As our industry starts to change, it’s important that we think about what the essence of publishing really is. This is especially true as the barriers to entry drop and many new people flood in to join our profession, without any indoctrination from the rest of us.
My list starts with owning the ISBN block, which is critical to making the book available to the public. If your national ISBN Agency doesn’t have you as the publisher for those numbers, none of the functions below can override that.
Publishers also must either do or hire someone else to do the design and editorial work on the book. The design must include both the design and composition of the interior, as well as tailoring the cover to the market. The editorial work includes making sure that the structure and overall execution of the content are adequate, as well as getting copyediting and proofreading, etc.
Publishers are the venture capitalists of the book world. They fund the joint venture of author and publisher in launching this book and reap a share of the rewards.
Publishers provide appropriate marketing to the target audience. They also provide distribution to the sales channels where the audience will shop for books.
Publishers have expertise in their industry and the market. They may not do all the functions themselves, but they know who can and how to find them. And they control the process, ensuring that quality standards are met.
So, what did I miss? What needs to be amplified? Where was I just plain wrong?
What do YOU think are the critical functions?
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