I’ve noticed a surprising number of comments in writing forums from people who don’t know the difference between traditional publishing and self-publishing. In self-publishing, the author controls every step of the process (including quality) and foots the bill for everything.

In traditional publishing, the author writes and submits a manuscript that a publisher feels they can make a profit from. The author pays for nothing except certain marketing efforts. The publisher’s editor secures an illustrator and works with the author to make the book as good as it can be. This overly-simplified infographic reveals the process.