Last week, we discussed “The 5 Modes of Public Domain Publishing” and how knowing what “mode” you are working in can help guide you in properly positioning your products in your target market.

In summary, the five common basic modes we as Public Domain Publishers usually work in when creating products using content from Public Domain books and other copyright-free writings are…

1. “Stealth Mode” – creating “brand new” information products & other monetization methods without any indication that you are using previously published content
2. “Historical Mode” – new information products supported and greatly enhanced by “previously published” Public Domain material
3. “Master’s Mode” – republishing new editions of long lost books by the “old masters” of very specialized niche knowledge
4. “Nostalgia Mode” – creating products that work the “nostalgia” angle and appeal to readers with an emotional attachment to a historical place, object, or time…
5. “Facsimile Mode” – publishing exact facsimile reproductions of long lost books usually with a perceived high-value…

After reading the original article, my friend and fellow Public Domain Treasure Hunter, Juergen left the following great comment…

“As always in life there are some shades of gray between the white and black points you make, but I think your post should not be understood as a “Load-it-up-and-fire-away-kind-of-Bible” but as a screwdriver for everybody who wants to open the next chest of the public domain treasure chest.”

This is so true and…as I said towards the end of the last article, “In the real world, you’ll sometimes find yourself working across some of these modes simultaneously to some degree” – depending on the scope of your project, modes can definitely tend to overlap and that’s great because you can reap the benefits of each.

Understanding that these modes exist and why can help you say focused and see your projects through to completion. The five modes work to provide a framework that can help you make quick decisions regarding everything from the product’s delivery format to how you approach the sales copy.

As a framework, it can be used in it’s bare minimum capacity to achieve simple yet powerful results and if you’re just getting started, that’s what I would suggest – stick to one of the modes that you find the most appealing and work a project through to completion.

Hugely successful publishing businesses have been established simply by applying one of these five basic modes.

Like any good framework, it also provides a strong foundation that you can build upon to achieve something even more grand.

What we will discuss in this article is what can happen when you build something new upon this framework and combine multiple modes ~ that’s when the real magic can happen!

In our business, we call this…

…and in my mind, it’s really the ultimate model for leveraging Public Domain content in the most personally satisfying, financially rewarding, and long-term business sustaining way.

Creating new products based on the Hybrid Content Theory model allows you to apply multiple modes to your product creations thereby allowing you (and your customers) to enjoy the benefit of each mode.

As a great example of Hybrid Content Theory in practice, let’s check out a real product using this model so I can better illustrate how the model works (while also keeping within the scope of our Public Domain Cookbook conversation)…

“The Farmer’s Wife Canning & Preserving Cookbook”

You can find this book for sale on Amazon here.

And you can find a limited (but not as limited as Amazon’s version) preview on Google Books here.

Book description from Amazon…

“The spiced peaches and icebox pickles, dilly beans and tomatoes in every shape and form, the blackberry jam and hot pepper jelly–it’s summer, and a whole world of summers past, in a jar.  Pack the pantry the way Grandma did, and put away the sweetest fruits and preserves, the most tender savory vegetables, the taste of the sunny day and the scent of the crisp harvest air, with more than 250 blue-ribbon canning and preserving recipes culled from The Farmer’s Wife magazine. Along with instructions for canning and preserving, this wonderful cookbook provides recipes for using the fruits of your canning labors.”

Take a good look at this book using the links above and it should get the wheels spinning in your mind with all kinds of great ideas for how you can achieve something similar.

Let’s take a look at how this book in particular applies the Hybrid Content Theory approach and perfectly combines the best elements of many of the 5 Modes of Public Domain Publishing…

1) Elements of “Stealth” Mode:

• The editor has used Public Domain magazine content to create an entirely new product instead of just republishing a Public Domain work in it’s entirety with no modification or additional value. One of the big perks of this is that this new book is a copyrightable work of it’s own.
• The editor has placed her name on this book as the “editor”. She has also incorporated new material in the book itself such as an introduction and a how to get started section. This not only allows her to leverage the expert status of those that originally wrote the Public Domain articles in the book but also allows her to set herself up to be perceived as an expert as well. This also allows her to brand the book so that customers can find more of “her” books (repeat customers and credibility).
•  This book provides lots of great information and how-to instruction for people interested in canning and preserving (even if they have no historical or nostalgic interest in the product).

2) Elements of “Historical” Mode:

• As fits with the “Historical Mode” of Public Domain Publishing, this book is a “new” product greatly enhanced by the addition of Public Domain material.
• Even though the book is primarily about canning and preserving, there is a huge amount of historical appeal in this product and it’s milked for all it’s worth – much lip service is given throughout the book that much of the content is being reprinted as originally published in “The Farmer’s Wife” magazine which “was published in Minnesota between the years 1893 and 1939″.
•  In addition to recipes and procedures, there’s much discussion dedicated to the colorful history of canning and preserving within the pages of this book.

