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Publishing

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"Publisher" redirects here. For other uses, seePublisher (disambiguation).

TheAboriginal Studies Press(ASP) bookshop at theAustralian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Publishingis the activity of making information, literature, music, software, and other content available to the public for sale or for free.[1]Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution ofprinted works,such asbooks,comic books,newspapers,andmagazines.With the advent of digital information systems, the scope has expanded to includedigital publishingsuch ase-books,digital magazines,websites,social media,music,andvideo game publishing.

The commercial publishing industry ranges from large multinational conglomerates such asNews Corp,Pearson,Penguin Random House,andThomson Reuters[2]to major retail brands and thousands of small independent publishers. It has various divisions such as trade/retail publishing of fiction and non-fiction, educational publishing, andacademic and scientific publishing.[3]Publishing is also undertaken by governments, civil society, and private companies for administrative or compliance requirements, business, research, advocacy, or public interest objectives.[4]This can includeannual reports,research reports,market research,policy briefings, andtechnical reports.Self-publishinghas become very common.

Publishing has evolved from a small, ancient form limited by law or religion to a modern, large-scale industry disseminating all types of information.[5]

"Publisher"can refer to a publishing company, organization, or an individual who leads a publishing company,imprint,periodical,or newspaper.

Stages of publishing[edit]

The publishing process covering mostmagazine,journal,and book publishers includes:(Different stages are applicable to different types of publishers)[6]

  1. Commissioning
  2. Writing
  3. Copy editing
  4. Design
  5. Copywriting
  6. Typesetting
  7. Proofreading
  8. Correction cycles
  9. Inde xing
  10. Final corrections
  11. Web publishing
  12. Prepress
  13. Printing
  14. Post press
  15. Distribution
  16. Marketing

Types of publishers[edit]

Newspaper publishing[edit]

Newspapersornews websitesare publications of current reports,articles,andfeatureswritten byjournalists.They are free, sometimes with a premium edition, or paid for, either individually or through asubscription.They are filled with photographs or other media and usually are subsidized withadvertising.Typically, they coverlocal,national, and international news or feature a particular industry. Some organizations charge premium fees if they have the expertise and exclusive knowledge. The news industry is meant to serve the public interest, hold people and businesses to account, and promote freedom of information and expression.[7]Editors manage the tone of voice of their publication; for example, negative versus positive articles can affect the reader's perspective.[8]

Journal publishing[edit]

Ajournalis an academic or technical publication also available in digital and(or) print format, containing articles written by researchers, professors, and individuals with professional expertise. These publications are specific to a particular field and often push the boundaries established in these fields. They usually havepeer reviewprocesses before publishing to test the validity and quality of the content.[9]

Magazine publishing[edit]

Amagazineis a periodical published at regular intervals. It features creative layouts, photography, and illustrations that cover a particular subject or interest. Magazines are available in print or digital formats and can be purchased on apps or websites likeReadlyor accessed for free on apps or websites likeIssuu.

Book publishing[edit]

The global book publishing industry consists of books categorized asfictionornon-fictionandprint,e-book,oraudiobook.The book market is huge, with around 1.5 billion people speaking English.[10]Translation services are also available to make these texts accessible in other languages. Self-publishing makes publishing widely accessible through small print-rundigital printingor online self-publishing platforms.E-readerscreen technology continues to improve with increased contrast and resolution making them more comfortable to read. Each book has a registeredISBNto identify it.

Directory publishing[edit]

Directoriescontain searchable indexed data about businesses, products, and services. They were printed in the past but are now mostly online. Directories are available as searchable lists, on a map, as a sector-specificportal,as areview site(expert or consumer), or as acomparison site.Although some businesses may not consider themselves publishers, the way the data is displayed is published.

Textbook publishing[edit]

Atextbookis an educational book, or e-book, that contains information on a particular subject and is used by people studying that subject.[11]The need for textbook publishing continues due to the global need for education.[12][13]Textbooks from major publishers are being integrated with online learning platforms for expert knowledge and access to a library of books with digital content.[14]Auniversity pressis an academic publisher run by a university.Oxford University Pressis the largest in the world and specializes in research, education, and English language teaching internationally.[15]

Catalog publishing[edit]

A catalog is a visual directory or list of a large range of products that allow you to browse and buy from a particular company.[16]In print, this is usually in the format of a softback book or directory. Smaller visual catalogs can be known as brochures. With the Internet, they have evolved into searchable databases of products known under the terme-commerce.Interactive catalogs and brochures like IKEA[17]and Avon[18]allow customers to browse a full range if they have not decided on their purchase. Responsive web and app design will allow further integration between interactive catalog visuals and searchable product databases.

