
Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term publishing refers to the creation and distribution of
printed works, such as
book
A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...
s,
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
s,
newspaper
A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
s, and
magazines to the public. With the advent of digital information systems, the scope has expanded to include
digital publishing such as
e-books,
digital magazines,
websites,
social media
Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
,
music
Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
, and
video game publishing.
The commercial publishing industry ranges from large multinational conglomerates such as
News Corp,
Pearson,
Penguin Random House, and
Thomson Reuters 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, and
academic and scientific publishing. Publishing is also undertaken by governments, civil society, and private companies for administrative or compliance requirements, business, research, advocacy, or public interest objectives. This can include
annual reports,
research reports,
market research, policy briefings, and
technical reports.
Self-publishing has 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.
"Publisher" can refer to a publishing company, organization, or an individual who leads a publishing company,
imprint,
periodical, or newspaper.
Stages of publishing
The publishing process covering most
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
,
journal, and book publishers includes: ''(Different stages are applicable to different types of publishers)''
Types of publishers
Newspaper publishing
Newspapers
A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
or
news websites are publications of current reports,
articles, and
features written by
journalists. They are free, sometimes with a premium edition, or paid for, either individually or through a
subscription. They are filled with photographs or other media and usually are subsidized with
advertising. Typically, they cover
local, 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. Editors manage the tone of voice of their publication; for example, negative versus positive articles can affect the reader's perspective.
Journal publishing
A
journal is an academic or technical publication that 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 have
peer review
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work (:wiktionary:peer#Etymology 2, peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the ...
processes before publishing to test the validity and quality of the content.
Magazine publishing
A
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
is 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 like
Readly or accessed free of charge on apps or websites like
Issuu.
Book publishing
The global book publishing industry consists of books categorized as
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...
or
non-fiction and
print,
e-book, or
audiobook. The book market is huge, with around 1.5 billion people speaking English. Translation services are also available to make these texts accessible in other languages. Self-publishing makes publishing widely accessible through small print-run
digital printing or online self-publishing platforms.
E-reader screen technology continues to improve with increased contrast and resolution making them more comfortable to read. Each book has a registered
ISBN to identify it.
Directory publishing
Directories contain 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-specific
portal, as a
review site (expert or consumer), or as a
comparison site. Although some businesses may not consider themselves publishers, the way the data is displayed is published.
Textbook publishing
A
textbook
A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions, but also of learners ( ...
is an educational book, or e-book, that contains information on a particular subject and is used by people studying that subject. The need for textbook publishing continues due to the global need for education. Textbooks from major publishers are being integrated with online learning platforms for expert knowledge and access to a library of books with digital content. A
university press is an academic publisher run by a university.
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
is the largest in the world and specializes in research, education, and English language teaching internationally.
Catalog publishing
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. 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 term
e-commerce. Interactive catalogs and brochures like IKEA and Avon 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
Until recently, physical books were the primary source of recording knowledge. For accessibility and global reach, this content can be repurposed for the web. The
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...
, for example, holds more than 170 million items with 3 million new additions each year. 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
Advertising can provide income or a subsidized income for publishers. If the advertising has a
return 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 & Partners
Christmas campaigns. Likewise, any cost savings that harm the customer/consumer experience can impact a brand in the long term.
Multichannel marketing can 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
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 as ''
Star 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 the ''
Harry Potter'' and ''
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
'' franchises.
Book publishing sub-divisions

The publishing landscape is continually evolving. Currently there are four major types of publishers in book publishing:
Mainstream publishers
These companies traditionally produce hardcopy books in large print runs. They have established networks which distribute those books to bricks-and-mortar stores and libraries.
When a mainstream publisher accepts a book for publication, they require the author to sign a contract surrendering some rights to the publisher. In exchange, the publisher will take care of all aspects of publishing the book at the publisher's cost. They rely entirely on sales of the book to recoup those costs and make a profit. The author receives a royalty on each sale (and sometimes an advance on royalties when the book is accepted). Because of the
financial risk, mainstream publishers are extremely selective in what they will publish, and reject most manuscripts submitted to them.
In 2013,
Penguin (owned by
Pearson) and
Random House (owned by
Bertelsmann) merged, narrowing the mainstream publishing industry to a handful of big publishers as it adapted to digital media.
The merger created the largest consumer book publisher globally, with a global market share of more than 25 percent. , approximately 80% percent of the United States trade market for books was controlled by the "Big Five" publishing houses:
Penguin Random House,
Hachette,
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...
,
Simon & Schuster, and
Macmillan.
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.
On November 2, 2021, the
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
filed a lawsuit (U.S. v. Bertelsmann SE & CO. KGaA, et al.) to block the merger on antitrust grounds, and on October 31, 2022, the
D.C. District Court ruled in favor of the Department of Justice, filing a permanent injunction on the merger.
Although newspaper and magazine companies still often own printing presses and binderies, book publishers rarely do. Similarly, the trade usually sells the finished products through a
distributor who stores and distributes the publisher's wares for a percentage fee or sells on a sale or return basis.
Some major publishers have entire divisions devoted to a single franchise, e.g., Ballantine
Del Rey LucasBooks has the exclusive rights to ''Star Wars'' in the United States; Random House UK (Bertelsmann)/Century LucasBooks holds the same rights in the United Kingdom. The
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
industry self-publishes through BL Publishing/
Black Library (
''Warhammer'') and Wizards of the Coast (''
Dragonlance'', ''
Forgotten Realms'', etc.). The
BBC has its own publishing division that does very well with long-running series such as ''
Doctor 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.
