A great many lengthy, and heated, debates arise over this singular issue. What constitutes an Independent Publisher? Much of the debate arises over a simple misconception. The simple definition of what we consider to be the appropriate definition, by use more than actual dictionary reference, of what a publisher is.
There are three camps in the independent world of today’s publishing, and they are often divided on account of these two concepts: publisher, and published.
By literal definition, a publisher is: A person, or corporate entity that accepts material from an author, or many authors, to prepare for publication and distribution to the general public.
But by popular concept, a publisher is also: A person, or corporate entity that edits, provides proper documentation, prepares cover work for, and marketing promotions for such accepted works at their own cost and free of charge to the submitting author in exchange for a percentage of profit from the sales of such work.
So to put the literal definition, and the popular conception together, a publisher is: A person, or corporate entity that accepts material from an author, or authors, to prepare for publication by editing, providing proper documentation, cover art, marketing promotion, and distribution at their own cost and free of charge to the submitting author in exchange of profit from the sales of such work.
By literal definition, to be published is: To put out an edition. Be it newsletter, article, novel, or any written work with, or without, monetary gain.
Here are some of the reasons the above concepts have become so hazy. The world of publishing has expanded beyond the huge corporations that later in the 20th century dominated the landscape of modern publishing. A great many authors have taken it upon themselves to produce their work with great success. Still more enterprising people have taken on the task of producing other’s work without the benefit of corporate strongholds. So we now have the three independent publishing camps that are made up of the actual independent publisher, and the two remaining groups that are actually independently published authors:
1) Independent publishers: A person, or group of people, who accept submission from authors, and make decisions based on quality before selecting appropriate pieces for publication. Who then edit, process, market, and distribute for public consumption at their own cost and free of charge to the submitting author in exchange for a percentage of the profit from the sale of such work without the benefit of corporate, or investor, backing.
2) Independent authors: A person who pays to edit, print, gain cover art, markets and distributes his/or her own work for public consumption.
3) Self-published authors: A person who pays to edit and have their work printed and distributed by a company geared for such purposes so as to make available for public consumption.
There is one final group that is actually a ‘sub’-group to this listing, and that’s the service oriented self-publishing company that the third group, the self-published author uses to service their publishing needs. This group is by far the most dangerous, and difficult to define and regulate. The companies, whether run by individuals, or groups of people, up to actual corporations that do this type of service are not actual publishers in the respect that the definition provides from above because although they do provide the services that the actual publisher provides, they do it for a fee, and do not normally engage in any specific selection, rather they are a service industry akin to that of a normal printer only with distribution and other services provided at cost to the author, and they almost never provide any source of marketing or promotion.
There is nothing inherently wrong with service oriented publishing companies. They do the self-published authors a great service when they perform their duties respectably. The problems arise when they either 1) charge for services they do not perform equal to the performance of a publisher, or 2) try to dupe unsuspecting authors into believing they are an actual publisher… sometimes both. This cloudy area is where most of the trouble lays for authors, and for the ability for authors to gain respect for their self-published works.
Even with the problems that can be associated with these companies, there are respectable ones amongst them, and the number is growing quite rapidly as the ilk is weeded out. The trick is to be able to understand the difference. While this publishing company does the chores of a publisher, it is not the publisher proper, rather in these cases it is the author who is the publisher paying for their work to be created in proper format by a printing and distribution company. The fact that these companies often times call themselves publishers rather than publishing companies, or publishing services compounds this problem. The works they produce are no less viable and honorable than those of the independent author’s self-published books, however, and should not be viewed as such by any member of the community.
In a world where all of the above fight the stigma of going against the mainstream of corporate America, and the old-fashioned term, vanity press, it would behoove all involved to treat each other as equals in the battle. There is strength in numbers. Unfortunately these three ranks are most often bitterly divided. Most of that division is a matter of ego, especially between the later two divisions.
There is truly a small frame of difference between independent authors, and self-published authors, in fact, close to none at all except that the later uses a printing corporation as both a printer and a distributor, where the independent author is usually a self-distributor. Neither of the two divisions encounters any form of selection process before publication; therefore there is no bastion for quality besides that of the authors themselves. The bigger problem arises when the middle group, the independent author demands to be considered an independent publisher. The self-published author rarely is cause for such debate, as they most likely will never consider themselves a publisher.
How the concept of the independent author has developed into such a state is not that hard to disseminate. In fact, it’s steeped in tradition.
At one time in England, and then here in America, when publishing was first conceived it was a cottage industry. So named because the business often took place in the home, or cottage, of the person in charge, even run by a single person, humorously enough, much like the independent publisher of today that now fights the stigma of not being a large corporation. In those times, however, it was not stigmatic, but rather a new and bold endeavor to educate, enlighten, and bring enjoyment to the masses that had previously been unexposed to literature.
However, the problem with the independent author attempting to usurp the title of publisher is today’s currently acceptable definition of a true publisher as noted above, and the fact that there is no true selection process, the author is his/or her own acceptance for publication. The independent authors have their own publishing imprints as well, lending to the confusion in their minds as to the validity of their claim as publisher, and the general publics as well.
If these groups would work together more efficiently there would be a greater tide of acceptance in the public eye than there is even today. The change is occurring however, and independent publishers, and authors of both types are gaining much greater acceptance and accolades as the process improves.
