| Self publishing involves the act of an author | | | | desire to self-publish to do so for a small fee and |
| publishing books or magazines at his or her own | | | | in some cases, for free. Print on demand |
| expense. If the author self publishes, the author | | | | companies typically offer to print and ship a book |
| has control over content, editing, printing, | | | | only when the book is purchased. Their services |
| marketing and distribution. In traditional publishing, | | | | can also include collecting royalties, listing in online |
| the publisher invests money prior to publishing for | | | | bookstores and in some instances, formatting, |
| marketing, printing, binding and promotion of the | | | | proof reading and editing. Because the process is |
| publication. Because the publisher wants to | | | | digital, the initial investment required by the author |
| recover the cost of the initial investment, the | | | | is generally less than vanity publishing. |
| publisher researches to make an educated guess | | | | Print on Demand companies such as Lulu, xLibris, |
| about whether the author and the book will earn | | | | and Trafford Publishing all require a small initial |
| enough money to recoup the initial investment | | | | investment for each of their packages. Companies |
| after its release. The publisher will only select the | | | | such as Yudu.com, Amazon's Booksurge and |
| author's writings if a profit can be earned. | | | | CreateSpace offer self publishing services for |
| The author will assume all financial responsibility of | | | | free. When publishing a work with these |
| the project from marketing to distribution and | | | | companies, the responsibility of getting a work to |
| storage. The writer will receive all of the profit | | | | submission ready status generally lies with the |
| from the sales and maintain all rights to the | | | | author. These companies allow the author to |
| publication. In this case, the author typically will not | | | | design book covers, as well as, choose whether |
| accept pre-prepared packages, but will submit a | | | | the publication will be an eBook, hardback or paper |
| bid for each aspect of the publishing process. In | | | | back. |
| some cases, because the author has full | | | | These low cost services give amateurs, as well |
| autonomy and receives all proceeds, the author | | | | as, seasoned authors independence from publisher |
| can yield a much higher quality product. | | | | demands, editorial control and more profits or |
| Vanity publishers will publish the work of an author | | | | royalties than with traditional publishing. |
| without regard to the quality of work or its | | | | With subsidy publishing, the author pays for the |
| potential to be marketable. The vanity publisher is | | | | printing and binding of the book, but the publisher |
| only responsible for printing and binding the | | | | will contribute a certain amount to the author to |
| publication. Since, the responsibility lies solely with | | | | cover expenses such as editing, distribution, |
| the author, vanity publishing is often more | | | | marketing and storage. Because of the publisher's |
| expensive than traditional publishing, but offers | | | | contribution, the publisher possesses, owns the |
| more autonomy. Vanity Publishers make their | | | | book and also has a portion of the rights, while |
| money from the fees charged to the author, | | | | the author only receives royalties on the copies |
| rather than on sales from the publication. | | | | that are sold. In this scenario, the author will |
| Therefore, it is the author's responsibility to | | | | possess little or no autonomy in certain production |
| market and advertise to gain exposure. | | | | decisions. |
| Print on Demand allows authors who have a | | | | |