In the world of publishing, the landscape is changing rapidly.
It used to be simple. On one side were traditional publishing houses. They selected the books they wanted to publish and handled everything: editing, layout, cover design, printing, marketing, and distribution. If you were fortunate enough to be chosen, they took care of the rest.
On the other side was self-publishing, where the author did everything themselves: writing the book, editing it, designing the cover, printing, marketing, and selling it. That path offered independence, but it required a whole different set of skills, resources, and time.
Today, the line between those two poles has nearly disappeared.
Traditional publishers now often expect authors to arrive with a built-in audience and a fully developed marketing plan. At the same time, self-publishing has become its own industry, with companies that will do everything from ghostwriting to distribution — for a fee. In that model, the author bears all the cost and all the risk.
At Abilities Rising Publishing, we’re doing something different. Something better.
We are a true publishing company. We handle everything from developmental editing and copyediting to layout, cover design, printing, distribution, and marketing. We create and execute the marketing plan, and we partner with our authors every step of the way.
Here’s what truly sets us apart:
- We do not charge our authors a penny.
- We pay a signing bonus, not an advance that the author must pay back.
- We share royalties fairly.
- And we work collaboratively with our authors throughout the entire process.
We’re not here to profit from people’s dreams. We’re here to amplify the voices that deserve to be heard and to build a real business that reflects their value.
Our mission is bold and straightforward: to publish books by, for, and about people with differing abilities.
We believe many talented authors are creating meaningful work for this audience, and we are committed to publishing the very best of those books. Working with authors who have differing abilities does not mean lowering standards; that would be disrespectful - quite the opposite. We believe our authors can meet and exceed the highest professional standards.
This is not a charity. This is a mission-driven business.
With John’s Crazy Socks, we proved that hiring people with differing abilities is not just the right thing to do, it’s good business. With Abilities Rising Publishing, we aim to demonstrate the same thing in the publishing world: that publishing books by, for, and about people with differing abilities is also good business.
We carefully review every submission. We only publish books we believe have an audience, not necessarily bestsellers, but books that matter and speak to people.
And most importantly, we never lower the bar because a person has a disability.
We believe people with differing abilities can meet and exceed the highest professional standards. That belief is about more than quality; it’s about respect. It’s about dignity. And it’s at the very core of who we are.
Abilities Rising Publishing exists to show what’s possible when we believe in people, invest in their talent, and give them a platform to shine.
We’re building something bold.
Something joyful.
Something that rises.
Come rise with us.