The broader meaning of ~publishing~ is making something publicly known. Usually the term is used to refer to the issuing of printed materials, such as books, magazines, periodicals etc. It started since the need for the extra copies of manuscripts were needed. It can be said that the practice goes back to ancient times; in Rome there were booksellers ~ Horace mentions the Sosii, who were apparently brothers ~ and the copying of books by trained slaves reached considerable proportions. In the middle of the 15th century printing was introduced in Europe, and thus book publishing sprang into action. Earlier, the author, the printer, and the publisher of a work were sometimes all the same person. The differentiation appeared as the patrons of literature had books printed for distribution and booksellers by others to meet the growing demand.
While some European cities with long traditions of publishing are Vienna, Florence, Milan, Z~rich, Paris, London, and Edinburgh. In the United States, Boston, Philadelphia, and especially New York City took the lead.
However, before all this, the first important publishing house (1583~1791) was in Holland and belonged to the Elzevir family. The major advantage of publishing was that it generated interest in reading. Printing and publishing was used to print books, pamphlets, handouts, what are now modern day flyers and magazines on topics as diverse as literature, religion and politics. It was only in late 19th century and throughout the 20th century, that specialization entered the business of book publishing.
This was promoted by growing demands, diverse requirements and multifarious tropics. This led to establishment of publishing houses that were specialized in religious books, textbooks, art books, technical books, and children's books.
As the hardcover books were a luxury item, the United States came up with a solution -paperback books. During the 1930s and 40s the paperbound, pocket-size book rose meteorically in popularity in English-speaking countries, and in the 1950s the ~quality~ paperback appeared, presenting durable yet inexpensive editions of well-known writers. By 1998 mass-market and trade paperbacks represented about 14 per cent of all books sold in the United States.
Technology is a boon as well as a bane. Advancement in technology adversely affected the business of publishing.
Television and databases ensured that the tasks such transmission, storage, and distribution of data did not remain only with the publishers. Copying machines also threatened the privacy of publishers. The advent of computers, internet, storage facilities such as CDs and floppies made copying mush easier. While these inventions assisted publishing the scope of copying electronically published material raised copyright issues. This has led governments to come up with copyright laws that specify the extent to which the material can be copied.
`Electronic Book~ or `e-book~ is the brighter product of the new technology. Due to this, a large number of books are being digitized.
Fitzgerald Lozan is the webmaster of AP Publishing which is a premier resource for you publishing needs. For more information, go to: http://www.appublishing.com
