60-498: Non-fiction (or nonfiction ) is any document or media content that attempts, in good faith , to convey information only about the real world , rather than being grounded in imagination . Non-fiction typically aims to present topics objectively based on historical, scientific, and empirical information. However, some non-fiction ranges into more subjective territory, including sincerely held opinions on real-world topics. Often referring specifically to prose writing, non-fiction
120-422: A graphic designer . Typography concerns the design of letter and symbol forms and their physical arrangement in the document (see typesetting ). Information design concerns the effective communication of information , especially in industrial documents and public signs . Simple textual documents may not require visual design and may be drafted only by an author , clerk , or transcriber . Forms may require
180-402: A document is copied , the source is denominated the " original ". Documents are used in numerous fields, e.g.: Such standard documents can be drafted based on a template . The page layout of a document is how information is graphically arranged in the space of the document, e.g., on a page. If the appearance of the document is of concern, the page layout is generally the responsibility of
240-514: A mail message or a technical report , exists physically in digital technology as a string of bits, as does everything else in a digital environment. As an object of study, it has been made into a document. It has become physical evidence by those who study it. "Document" is defined in library and information science and documentation science as a fundamental, abstract idea: the word denotes everything that may be represented or memorialized to serve as evidence . The classic example provided by Briet
300-540: A modern, large-scale industry disseminating all types of information. " Publisher " can refer to a publishing company, organization, or an individual who leads a publishing company, imprint , periodical , or newspaper. The publishing process covering most magazine , journal , and book publishers includes: (Different stages are applicable to different types of publishers) Newspapers or news websites are publications of current reports, articles , and features written by journalists . They are free, sometimes with
360-445: A non-fiction work may prove inaccurate, the sincere author aims to be truthful at the time of composition. A non-fiction account is an exercise in accurately representing a topic, and remains distinct from any implied endorsement. The numerous narrative techniques used within fiction are generally thought inappropriate for use in non-fiction. They are still present particularly in older works, but are often muted so as not to overshadow
420-677: A particular field and often push the boundaries established in these fields. They usually have peer review processes before publishing to test the validity and quality of the content. A magazine is a periodical published at regular intervals. It features creative layouts, photography, and illustrations that cover a particular subject or interest. Magazines are available in print or digital formats and can be purchased on apps or websites like Readly or accessed free of charge on apps or websites like Issuu . The global book publishing industry consists of books categorized as fiction or non-fiction and print , e-book , or audiobook . The book market
480-400: A premium edition, or paid for, either individually or through a subscription . They are filled with photographs or other media and usually are subsidized with advertising . Typically, they cover local , national, and international news or feature a particular industry. Some organizations charge premium fees if they have the expertise and exclusive knowledge. The news industry is meant to serve
540-403: A registered ISBN to identify it. Directories contain searchable indexed data about businesses, products, and services. They were printed in the past but are now mostly online. Directories are available as searchable lists, on a map, as a sector-specific portal , as a review site (expert or consumer), or as a comparison site . Although some businesses may not consider themselves publishers,
600-579: A sharp tool, e.g., the Tablets of Stone described in the Bible ; stamped or incised in clay and then baked to make clay tablets , e.g., in the Sumerian and other Mesopotamian civilizations. The papyrus or parchment was often rolled into a scroll or cut into sheets and bound into a codex (book). Contemporary electronic means of memorializing and displaying documents include: Digital documents usually require
660-435: A shop with a small margin (or none at all) compared to a website is very cost-effective because it acts as a huge billboard that offers a browsing experience that enables consumers to make purchasing decisions. It gives them a feel for the brand, has a presence in the community, and creates jobs. Also, using social media publishing to advertise has a good ROI if trending, high-quality content is created that reflects positively on
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#1732852041440720-740: A single franchise, e.g., Ballantine Del Rey LucasBooks has the exclusive rights to Star Wars in the United States; Random House UK (Bertelsmann)/Century LucasBooks holds the same rights in the United Kingdom. The video game industry self-publishes through BL Publishing/ Black Library ( Warhammer ) and Wizards of the Coast ( Dragonlance , Forgotten Realms , etc.). The BBC has its own publishing division that does very well with long-running series such as Doctor Who . These multimedia works are cross-marketed aggressively, and sales frequently outperform
