By Riley Kaminer
Twelve years ago, Yehuda Niv published his first book. It was an exciting moment – up until he realized just how broken the publishing process was.
Frustrated by the inefficiencies and high costs, he decided to do something about it. What started as a dorm-room experiment, bootstrapped under the name Niv Publishing, became Israel’s largest publishing house.
Today, Niv is tackling an even bigger challenge: using AI to make publishing more accessible without replacing human creativity.
“I saw AI coming before most people were talking about it,” Niv [pictured above] told Refresh Miami. “I realized that if I didn’t do something about it, we would become irrelevant. So I decided to lead this opportunity in the world.”
That opportunity became Spines, a tech-driven publishing platform that helps authors bring their books to market faster and at a fraction of the cost of traditional publishing. Since launching its product in January 2023, Spines has published more than 2,500 authors, with plans to scale up to 8,000 by the end of this year.
Despite its AI-powered approach, Spines is not in the business of generating books with AI. “We are not here to replace human authors. We focus on writers who have already completed their manuscripts and help them get their work in front of audiences efficiently,” Niv said.
The platform simplifies the entire publishing workflow: proofreading, formatting, cover design, distribution, and even audiobook creation. All in all, this process typically takes six to 18 months and costs tens of thousands of dollars.
For most authors, getting a book published has historically required at least one of two things: fame or money. Traditional publishers are highly selective, leaving 99% of writers without a path to market. Self-publishing is an alternative, but it’s costly and requires authors to manage multiple service providers. Spines offers a third option: a streamlined, AI-powered publishing platform that democratizes access to professional publishing services.
One unique feature is Spines’ audiobook production. “Forty percent of book consumption today is in audio format,” Niv said. “But not all authors can afford to record their own audiobooks. With Spines, we can model an author’s voice or assign different voices to different characters, creating high-quality audiobooks automatically and affordably.”
The company’s business model is evolving alongside its rapid growth. Authors can choose from various production plans, ranging from a limited free plan to a full-service $5,000 option, depending on their needs. There’s also a membership model that determines distribution reach, plus revenue-sharing on marketing efforts. “We grow as our authors grow,” Niv explained. “We’re invested in their success.”
Spines has also been quietly expanding in South Florida, where about 20 of its 100 employees are based. While the Miami office was originally established by a single sales representative, the team has grown organically, cementing Spines’ presence in the U.S. market. The company raised $16 million in November 2024, on top of an additional $6.5 million it had raised just a few months earlier.
Looking ahead, Niv is focused on expanding Spines’ reach beyond English-speaking markets. “We’re launching a translation service so authors can become global, not just local,” he said. Initially, Spines will offer Spanish, French, German, Italian, Polish, and Portuguese translations, with plans to add more languages as AI improves. Another major development in the works: AI-generated marketing assets, including short promotional videos based on book content.
In the coming months, Spines plans to roll out a premium plan that includes eight book formats – softcover, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook in both English and Spanish – for $4,500. “The industry thinks we’re crazy for offering this,” Niv admitted. “But we’re here for the authors.”
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