Compare · Outskirts Press / Author Solutions imprints
Ink & Chapter vs Outskirts / Author Solutions–family imprints
Outskirts Press and the Author Solutions family of imprints (AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, Trafford) operate a hybrid-leaning model with author-paid production and varying royalty arrangements. The reason a comparison page exists is that authors comparing options frequently get pitched both us and them, and the contract terms are not equivalent.
The verdict
Read every contract twice and ask three questions: who owns copyright, what royalty share they take, and how easy is termination. If you read our two-page contract and theirs side by side, the answers are not equivalent. We retain 0% rights, 0% royalty, and you can terminate per project.
- Best for Ink & Chapter
- Authors who want to keep 100% of rights and royalties and want a per-project, services-for-fee arrangement with a written refund policy.
- Best for Outskirts Press / Author Solutions imprints
- We are not the right voice to recommend this competitor positively. Authors considering this route should read the IBPA's hybrid-publisher criteria first.
Row by row
Side by side, dimension by dimension.
Below is the honest breakdown. Where we have a clear advantage, we say so. Where the other model has the advantage, we say that too.
| Dimension | Ink & Chapter | Outskirts Press / Author Solutions imprints |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns copyright? | You, 100%, day one. Written assignment on first invoice. | Varies. Read the contract. |
| Royalty share to the company | 0%. | Often non-zero. Read the contract. |
| Contract length | Per-project. No lock-in. | Often multi-year. Read termination clauses. |
| Refund policy | Tiered, eligibility-first. | Highly variable. Read carefully. |
| Author-services pricing | Transparent, published per service. | Packaged. Upsells are common. |
| Best source for objective info | Read this page and our refund policy. | Read the IBPA hybrid criteria, ALLi watchdog reports, and Writer Beware (SFWA) before signing anything. |
Outskirts Press / Author Solutions imprints comparison FAQ
Questions authors ask before choosing one.
Are these companies vanity presses?
The label is contested. The Author Solutions family of imprints has been the subject of significant industry criticism and class-action settlements over the years. Outskirts Press operates a similar author-paid-plus-royalty model. They are not vanity presses in the strictest historical sense (where the press buys the rights), but they share many of the structural features. The IBPA's published hybrid-publisher criteria are the most credible third-party measuring stick.
How do I read one of their contracts?
Look for these clauses specifically. (1) Rights assignment: how long, what territories, what subsidiary rights (audio, film, translation). (2) Royalty share: what percentage to you, what percentage to them, on net or list. (3) Termination: how do you exit, how long it takes, who owns the production files when you do. (4) Minimum purchase clauses: are you required to buy author copies. (5) Pricing control: can you change cover price without consent.
If I already signed with one of these, can I get out?
Sometimes. The exit clauses vary significantly. We are not lawyers and cannot advise on a specific contract. Authors Guild and ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors) both have legal helplines for members; that is the right starting point if you need contract review.
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