780-414: A specific file format to be presentable in a specific medium. Documents in all forms frequently serve as material evidence in criminal and civil proceedings. The forensic analysis of such a document is within the scope of questioned document examination . To catalog and manage the large number of documents that may be produced during litigation , Bates numbering is often applied to all documents in
840-617: A subsidized income for publishers. If the advertising has a return on investment (ROI), the publisher can boost income exponentially by increasing the spending. An ROI of up to £10 per £1 invested is possible, as seen in the John Lewis & Partners Christmas campaigns . Likewise, any cost savings that harm the customer/consumer experience can impact a brand in the long term. Multichannel marketing can be more cost-effective in creating an immersive experience that cannot be replicated with one channel. For example, when considering marketing spend,
900-534: A visual design for their initial fields, but not to complete the forms. Traditionally, the medium of a document was paper and the information was applied to it in ink , either by handwriting (to make a manuscript ) or by a mechanical process (e.g., a printing press or laser printer ). Today, some short documents also may consist of sheets of paper stapled together. Historically, documents were inscribed with ink on papyrus (starting in ancient Egypt ) or parchment ; scratched as runes or carved on stone using
960-456: A website, from which anyone can download and read it. An increasing number of authors are using niche marketing online to sell more books by engaging with their readers online. Refer to the ISO divisions of ICS 01.140.40 and 35.240.30 for further information. Publication is the distribution of copies or content to the public . The Berne Convention requires that this can only be done with
1020-404: Is a modern term for publishing a book but printing so few copies or with such lack of marketing, advertising, or sales support that it effectively does not reach the public. The book, while nominally published, is almost impossible to obtain through normal channels such as bookshops, often cannot be ordered specially, and has a notable lack of support from its publisher, including refusal to reprint
1080-478: Is also possible. Some fiction may include non-fictional elements; semi-fiction is fiction implementing a great deal of non-fiction, (such as a fictional description based on a true story). Some non-fiction may include elements of unverified supposition , deduction , or imagination for the purpose of smoothing out a narrative , but the inclusion of open falsehoods would discredit it as a work of non-fiction. The publishing and bookselling businesses sometimes use
1140-421: Is also undertaken by governments, civil society, and private companies for administrative or compliance requirements, business, research, advocacy, or public interest objectives. This can include annual reports , research reports , market research , policy briefings, and technical reports . Self-publishing has become very common. Publishing has evolved from a small, ancient form limited by law or religion to
1200-400: Is an antelope : "An antelope running wild on the plains of Africa should not be considered a document[;] she rules. But if it were to be captured, taken to a zoo and made an object of study, it has been made into a document. It has become physical evidence being used by those who study it. Indeed, scholarly articles written about the antelope are secondary documents, since the antelope itself is
1260-448: Is an academic publisher run by a university. Oxford University Press is the largest in the world and specializes in research, education, and English language teaching internationally. A catalog is a visual directory or list of a large range of products that allow you to browse and buy from a particular company. In print, this is usually in the format of a softback book or directory. Smaller visual catalogs can be known as brochures. With
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#17328520414401320-421: Is huge, with around 1.5 billion people speaking English. Translation services are also available to make these texts accessible in other languages. Self-publishing makes publishing widely accessible through small print-run digital printing or online self-publishing platforms. E-reader screen technology continues to improve with increased contrast and resolution making them more comfortable to read. Each book has
1380-541: Is not defined by its transmission medium , e.g., paper, given the existence of electronic documents . "Documentation" is distinct because it has more denotations than "document". Documents are also distinguished from " realia ", which are three-dimensional objects that would otherwise satisfy the definition of "document" because they memorialize or represent thought; documents are considered more as two-dimensional representations. While documents can have large varieties of customization, all documents can be shared freely and have
1440-805: Is one of the two fundamental approaches to story and storytelling , in contrast to narrative fiction , which is largely populated by imaginary characters and events. Non-fiction writers can show the reasons and consequences of events, they can compare, contrast, classify, categorise and summarise information, put the facts in a logical or chronological order, infer and reach conclusions about facts, etc. They can use graphic, structural and printed appearance features such as pictures , graphs or charts , diagrams , flowcharts , summaries , glossaries , sidebars , timelines , table of contents , headings , subheadings , bolded or italicised words, footnotes , maps , indices , labels , captions , etc. to help readers find information. While specific claims in