[Shelagh Vainker in Anne Farrer (ed.), "Caves of the Thousand Buddhas", 1990, British Museum publications, .]
The advent of the
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
has provided an alternative mode of book distribution and most mainstream publishers also offer their books in ebook format. 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).
Small presses
Small publishers, also called independent or indie publishers, operate on a traditional model (i.e. the author surrenders some rights in exchange for the publisher bearing all costs of publishing), but their precise terms can vary greatly. Often, they do not pay an advance on royalties.
Hybrid publishing
A hybrid publisher shares the costs of publication (and therefore the risks) with the author. Because of this financial risk, they are selective in what they publish. The contract varies according to what is negotiated between author and company, but will always include the surrender of some rights to the publisher. Hybrid publishing is the source of debate in the publishing industry, due to the tendency of vanity presses to masquerade as hybrids.
Vanity presses
A vanity press will publish any book. In return, the author must cover all the costs of publication, surrender some rights to the publisher, and pay royalties on sales. Vanity presses often engage in deceptive practices or offer costly, poor-quality services with limited recourse available to the writer. In the US, these practices have been cited by the
Better Business Bureau as unfavorable reports by consumers. Given the bad reputation of vanity publishing, many vanity presses brand themselves as hybrid publishers. The Society of Authors (SoA) and the Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) have called for reform of the paid-for publishing sector. These unions, representing 14,800 authors, jointly published a report to expose widespread bad practices among companies that charge writers to publish their work while taking away their rights.
Self-publishing
When an author self-publishes a book, they retain all rights and assume responsibility for all stages of preparing, publishing and distributing the book. The author may hire professionals on a fee-for-service basis as needed, (e.g. an editor, cover designer, proofreader) or engage a company to provide an integrated package.
Recent developments
Accessible publishing uses the digitization of books to mark them up into
XML and 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 for
dyslexia, eye tracking problems, and
macular degeneration, as well as
Braille
Braille ( , ) is a Tactile alphabet, tactile writing system used by blindness, blind or visually impaired people. It can be read either on embossed paper or by using refreshable braille displays that connect to computers and smartphone device ...
,
DAISY,
audiobooks, and
e-books.
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.
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 using
niche marketing online to sell more books by engaging with their readers online.
Standardization
Refer to the
ISO divisions of ICS 01.140.40 and 35.240.30 for further information.
Legal issues
Publication is the distribution of copies or
content to the
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
.
The
Berne Convention requires that this can only be done with the consent of the copyright holder, which initially is always the author.
In the
Universal 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."
Privishing
Privishing (''priv''ate publ''ishing'', but not to be confused with
self-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. 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 a
breach of contract,
censorship, or good business practice (e.g., not printing more books than the publisher believes will sell in a reasonable length of time).
History

Publishing became possible with the
invention of writing and became more practical upon the
introduction of printing. Before printing, distributed works were copied manually by
scribes. Due to printing, publishing progressed hand-in-hand with the
development of books.
The Chinese inventor
Bi Sheng made a
movable type
Movable type (US English; moveable type in British English) is the system and technology of printing and typography that uses movable Sort (typesetting), components to reproduce the elements of a document (usually individual alphanumeric charac ...
of earthenware , but there are no known surviving examples of his work. The Korean civil servant
Ch'oe Yun-ŭi, who lived during the
Goryeo Dynasty, invented the first metal moveable type in 1234–1250 AD.
In what is commonly regarded as an independent invention,
Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type in Europe around 1450, along with innovations in casting the type based on a matrix and
hand mould. The invention of the
printing press gradually made books less expensive to produce and more widely available.
Early printed books, single sheets, and images created before 1501 in Europe are known as
incunables or ''incunabula''. "A man born in 1453, the year of the
fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople, also known as the Conquest of Constantinople, was the capture of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire. The city was captured on 29 May 1453 as part of the culmination of a 55-da ...
, 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 since
Constantine founded his city in A.D. 330."
The
history of modern newspaper publishing started in Germany in 1609, with the publication
of magazines following in 1663.
Historians describe the last third of the eighteenth century of the German book trade as the ''Sturm und Drang'' period, German for "storm and stress."
Missionaries brought printing presses to
sub-Saharan Africa in the mid-18th century.
Historically, publishing has been handled by
publishers, although some authors self-published. The
establishment of the World Wide Web in 1989 soon propelled the
website
A website (also written as a web site) is any web page whose content is identified by a common domain name and is published on at least one web server. Websites are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose, such as news, educatio ...
into a dominant publishing medium.
Wikis and
blogs soon developed, followed by
online books,
online newspapers, and
online magazines. This also facilitated the
technological convergence of commercial and self-published content and the convergence of publishing and production into
online production through the development of
multimedia
Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...
content.
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.
''Salon'' described the situation as a "lack of diversity behind the scenes in book world." 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. 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.
Statistics
According to the report ''The Global Publishing Industry in 2022'', published by the
World Intellectual Property Organization, there is data available for 24 countries about the number of publications done in educational and trade sector:
See also
References
Publications
* 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.
* Johns, Adrian. (1998). ''The Nature of the Book: Print and Knowledge in the Making.'' University of Chicago Press.
External links
International Publishers' organisation
{{Authority control
Mass media industry