Web publishing[edit]

Until recently, physical books were the primary source of recording knowledge. For accessibility and global reach, this content can be repurposed for the web. TheBritish Library,for example, holds more than 170 million items with 3 million new additions each year.[19]With consent, content can be published online through e-books, audio books,CMS-based websites, online learning platforms, videos, or mobile apps. On the Internet, writers and copy editors are known as content writers and content editors, although their roles vary from their print-based counterparts.

Advertising[edit]

Advertising can provide income or a subsidized income for publishers. If the advertising has areturn on investment(ROI), the publisher can boost income exponentially by increasing the spending. An ROI of up to £10 per £1 invested is possible, as seen in the John Lewis & PartnersChristmas campaigns.[20][21]Likewise, any cost savings that harm the customer/consumer experience can impact a brand in the long term.Multichannel marketingcan be more cost-effective in creating an immersive experience that cannot be replicated with one channel. For example, when considering marketing spend, a shop with a small margin (or none at all) compared to a website is very cost-effective because it acts as a huge billboard that offers a browsing experience that enables consumers to make purchasing decisions. It gives them a feel for the brand, has a presence in the community, and creates jobs. Also, using social media publishing to advertise has a good ROI if trending, high-quality content is created that reflects positively on the brand.

Tie-in publishing[edit]

Main article:Tie-in

Film, television, radio, and advertisements publish information to their audiences. Computer games, streaming apps, and social media publish content in various ways that can keep audiences more engaged. Marketing additional products closely related to a major film, such asStar Wars,is an example of tie-in publishing. These products include but are not limited to spin-off books, graphic novels, soundtrack albums, computer games, models and toys, social media posts, and promotional publications. Examples of tie-in publishing based on books are theHarry PotterandJames Bondfranchises.

See also:Periodical publication

Book publishing sub-divisions[edit]

See also:History of books
"Book publishing company" redirects here. For the publisher named Book Publishing Company, seeThe Farm (Tennessee).

There are four major types of publishers in book publishing:

  • Commercial publishers are more rigid and selective as to which books they publish. Authors pay no cost to publish in exchange for selling rights to their work if accepted. They receive in-house editing, design, printing, marketing, and distribution services and are paid royalties on sales.[22]
  • Self-publishersare publishing organizations that authors can use to publish their books and retain full rights to their works. Self-publishing houses are more open than traditional ones, allowing emerging and established authors to publish their work. Several modern or self-publishing houses offer enhanced services (e.g., editing, design), and authors may choose one or many. Authors shoulder pre-publishing expenses and retain the rights to their works, keep total control, and are paid royalties on sales.[23]
  • Vanity pressesportray themselves as traditional publishers but are, in fact, just a self-publishing service. Unlike genuine self-publishing services, with vanity presses, the author is often obliged to use some or all of their additional services, and the press will usually take rights to the work as part of their contract.[24]
  • Hybrid publishersoperate under the same practices as traditional publishing but use a different revenue model. There have been attempts to bridge this gap using hybrid models. No one model has been fully proven at this stage.[25]

In 2013,Penguin(owned byPearson) andRandom House(owned byBertelsmann) merged, narrowing the industry to a handful of big publishers as it adapted to digital media.[26]The merger created the largest consumer book publisher globally, with a global market share of more than 25 percent.[27]Approximately 60 percent[28]of English-language books are produced through the "Big Five"publishing houses:Penguin Random House,Hachette,HarperCollins,Simon & Schuster,andMacmillan.In November 2020, ViacomCBS agreed to sell Simon & Schuster, the third largest book publisher in the United States, to Penguin Random House in a deal that, if it had gone through, would have formed the largest publishing company in the world.[26]On November 2, 2021, theUnited States Department of Justicefiled a lawsuit (U.S. v. Bertelsmann SE & CO. KGaA, et al.) to block the merger on antitrust grounds,[29]and on October 31, 2022, theD.C. District Courtruled in favor of the Department of Justice, filing a permanent injunction on the merger.[30]

Although newspaper and magazine companies still often own printing presses and binderies, book publishers rarely do.[citation needed]Similarly, the trade usually sells the finished products through adistributorwho stores and distributes the publisher's wares for a percentage fee or sells on a sale or return basis.