1500-485: The Harry Potter and James Bond franchises. The publishing landscape is continually evolving. Currently there are four major types of publishers in book publishing: These companies traditionally produce hardcopy books in large print runs. They have established networks which distribute those books to bricks-and-mortar stores and libraries. When a mainstream publisher accepts a book for publication, they require
1560-578: The development of books . The Chinese inventor Bi Sheng made a movable type of earthenware c. 1045 , but there are no known surviving examples of his work. The Korean civil servant Ch'oe Yun-ŭi , who lived during the Goryeo Dynasty, invented the first metal moveable type in 1234–1250 AD. In what is commonly regarded as an independent invention, Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type in Europe around 1450, along with innovations in casting
1620-489: The Department of Justice, filing a permanent injunction on the merger. Although newspaper and magazine companies still often own printing presses and binderies, book publishers rarely do. Similarly, the trade usually sells the finished products through a distributor who stores and distributes the publisher's wares for a percentage fee or sells on a sale or return basis. Some major publishers have entire divisions devoted to
1680-463: The Internet, they have evolved into searchable databases of products known under the term e-commerce . Interactive catalogs and brochures like IKEA and Avon allow customers to browse a full range if they have not decided on their purchase. Responsive web and app design will allow further integration between interactive catalog visuals and searchable product databases. Until recently, physical books were
1740-605: The World Wide Web in 1989 soon propelled the website into a dominant publishing medium. Wikis and blogs soon developed, followed by online books , online newspapers , and online magazines . This also facilitated the technological convergence of commercial and self-published content and the convergence of publishing and production into online production through the development of multimedia content. A U.S.-based study in 2016 that surveyed 34 publishers found that straight, able-bodied, white females overwhelmingly represent
1800-491: The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) have called for reform of the paid-for publishing sector. These unions, representing 14,800 authors, jointly published a report to expose widespread bad practices among companies that charge writers to publish their work while taking away their rights. When an author self-publishes a book, they retain all rights and assume responsibility for all stages of preparing, publishing and distributing
1860-653: The advent of digital information systems, the scope has expanded to include digital publishing such as e-books , digital magazines , websites , social media , music , and video game publishing . The commercial publishing industry ranges from large multinational conglomerates such as News Corp , Pearson , Penguin Random House , and Thomson Reuters to major retail brands and thousands of small independent publishers. It has various divisions such as trade/retail publishing of fiction and non-fiction, educational publishing, and academic and scientific publishing . Publishing
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1920-619: The author must cover all the costs of publication, surrender some rights to the publisher, and pay royalties on sales. Vanity presses often engage in deceptive practices or offer costly, poor-quality services with limited recourse available to the writer. In the US, these practices have been cited by the Better Business Bureau as unfavorable reports by consumers. Given the bad reputation of vanity publishing, many vanity presses brand themselves as hybrid publishers. The Society of Authors (SoA) and
1980-633: The author to sign a contract surrendering some rights to the publisher. In exchange, the publisher will take care of all aspects of publishing the book at the publisher's cost. They rely entirely on sales of the book to recoup those costs and make a profit. The author receives a royalty on each sale (and sometimes an advance on royalties when the book is accepted ). Because of the financial risk , mainstream publishers are extremely selective in what they will publish, and reject most manuscripts submitted to them. In 2013, Penguin (owned by Pearson ) and Random House (owned by Bertelsmann ) merged, narrowing
2040-505: The average stand-alone published work, making them a focus of corporate interest. The advent of the Internet has provided an alternative mode of book distribution and most mainstream publishers also offer their books in ebook format. Preparing a book for e-book publication is the same as print publication, with only minor variations in the process to account for the different publishing mediums; E-book publication also eliminates some costs like
2100-614: The book. The author may hire professionals on a fee-for-service basis as needed, (e.g. an editor, cover designer, proofreader) or engage a company to provide an integrated package. Accessible publishing uses the digitization of books to mark them up into XML and produce multiple formats to sell to customers, often targeting those who experience difficulty reading. Formats include a variety of larger print sizes, specialized print formats for dyslexia , eye tracking problems, and macular degeneration , as well as Braille , DAISY , audiobooks , and e-books . Green publishing means adapting
