Seerendip Publishing: Every Indie Author’s Ride-or-Die

So here’s the thing nobody tells you when you’re a bright-eyed author-in-the-making clutching a freshly finished manuscript fueled by blood, sweat, and way too much caffeine:

Writing the book was actually the “easy” part…

Because now you have to publish and market it, a beast of a combo that can make you feel like you’re being chewed up and spit out — mainly because most authors are probably sold some garbage about what process “really works” and how it “should go.” 

Garbage like: 'You just need the right agent, and it will all be taken care of'; 'social media is all you need to market yourself'; 'self-publishing is the only way to maintain your creative freedom'; 'traditional publishing is the only real path to success'; the works. 

So it’s easy to feel like all hope is lost before you’ve even started, and that’s precisely why I sat down with Adam Mellor, the brains and witty tongue behind Seerendip Publishing (an independently published author himself), to get a real idea behind the process of marketing and publishing your work. Don’t worry, it’s not the usual, ‘pay us a few grand upfront and cross your fingers while we halfheartedly support and promote your book’ kind of thing. 

Adam Mellor and his brain baby, Seerendip Publishing, came together to forge a real path for writers who refuse to wait for someone else’s approval (which is why I assume you’re here, so welcome). 

BEHIND SEERENDIP:

When Adam got to work researching how to publish his own book, “How to Deal with Stupid,” he quickly discovered how much he did not want to go through the traditional publishing process, and he certainly didn’t want to endure the obstacle course that feels deliberately designed to break authors before they even start.

If you’re an author seeking your first go at publishing, you might know or have heard a little bit about this side of it all — needing an agent to just get your foot in the door but waiting (for what can feel like forever) for publishers who won’t even talk to you, or collecting impersonal form rejections that offer zero feedback, or getting ghosted on every question along the way. 

None of this felt right for Adam and his goals. 

And I’m betting it probably doesn’t for you, either. 

And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with other kinds of venues to publish your literary works, according to Adam, most first-time authors go about getting in contact with a traditional literary agent or company that you can really only hope cares about your work and isn’t just looking forward to that pretty penny (aka thousands) you’re spending upfront.

Then you have to pair that with the hope that once you land an agent, the world will magically know that your book is out there, brilliant and waiting, ready for devouring. Adam didn’t feel confident about that route for himself or for other independent publishing needs, especially for writers who are determined to do it all on their own terms, so he decided to change this narrative (yes, that’s a deliberate bookish pun for your reading pleasure). 

And no, he didn’t wake up one day and decide that he should be a publisher, but he did realize the traditional routes just…kind of suck for independent authors. So he took up a different and lesser-known kind of publishing route for authors like himself: Hybrid Publishing, the gateway for authors to finally get a fair shot at getting their work out there, and that’s how Seerendip Publishing was born. 

HOW SEERENDIP AIMS TO STAND OUT 

Seerendip Publishing takes on the roles of the three more traditional roads of publishing (read about those here) and creates a space where both sides of the relationship can thrive. 

It’s where you not only receive expert editing and developmental services for your novel but where you also don’t end up out thousands of dollars. It’s also where you will retain 100% of your rights and get actual marketing support. 

Get a better idea below: 

Path	Key Drawbacks	Seerendip’s Hybrid Advantage
Self-Publishing	You control it—but you’re alone. You pay freelancers, manage ISBNs, and face endless upload headaches. It’s a ton of DIY without guidance.	Seerendip gives you expert services (editing, design, marketing) with support and transparent pricing. You’re never left in the weeds alone.
Vanity Publishing	Shell out $2K–$5K—or more—for low-quality services that vanish after you pay. Hidden fees, minimal promotion, crickets after launch.	We don’t vanish. We charge friendly, transparent fees (usually a few hundred dollars, not thousands) and stand by you post-launch. You retain 100% rights and get actual marketing support.
Legacy (Traditional) Publishing	Potential advance, but only if you’re already a “sure thing.” You lose control, rights, and creative say, and most authors don’t even get past the gate.	You keep your rights. You don’t need an agent. And your book isn’t just another item in a backlog—you’re a partner, not a powerless pawn.
	—	Collaborative. Transparent. Accepts direct manuscripts. Fair royalty splits. You stay the creative boss. We add marketing plus ongoing support. We’re a publishing partner, not a faceless service or a money pit

HOW SEERENDIP HELPS AUTHORS (AKA WHY YOU WON’T GET LEFT FOR DEAD):

The challenge that authors come across as they complete their literary masterpiece is that now they have to not only market and publish it, but also figure out how and where. 