3) Elements of “Master’s” Mode:

• The content in this book is positioned as content written by the “Old Masters” of very specialized niche knowledge – in this case, the farm wives of the earlier part of the last century, the true “masters” of home canning and preserving.
•  The Public Domain material used in the production of this book definitely qualifies as “long lost secrets” of the largely forgotten art of canning and preserving.
•  The book leverage’s the credibility of “The Farmer’s Wife” Magazine (even in the title) and of “farmer’s wives” in general. Again, the author only presents herself as the “editor” (while still managing to achieve expert status as described above in the “Stealth” section).

4) Elements of “Nostalgia” Mode:

• One line from the book description sums up the nostalgic appeal pretty well – “Pack the pantry the way Grandma did”.
• The book definitely plays the nostalgia angle and you can see evidence of this from the back cover description right down to the actual cover image used. It all recalls memories of a time when things were simpler and purer and this in itself holds a lot of appeal with potential buyers.
•  The vintage artwork and design elements help to support this massively, you “feel” like your back on the farm while you’re reading this book (even if you’ve never actually lived on a farm).
• This book definitely gives you a feel for farm life back in the day and that’s what Nostalgia is all about. For some people, this book will take them back to a time and place they remember with fondness. For me personally, it recalls memories of visits to the farms of my great grandparents at a really early age.

5) Elements of “Facsimile” Mode

• Although not a facsimile in the true sense of the word, this book does wisely incorporate facsimile elements – the image used on the cover (which is an actual cover image from an issue of the original Public Domain magazine), the images used throughout the book (again pulled from issues of the original magazine), and the vintage article reprints provided throughout the book are all faithfully reproduced from “The Farmer’s Wife” magazine which is really, really close to having the actual magazine in your hands.

This is just one example of using Public Domain cookbook content and the Hybrid Content Theory model to produce a wonderful new and unique product. There are many more titles available by the same editor / publisher…

Click here to see more similar titles by Lela Nargi / Voyageur Press.

Here’s another one I like by the same publisher but with a different editor (I’m telling you, these guys are masters at this game)…

“The Farmer’s Wife Cookbook”

You can find this book for sale on Amazon here.

Check out how the product description does an excellent job of “positioning” the book for potential buyers (taken directly from the Amazon listing)…

“Step back into grandma’s kitchen, circa 1893. Farm cooking was a tough job, but the results of that labor were completely satisfying: hearty, delicious meals that re-energized tired muscles and warmed the soul. “The Farmer’s Wife Cookbook” brings together more than 400 easy-to-follow recipes and variations along with dozens of menus that originated in farm kitchens nationwide between 1893 and 1939. Readers will be able to prepare these meals easily and quickly, as the recipes have been updated to match the conveniences and ingredients of the modern kitchen. As much fun to browse through as it is to cook from, “The Farmer’s Wife Cookbook” includes clips of original articles and artwork from “The Farmer’s Wife” magazine. It also includes a guide to home canning and instructions for making jams, jellies, pickles, and relishes. Recipes range from drinks and appetizers to robust main dishes and mouth-watering desserts. Included are classic pot roasts, fun jellos, blue-ribbon breads, model potato salads, and old-fashioned pies and cakes. “The Farmer’s Wife Cookbook” is sure to satisfy readers in search of the flavors of farm country or those simply on the lookout for a piece of home-baked nostalgia.”

Awesome!

Another author I admire that’s applying Hybrid Content Theory to the creation of new cookbooks using Public Domain content is Barbara Sewell (published by Native Ground Music).

She has a whole line-up of unique and attractive “cookbooks” for sale on Amazon including the following (just to give you a feel for her work)…

You can check out Barbara Sewell’s stuff on Amazon here.

Make sure you preview every title (or even buy one or two for your own education) ~ you’ll see how a real pro does it, for sure!

Although we’ve been discussing Public Domain cookbook content exclusively in this article, Hybrid Content Theory can be applied to new products covering almost any evergreen topic.

For over two years now, Deb and I have been “preaching” about how the best way to use Public Domain content is to use it in the creation of new products.

We’ve always advised taking previously published Public Domain content, combining it with your own personality and interests, and spinning it off into something unique and wonderful – something you can be truly proud of.

Anybody can republish a Public Domain work as is but it’s our belief that in order to build a publishing company with long-term success, you need to be able to create new products ~ products that are unique, provide tons of value for the reader, provide a barrier against competition, and encourage repeat business and a loyal following.

If you can also achieve “expert” status in your niche at the same time, that’s even better (and highly desirable).

Combining Public Domain material with Hybrid Content Theory is the fastest way to achieve all of the above.

Soon, we’ll talk about how you can apply Hybrid Content Theory to your Public Domain based products and really start reaping all of the benefits of the five modes of Public Domain publishing in your own business.

See ya then!

Warmly,

About The Author:

Logan Andrew is an online entrepreneur, information publisher, and author that has been using Public Domain material to create profitable products and businesses since 2001. He is also co-author of "The Public Domain Treasure Hunter's Survival Kit" available here. For more info Logan, click here.

[print_link]

Recommended Reading: