What Does a Publisher Do? (Job Duties and More)

By Sarah Harris

Going from “I have an idea for a book!” to “My readers enjoy my book!” requires a lengthy path and plenty of outside assistance. Authors need proofreaders, agents, editors, designers, printers, retailers, marketers and shippers to get books to customers.

You might notice one role that’s absent from this list: publishers. Where do publishers fit in? Are they essential for bringing books to life? If an author can see a book to completion without one, it raises the question: What do publishers do?

What Is a Book Publisher?

A book publisher is a company that oversees and distributes books. Some publishers create magazines and other written media. Increasingly, publishers also deal in digital media, such as e-books.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Publisher

How does publishing a book work? Publishers employ multiple teams who work together to lead their authors to success.

Acquiring and Selecting Manuscripts

Purchasing manuscripts is one of the most important steps in publishing. An acquisitions editor acts as a talent scout, looking for a potentially profitable book and bringing the author under their publishing umbrella.

Managing Editorial and Production Processes

Publishing managers offer direction, implement strategies and timelines and provide the necessary tools their teams need to complete tasks.

Collaborating with Authors and Editors

Once a publisher negotiates a contract with an author, the author will connect with the publisher’s editing team. The writer will be assigned an editor, who suggests changes to improve the book’s quality. 

Designing Book Covers and Layouts

Design teams craft cover art and establish layouts for books. Graphic designers and layout editors ensure the final product conforms to the publisher’s standards, represents the brand and appeals to customers.

Marketing and Promoting Books

Publishers manage the marketing efforts, too. A team of marketers and publicists develop campaigns through varied channels to advertise new books and authors.

Distributing Books to Retailers

Publishers build relationships with retailers and retail outlets. Getting books to the right locations is essential for bringing them to readers, whether through physical retail stores or online e-commerce sites such as Amazon.

E-Books and Digital Publishing

What does a publisher do to keep up with changing technology? In addition to creating tangible copies of their authors’ books, publishers determine the distribution, pricing and technology infrastructure required to bring books to digital platforms where readers can find them.

Navigating Online Marketing and Distribution Channels

Using the power of social media, email and other digital communication channels, savvy publishers can find new readers and create loyal customers. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and other platforms allow publishers to leverage personalization and trust to promote their books.

Challenges Publishers Face

What does a book publisher do to keep its business relevant and profitable?

Competition in the Industry

The industry is extremely competitive, and publishers need to have enough financial clout and move fast to secure profitable manuscripts, recruit good employees and spot areas of the market that aren’t already saturated.

Maintaining Profitability and Sustainability

Publishers must constantly monitor their bottom line and company image. Using environmentally friendly materials, embracing contract work and seeking less expensive processes and goods means keeping the lights on for the foreseeable future.

Adapting to Changing Reader Preferences and Trends

Readers drift to genres as certain types shrink or grow in popularity, narrative styles become old-fashioned or hip and retro and physical releases battle with e-books. It’s up to the publisher to ensure the books are meeting demand and go where customers are.

Differences Between Traditional and Self-Publishing

The crux of the question is, do you want to handle the business aspects of writing or not?

Advantages of Traditional Publishing

Whether an author is willing to put in the work to print, market and sell their books or let a publisher do that for them is the key to why some prefer traditional publishing and others gravitate toward self-publishing. 

With traditional publishing, the battle for an author is whether they will get a contract. Once they do, they let someone else handle the details so that they can focus on writing.

Benefits of Self-Publishing

Self-publishers might not have a team of people working on their behalf, but they have far more autonomy. Publishers will make changes to a manuscript as they see fit, and there’s little an author can do unless they have a favorable contract. Additionally, authors who work with a publishing company receive far fewer royalties from sales than self-published authors. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between the Two

You have to consider what you want from your writing career. Do you purely enjoy the craft of writing? Is it worth it to you to let a publishing company keep more of the money in exchange for handling all the business stuff you don’t care about? 

Or do you need ultimate creative freedom, picking and choosing which aspects of publishing you want to outsource and which you will handle? 

Self-Publishing Is Much Easier with Print Bind Ship

Publishers take care of business so writers can write. But what if you want to take charge of the publishing process? You do it yourself! 

With Print Bind Ship, you can get high-quality physical books delivered anywhere in the world. Our design team will work with you on layout and formatting, ensure your book is ready for publication, and take you through the steps you need to bring your book to customers. With our Mail Genius service, you can make a one-of-a-kind unboxing experience for your readers with custom notecards, offers and swag. You also can include handwritten notes to make the package more personal. Contact Print Bind Ship to get started today.

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