The advent of theInternethas provided a mode of book distribution that eliminates the need for physical printing, delivery, or storage. Preparing a book for e-book publication is the same as print publication, with only minor variations in the process to account for the different publishing mediums; E-book publication also eliminates some costs like the discount given to retailers (usually around 45 percent).[31]

Some major publishers have entire divisions devoted to a single franchise, e.g., BallantineDel ReyLucasBooks has the exclusive rights toStar Warsin the United States; Random House UK (Bertelsmann)/Century LucasBooks holds the same rights in the United Kingdom. Thevideo gameindustry self-publishes through BL Publishing/Black Library(Warhammer) and Wizards of the Coast (Dragonlance,Forgotten Realms,etc.). TheBBChas its own publishing division that does very well with long-running series such asDoctor Who.These multimedia works are cross-marketed aggressively, and sales frequently outperform the average stand-alone published work, making them a focus of corporate interest.[32]

Recent developments[edit]

Accessible publishinguses the digitization of books to mark them up intoXMLand produce multiple formats to sell to customers, often targeting those who experience difficulty reading. Formats include a variety of larger print sizes, specialized print formats fordyslexia,[33]eye tracking problems, andmacular degeneration,as well asBraille,DAISY,audiobooks,ande-books.[34]

Green publishing means adapting the publishing process to minimize environmental impact. One example is the concept of on-demand printing, using digital or print-on-demand technology. This cuts down the need to ship books since they are manufactured close to the customer on a just-in-time basis.[35]

A further development is the growth of online publishing, where no physical books are produced. The author creates an e-book and uploads it to a website, from which anyone can download and read it.

An increasing number of authors are usingniche marketingonline to sell more books by engaging with their readers online.[36]

Standardization[edit]

Refer to theISOdivisions of ICS 01.140.40 and 35.240.30 for further information.[37][38]

Legal issues[edit]

Main article:Publication

Publication is the distribution of copies orcontentto thepublic.[39][40]TheBerne Conventionrequires that this can only be done with the consent of the copyright holder, which initially is always the author.[39]In theUniversal Copyright Convention,"publication" is defined in Article VI as "the reproduction in tangible form and the general distribution to the public of copies of a work from which it can be read or otherwise visually perceived."[40]

Privishing[edit]

Privishing(private publishing,but not to be confused withself-publishing) is a modern term for publishing a book but printing so few copies or with such lack of marketing, advertising, or sales support that it effectively does not reach the public.[41]The book, while nominally published, is almost impossible to obtain through normal channels such as bookshops, often cannot be ordered specially, and has a notable lack of support from its publisher, including refusal to reprint the title. A book that is privished may be referred to as "killed." Depending on the motivation, privishing may constitute abreach of contract,censorship,[42]or good business practice (e.g., not printing more books than the publisher believes will sell in a reasonable length of time).

History[edit]

Printer working an earlyGutenberg letterpressfrom the 15th century (1877 engraving)

Publishing became possible with theinvention of writingand became more practical upon theintroduction of printing.Before printing, distributed works were copied manually byscribes.Due to printing, publishing progressed hand-in-hand with thedevelopment of books.

The Chinese inventorBi Shengmade amovable typeof earthenwarec. 1045,but there are no known surviving examples of his work. The Korean civil servantCh'oe Yun-ŭi,who lived during theGoryeoDynasty, invented the first metal moveable type in 1234–1250 AD.[43]

In what is commonly regarded as an independent invention,Johannes Gutenbergdeveloped movable type in Europe around 1450, along with innovations in casting the type based on a matrix andhand mould.The invention of theprinting pressgradually made books less expensive to produce and more widely available.

Early printed books, single sheets, and images created before 1501 in Europe are known asincunablesorincunabula."A man born in 1453, the year of thefall of Constantinople,could look back from his fiftieth year on a lifetime in which about eight million books had been printed, more perhaps than all the scribes of Europe had produced sinceConstantinefounded his city in A.D. 330. "[44]

Thehistory of modern newspaper publishingstarted in Germany in 1609, with the publicationof magazinesfollowing in 1663.

Missionaries brought printing presses tosub-Saharan Africain the mid-18th century.[45]

Historically, publishing has been handled bypublishers,although some authors self-published.[46]Theestablishment of the World Wide Webin 1989 soon propelled thewebsiteinto a dominant publishing medium.Wikisandblogssoon developed, followed byonline books,online newspapers,andonline magazines.This also facilitated thetechnological convergenceof commercial and self-published content and the convergence of publishing and production intoonline productionthrough the development ofmultimediacontent.

A U.S.-based study in 2016 that surveyed 34 publishers found that straight, able-bodied, white females overwhelmingly represent the publishing industry in the US.[47]Salondescribed the situation as a "lack of diversity behind the scenes in book world."[48]A survey in 2020 by the same group found there has been no significant statistical change in the lack of diversity since the 2016 survey.[49]Lack of diversity in the American publishing industry has been an issue for years. Within the industry, the least amount of diversity was in higher-level editorial positions.[50]

See also:List of women printers and publishers before 1800
See also:History of printing in East Asia

See also[edit]

General

Publishing on specific contexts

Publishing tools

References[edit]

