by John Traveler

Created on: February 12, 2009

The world of the printed word is undergoing a revolution, unlike any experienced since Johann Gutenberg invented movable type in 1448. Gutenberg's invention put a whole lot of calligraphers, scribes, and engravers out of work, but it also made printed media much more obtainable and in demand. Today, the traditional publishing industry, which has existed pretty much unchanged for 500 years, has some new competition from self-publishing.

In the traditional publishing archetype, an author writes a book or manuscript and turns it over to a literary agent, who attempts to find a publisher willing to publish it. If the agent scores, the publisher unleashes a crew of copy-editors and graphics designers to take the manuscript, format it, embellish it, and polish it to the point that its ready for printing. Of course, all of this requires a substantial investment which the publisher usually puts up. It is only reasonable to presume that a publisher is not going to invest in a work they don't think will sell tens of thousands of copies, thereby producing a good return on their investment. Most big publishers own their own printing presses, or contract with a printer to print and bind the book. While the presses are rolling, the publisher is greasing the skids so to speak, mounting a marketing and advertising campaign to call attention and stimulate public interest in the book. Finally, the book is released to retailers all over the country through established distribution channels.

Put simply, its not easy for an unknown author to get published by traditional publishers. Unless you are a celebrity, have some notoriety associated with your name, or can finance the whole publishing process yourself, your chances of being published in a traditional publishing venue is pretty much slim to none. Each day, publishers receive thousands of query letters and manuscripts, most of which quickly find their way to the recycled paper bin. Over the past twenty years or so however, a new and relatively inexpensive process called self-publishing has given would-be authors a new option, to see their work in print.

The self-publishing phenomenon has come about as a result of technological advancements, the personal computer, desk top publishing software, and the Internet. These tools allow an author to write, format and edit there manuscript, then directly output it in a print ready format, either post script or portable document (PDF) format. Of course, in producing a top quality book, an

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