Publisher Value Add

Back in the day, prior to e-books, when an author "self published," this was done via a "vanity press" and was never taken seriously. With the advent of POD (print on demand), this preconception was challenged, but not severely. Then came e-books.

It is now easier than ever to publish something you've written, and to do it on your own. There are many blogs and courses out there that will teach wannabe authors how to self-publish an e-book. And with the help of either Amazon, who will carry many of these in their Kindle store, and/or the many new platforms being developed to help get these e-books to the public, what value do publishers really provide?

Let's take a step back first: how do you define a publisher? Traditional publishers vet manuscripts for what they believe can make a profit, then polish this into a finished product that (hopefully) will make them a profit. They do this by bringing together various skill sets: acquisitions editors, copy editors, production editors, typesetters, designers, proofreaders, marketers, publicists, etc. Not all of these are employed by the publisher, but those that are not, are hired on a freelance or project basis by someone who does work for the publisher. The author just has to trust these skilled professionals and do as directed.

With e-books, we now have many digital "publishers" who are offering some of these services to the wannabe author, but not all of them. Some just offer a platform; others offer ease of hiring freelancers and/or a community whereby there is support and peer review. Some will specialize in one aspect and partner with the publisher.

So in this shifting new world, how is a publisher defined and how much value does either a digital or traditional publisher still provide? I think ultimately three different parties will have to decide the answer to this question:

1. the author: How much does the author need his publisher to provide in return for splitting the profits? Some will be willing to do more work and forgo the traditional route; others will prefer the traditional route, both for the convenience--and for the prestige. But whichever the author chooses, he will need help. (It's a rare author that can copyedit his own work and even a rarer one that can also typeset, market, etc.)
2. the bookstore buyer: Amazon has chosen to carry self-published e-books but is now cracking down on their lack of quality. When a publisher puts out a book and their name is on the cover/spine, it's their reputation on the line; when there is no "publisher" and a bookstore chooses to carry a book, it's their reputation on the line. And this is where the third party comes in.
3. the consumer: What will ultimately matter to you, the reader, and all the other e-book readers out there will sway what value adds are still considered necessary. Do you, the reader, still care about writing that flows and is without grammatical and other errors? Do you still care about type that is pleasantly laid out on the screen, even when you change the font and leading, as your e-reader now allows? What do you care about enough to either boycott or to keep coming back for?

I don't know what these three parties will decide, but I do know that until quality continues to matter, publishers in all their iterations will have plenty of value they can provide a discerning and busy author.