A publisher (person) is responsible for making a book or other literary work available to the public. In traditional publishing, publishers select, commission, and edit manuscripts authors submit. They also supervise the process of printing and distributing books.
In addition to these activities, some publishers handle marketing and sales tasks related to promoting their published books.
Publishers are often independent businesses or imprints belonging to larger companies. Either way, they typically have teams of editors, production personnel, and marketers who work together to connect books with readers.
Publishers work with booksellers (to get their titles into shops) and market directly to readers; in essence – though not always in practice – they’re still an essential part of bringing a book into print.
An author can make their book available to the public with a publisher (person). A minority of authors choose self-publishing, although this may bring limited reach and resources compared with those provided by a traditional publishing house. By assuming the financial risk of publishing an author’s work and utilizing their expertise and connections, publishers perform a valuable service for them.
The role of publishers has changed dramatically in recent years, partly because digital publishing is rising. The advent of digital technology means that authors now have more control over how their work is produced and distributed. Many are opting for self-publishing or working with small independent presses. Traditional publishers’ roles are changing from being gatekeepers to facilitators.
Publishers still play an essential part in getting books into the world despite things shifting in recent years. They bring valuable knowledge and resources to bear on their projects and can help writers reach bigger audiences than they could otherwise dream of; many authors believe that working with one (or several) is vital to producing great books.