Most authors probably feel like they’ve been shoved into the ring with no gloves or training and are given a meaningless, “Good luck!” Seerendip Publishing came into play so that more of you incredible writers out there get the chance to stand out, because readers (like most consumers), will always care about themselves first — their problems, their entertainment, their go-to to escape into a different reality. What you have to do as a new author is connect the bridge between your book and their lives: what it will do for them, how it will make them feel, how they’ll be able to relate or escape, how reading your work will benefit them, and Seerendip Publishing exists to make this a little easier to navigate, stepping in as an anti-chaos and no-bullshit partner. 

And instead of drowning in the swamp of ISBN registrations, formatting nightmares, cover design disasters, and general marketing and publishing paralysis all by yourself, you get an experienced tour guide who’s already been there, already screwed it up, and then figured out how to fix it so that you don’t have to, too. 

SO WHAT DOES WORKING WITH SEERENDIP GET YOU?

1. Editing assistance that won’t butcher your voice — They tighten your story without stripping the soul so that you get to stay with the original vision in hand. You just get the cleaner, more un-put-down-able version. 

2. Covers that sell — No clip-art disasters or Canva templates someone else whipped up in an attempt to make you look real; we’re talking real covers that scream DON’T SKIP ME on Kindle or Barnes shelves. 

3. Formatting that doesn’t make readers gag — No janky spacing or weird fonts that got skipped over, just your best pro-level layout that feels like it belongs next to a Big Five release.

4. Marketing that’s actually human — Forget the spammy “buy my book” posts. Seerendip will help you genuinely connect to your readers in ways that feel authentic to your brand and actually build your sales momentum.

5. Ongoing support — They care! The book launch isn’t the only thing they’re after and they understand it’s certainly not the finish line. They won’t ghost you after your confetti cannon goes off.

Seerendip does most of the heavy lifting with your manuscript (and sanity) so that you can stop Googling “how to get an ISBN without selling my soul.” 

WHO’S THE PERFECT AUTHOR?

If you’re looking for a six-figure advance and a Manhattan cocktail party with literary agents, hybrid publishing most likely won’t be your lane. 

And if you’re hoping to throw your manuscript at a wall and let someone else handle everything while you take a step back, this might also not be your lane. 

However, if you’re an independent author with real ambition who wants control of your work, but also wants a partner who knows what the hell they’re doing, this is perfect for you.

If you’re a professional or entrepreneur who needs your book to support your brand, business, or leadership and can’t afford to look amateur, Seerendip is also a great route for you. 

And if you’re a fiction author tired of being ignored by gatekeepers but know your book deserves an audience, this is also the right place for you.

Seerendip’s model is collaborative for a reason — they’re not there to dictate your vision! You stay captain, they’re a great first mate.

SO, WHAT’S THE GIST?:

Publishing and marketing yourself, your brand, and your book(s) should feel like making new life-long friends; fun, easy, exciting, natural. It should be the most rewarding part of the process — it should not be like playing Monopoly with that person who just won’t sell Boardwalk. 

So if you’re looking for real support without feeling scammed or smothered, Adam Mellor and his team are the perfect breath of fresh air you (and this industry) have been needing.

And after talking with Adam, it’s not hard to put together that Seerendip Publishing is cutting through the fluff and saying “screw the noise” because in an industry that makes the prospect of becoming a successful author feel slim to none, Seerendip is the real deal by giving new authors and manuscripts a fair shot at getting through to readers who will care (which is quite frankly refreshing (as a major bookworm and creative writer myself)).

Adam’s mission is to make sure you feel cared about and supported the whole way through, and he comes with a pretty cool team of book-crazy individuals who will also care about you and what came from that noggin of yours. 

They’re going to help you get your story out there without the crazy upfront bidding wars for a bigger payday or unfair contracts that make you want to rip your hair out (cue the confetti)! They’ll be there to help develop and polish your work to become the best it can possibly be before winning all the hearts and minds.

Soooo…if you’re an author-in-the-making wondering how to actually get your book into readers’ hands and hearts without losing your sanity and total grip on reality, getting in touch with Seerendip Publishing might be just the thing you need to do. 

~ Kaitlyn Hardy, Senior Content Editor with Seerendip Publishing