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  2. ^"GLOBAL 50. The world ranking of the publishing industry 2019".Issuu.28 October 2019. Archived fromthe originalon 27 July 2020.Retrieved7 February2020.
  3. ^International Publishers Association (2018)."The Global Publishing Industry in 2016".WIPO.doi:10.34667/tind.29034.Archivedfrom the original on 15 June 2020.Retrieved7 February2020.
  4. ^Börjesson, Lisa (2016)."Research outside academia? – An analysis of resources in extra-academic report writing".Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology.53(1): 1–10.doi:10.1002/pra2.2016.14505301036.S2CID7212603.
  5. ^"Publishing industry history and challenges | Britannica".britannica.Retrieved19 January2024.
  6. ^New Oxford Style Manual.Oxford University Press.2016.
  7. ^"Freedom of expression, media freedom and safety of journalists".Archivedfrom the original on 19 January 2023.Retrieved22 June2023.(last checked 2023-01-19)
  8. ^Heuristics and BiasesKahneman, D.; Tversky, A. (1982).Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases.Cambridge University Press.doi:10.1017/CBO9780511809477.ISBN9780511809477.Archivedfrom the original on 30 December 2023.Retrieved31 January2023.
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  13. ^"Finance".UNESCO.Archivedfrom the original on 28 January 2023.Retrieved28 January2023.$5 trillion spent on education worldwide
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  16. ^"Catalog – (US Spelling)".Collins Dictionary.Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2023.Retrieved15 January2023.
  17. ^"IKEA Business Brochure 2023".Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2023.Retrieved15 January2023.
  18. ^"Avon Catalog".Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2023.Retrieved15 January2023.
  19. ^"The British Library".12 January 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 31 July 2020.Retrieved12 January2023.(last checked 2023-01-12)
  20. ^"John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners launch first-ever joint Christmas TV Advert, 'Excitable Edgar'".John Lewis & Partners. Archived fromthe originalon 1 March 2023.Retrieved1 March2023.
  21. ^"John Lewis Christmas Campaigns".Archivedfrom the original on 16 February 2023.Retrieved16 February2023.(last checked 2023-02-16).
  22. ^Steven, Daniel."Self-publishing – In traditional royalty publishing".publishlawyer.Daniel N. Steven, LLC.Archivedfrom the original on 1 March 2018.Retrieved1 March2018.
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  25. ^Klems, Brian A. (11 August 2016)."What is Hybrid Publishing? Here Are 4 Things All Writers Should Know".Writer's Digest.Archivedfrom the original on 20 December 2019.Retrieved9 February2020.
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  38. ^International Organization for Standardization."35.240.30: IT applications in information, documentation and publishing".Archivedfrom the original on 6 June 2011.Retrieved14 July2008.
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  41. ^Winkler, David (11 July 2002)."Journalists Thrown 'Into the Buzzsaw'".CommonDreams.org. Archived fromthe originalon 4 August 2007.
  42. ^Sue Curry Jansen;Brian Martin(July 2003)."Making censorship backfire".Counterpoise.7.Archivedfrom the original on 19 June 2010.Retrieved28 May2010.
  43. ^Newman, Sophia (19 June 2019)."So, Gutenberg Didn't Actually Invent Printing As We Know It".Literary Hub.Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2020.Retrieved1 June2021.
  44. ^Clapham, Michael,"Printing" inA History of Technology,Vol 2.From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution,eds,. Charles Singeret al.(Oxford 1957), p. 377. Cited fromElizabeth L. Eisenstein,The Printing Press as an Agent of Change(Cambridge University, 1980).
  45. ^Gazemba, Stanley (13 December 2019)."African Publishing Minefields and the Woes of the African Writer".The Elephant.Archivedfrom the original on 11 February 2020.Retrieved29 February2020.
  46. ^FitzGerald, Jamie (1 November 2013)."Notable Moments in Self-Publishing History: A Timeline".Poets & Writers.Archivedfrom the original on 27 July 2020.Retrieved8 February2020.
  47. ^Flood, Alison (27 January 2016)."Publishing industry is overwhelmingly white and female, US study finds".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Archivedfrom the original on 9 November 2020.Retrieved9 November2020.
  48. ^Lee, Paula Young (26 January 2016)."White women of publishing: New survey shows a lack of diversity behind the scenes in book world".Salon.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved9 November2020.
  49. ^Flood, Alison (30 January 2020)."US publishing remains 'as white today as it was four years ago'".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Archivedfrom the original on 29 November 2020.Retrieved10 November2020.
  50. ^Italie, Hillel (11 February 2020)."Missteps lead publishing industry to review diversity effort".Associated Press.Archivedfrom the original on 10 November 2020.Retrieved10 November2020.

Publications[edit]

  • Amory, H., & Hall, D. D. (2005).Bibliography and the book trades: studies in the print culture of early New England.University of Pennsylvania Press.
  • Patten, E., McElligott, J. (Eds). (2014).The perils of print culture: book, print and publishing history in theory and practice.Palgrave Macmillan.

External links[edit]

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