Olympia Publishers
Thinking about publishing with Olympia Publishers? Here’s an independent, sourced look at whether it’s a legitimate vanity press or one to avoid — measured against the IBPA hybrid-publisher criteria, the ALLi Watchdog, and Writer Beware, and last checked on 2026-06-09.
Key findings
- Not recommended — meets 1 of the 11 IBPA hybrid-publisher criteria.
- ALLi rates it Watchdog Advisory; Writer Beware lists it.
- Author pays: Approximately £2,000–£3,500 for hybrid (author-contribution) contracts; individual cases up to £4,500+ reported; some traditional (no-cost) contracts offered.
- Distribution: unknown.
- Watch for: takes author rights, part of a known bad network.
Our assessment
Olympia Publishers is the trading name of Ashwell Publishing Ltd (Companies House no. 06431579, incorporated November 2007), which also operates Austin Macauley Publishers and Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie under shared ownership and personnel. Writer Beware documented in 2019 that all three brands issue near-identical contracts and have been known to send the same author simultaneous offers from all three imprints.
A February 2026 update to the same post documents a small-claims judgment against Olympia for £2,430.50 for breach of contract, and the company's subsequent demand that the winning author remove their Reddit post, backed by a litigation threat. The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) assigns Olympia a Watchdog Advisory rating — its lowest tier — reserved for services that "fail to align with ALLi's Code of Standards, are the subject of consistent complaints and, in some cases, have been subject to legal action." Author-contribution contracts typically run approximately £2,000–£3,500, with some reported cases higher.
Documented complaints include withheld or erroneous royalty statements, poor editorial quality, and minimal company-driven marketing with authors responsible for virtually all sales. The rights grant in contracts reportedly carries no stated term and discontinuance is at the publisher's sole discretion, limiting authors' ability to reclaim rights; Olympia publicly claims authors retain copyright, but does not disclose specific license duration terms.
The company lists books with major wholesalers (Gardners, Nielsen, Ingram) but qualifies that physical bookstore stocking depends on consumer demand rather than being guaranteed. Of the 11 IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria, only one — use of own ISBNs — is clearly met.
The company markets itself as a hybrid publisher but fails the criteria that differentiate hybrid from vanity publishing on nearly every measurable dimension.
This is Glass Elevator’s assessment based on the sources listed below. Facts are attributed; opinions are the watchdogs’ own.
IBPA hybrid criteria
- Defines a clear mission & vision
- Vets submissions (is selective)
- Commits to truth & transparency
- Provides a negotiable, clear contract
- Publishes under its own imprint & ISBNs
- Publishes to industry standards
- Ensures editorial & design quality
- Manages a range of rights
- Provides real distribution
- Demonstrates respectable sales
- Pays higher-than-standard royalties
Watchdog ratings
Named in Writer Beware's July 2019 post "Seven Prolific Vanity Publishers" alongside sister companies Austin Macauley and Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie. Post documents shared ownership/personnel between all three via Ashwell Publishing Ltd., near-identical word-for-word contracts across all three brands, no stated term on the rights grant, publisher-discretionary discontinuance clause, and simultaneous contract offers sent to the same authors from all three imprints. A February 2026 update documents a small-claims judgment against Olympia for breach of contract (£2,430.50) and a subsequent demand to the winning author to remove their Reddit post about the outcome, with threat of further litigation.
Observable red flags
- Charges authors to publish
- Money required upfront
- Takes author rights
- No real trade distribution
- Part of a known bad network
- Vague or hidden pricing
Terms
- Typical cost
- Approximately £2,000–£3,500 for hybrid (author-contribution) contracts; individual cases up to £4,500+ reported; some traditional (no-cost) contracts offered
- Royalty to author
- Claimed "15% or higher" on net for hybrid contracts (per company Author Hub blog); independent verification of actual payments unavailable
- Author keeps rights
- Unknown
- Distribution
- Unknown
- What you get
- Cover design, proofreading, ISBN, print and ebook production, press release, publicist contact outreach, social media materials; bulk print inventory claimed (not POD); audiobook option available as upsell; books listed with Gardners, Nielsen, and Ingram for wholesale ordering (physical stocking in bookstores subject to consumer demand per FAQ)
- Website
- olympiapublishers.com
Olympia Publishers: frequently asked questions
Is Olympia Publishers a legitimate hybrid publisher or a vanity press?
Glass Elevator's assessment is "Not recommended." Watchdog advisories, serious red flags, or membership in a known bad network. We do not recommend it. It meets 1 of the 11 IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria, and ALLi rates it Watchdog Advisory, and Writer Beware lists it.
How much does Olympia Publishers cost?
Approximately £2,000–£3,500 for hybrid (author-contribution) contracts; individual cases up to £4,500+ reported; some traditional (no-cost) contracts offered Always get the full, itemized price in writing before you commit.
What royalties does Olympia Publishers pay authors?
Claimed "15% or higher" on net for hybrid contracts (per company Author Hub blog); independent verification of actual payments unavailable
Does Olympia Publishers take your rights?
We could not confirm the rights terms. Ask for the contract and check the rights and reversion clauses before signing.
Is Olympia Publishers on Writer Beware or ALLi's watchdog list?
Writer Beware lists Olympia Publishers. ALLi has issued a Watchdog Advisory for it. See the sources on this page for the listings, and research independently before paying anything.
Should I publish with Olympia Publishers?
That's your call, but here's the basis: Watchdog advisories, serious red flags, or membership in a known bad network. We do not recommend it. Compare it against the IBPA checklist and watchdog ratings above, get every term in writing, and remember that traditional trade publishers pay authors rather than charging them.
Sources
- Writer Beware: Seven Prolific Vanity Publishers (2019, updated February 2026) (writerbeware.blog)
- ALLi Self-Publishing Services Watchdog (selfpublishingadvice.org)
- WritersWeekly: Complaints about Olympia Publishers (writersweekly.com)
- Olympia Publishers official website — About Us (olympiapublishers.com)
- Olympia Publishers blog: Hybrid Publishers are not Vanity Publishers (olympiapublishers.com)
- Olympia Author Hub: Understanding Publishing Deals (royalty claim source) (olympiaauthorhub.com)
- Companies House — Ashwell Publishing Limited (no. 06431579) (find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk)
- Trustpilot — Olympia Publishers (mixed reviews) (trustpilot.com)
- Olympia Publishers Trade/Distribution page (olympiapublishers.com)