal for authors who want a professionally produced book and full independence.
Option 2: Self-Publishing with Cedar Fort Distribution
You invest in our professional services to develop and produce your book. Cedar Fort then manages printing, fulfillment, and distribution through our established channels — getting your book in front of bookstores, retailers, and online platforms. You retain full rights to your book and can walk away at any time, though a buyout of remaining inventory would apply.
This option is ideal for authors who want a professionally produced book and don't want to worry about he logistics (fullfilment and distribution).
Authors must be pre-approved by our review team, which can take up to a week.
Option 3: Traditional Cedar Fort Publishing
Cedar Fort invests the capital to develop, print, and publish your book, and manages all distribution. In exchange, Cedar Fort maintains the rights to the title. This option is available to authors selected through our acquisition process and represents the highest level of partnership — and shared risk — between author and publisher.
Why This Model Makes Sense
This new approach puts more control — and more accountability — in the hands of authors. The more skin you have in the game, the more motivated you'll be to market your book, and the more reward you'll earn from its success.
For Cedar Fort, it allows us to say yes to more high-quality books without bearing all the financial risk of an uncertain market. For authors, it means access to our professional editorial team, printing infrastructure, and distribution network — regardless of whether you're selected through our traditional process.
Here's what Cedar Fort brings to every publishing relationship:
- A recognized publishing brand behind your book
- Professional editorial and design services
- Printing and production management
- Logistics, fulfillment, and distribution through established retail and wholesale channels
- The option to retain your rights and maintain control of your work
We're not just changing how we publish. We're changing what it means to partner with a publisher.
Cedar Fort publishing options comparison table
| DIY self-publishing | Self-publishing + Cedar Fort distribution | Traditional Cedar Fort publishing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rights & approval | |||
| Author retains rights to their book | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Book must be approved by review team | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Cedar Fort has exclusive distribution rights | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Costs & fees | |||
| Initial publishing setup fee | $350 | $0 | $0 |
| Author's payout from physical sales | 100% | 25% | 15% |
| Production & printing | |||
| Cedar Fort pays for professional editorial and design | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Cedar Fort pays for printing | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Sales & distribution | |||
| Fulfillment and distribution managed by Cedar Fort | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Author can purchase and sell physical copies | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Author can sell books directly on their website | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Cedar Fort marketing channels | |||
| Listed on Cedar Fort's website | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Pushed through all Cedar Fort online channels | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Pushed to Cedar Fort's retail channels | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Perks | |||
| 40% discount on all Cedar Fort published books | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