2160-454: The boundaries between fiction and non-fiction are continually blurred and argued upon, especially in the field of biography ; as Virginia Woolf said: "if we think of truth as something of granite-like solidity and of personality as something of rainbow-like intangibility and reflect that the aim of biography is to weld these two into one seamless whole, we shall admit that the problem is a stiff one and that we need not wonder if biographers, for
2220-566: The brand. Film, television, radio, and advertisements publish information to their audiences. Computer games, streaming apps, and social media publish content in various ways that can keep audiences more engaged. Marketing additional products closely related to a major film, such as Star Wars , is an example of tie-in publishing. These products include but are not limited to spin-off books, graphic novels, soundtrack albums, computer games, models and toys, social media posts, and promotional publications. Examples of tie-in publishing based on books are
2280-529: The consent of the copyright holder, which initially is always the author. In the Universal Copyright Convention , "publication" is defined in Article VI as "the reproduction in tangible form and the general distribution to the public of copies of a work from which it can be read or otherwise visually perceived." Privishing ( priv ate publ ishing , but not to be confused with self-publishing )
2340-422: The discount given to retailers (usually around 45 percent). Small publishers, also called independent or indie publishers, operate on a traditional model (i.e. the author surrenders some rights in exchange for the publisher bearing all costs of publishing), but their precise terms can vary greatly. Often, they do not pay an advance on royalties. A hybrid publisher shares the costs of publication (and therefore
2400-464: The help of a range of structures or formats such as: And so on. Common literary examples of non-fiction include expository , argumentative , functional, and opinion pieces ; essays on art or literature; biographies ; memoirs ; journalism ; and historical, scientific , technical , or economic writings (including electronic ones). Document A document is a written , drawn , presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often
2460-412: The information within the work. Simplicity, clarity, and directness are some of the most important considerations when producing non-fiction. Audience is important in any artistic or descriptive endeavour, but it is perhaps most important in non-fiction. In fiction, the writer believes that readers will make an effort to follow and interpret an indirectly or abstractly presented progression of theme, whereas
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2520-407: The lawsuit so that each document has a unique, arbitrary, identification number. Publishing Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software, and other content available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works , such as books , comic books , newspapers , and magazines . With
2580-515: The mainstream publishing industry to a handful of big publishers as it adapted to digital media. The merger created the largest consumer book publisher globally, with a global market share of more than 25 percent. As of 2022 , approximately 80% percent of the United States trade market for books was controlled by the " Big Five " publishing houses: Penguin Random House , Hachette , HarperCollins , Simon & Schuster , and Macmillan . In November 2020, ViacomCBS agreed to sell Simon & Schuster,
2640-608: The manifestation of non-fictional , as well as fictional , content. The word originates from the Latin Documentum , which denotes a "teaching" or "lesson": the verb doceō denotes "to teach". In the past, the word was usually used to denote written proof useful as evidence of a truth or fact. In the Computer Age , "document" usually denotes a primarily textual computer file , including its structure and format, e.g. fonts, colors, and images . Contemporarily, "document"
2700-405: The most part failed to solve it." Including information that the author knows to be untrue within such works is usually regarded as dishonest. Still, certain kinds of written works can legitimately be either fiction or non-fiction, such as journals of self-expression, letters , magazine articles, and other expressions of imagination. Though they are mostly either one or the other, a blend of both
2760-406: The other documentalists increasingly emphasized whatever functioned as a document rather than traditional physical forms of documents. The shift to digital technology would seem to make this distinction even more important. David M. Levy has said that an emphasis on the technology of digital documents has impeded our understanding of digital documents as documents. A conventional document, such as
2820-475: The phrase " literary non-fiction " to distinguish works with a more literary or intellectual bent, as opposed to the bulk of non-fiction subjects. Based on the author's intention or the purpose of the content, the main genres of non-fiction are instructional, explanatory, discussion-based, report-based (non-chronological), opinion-based (persuasive) and relating (chronological recounting) non-fiction. Non-fictional works of these different genres can be created with
2880-429: The primary document." This opinion has been interpreted as an early expression of actor–network theory . A document can be structured, like tabular documents, lists , forms , or scientific charts, semi-structured like a book or a newspaper article , or unstructured like a handwritten note. Documents are sometimes classified as secret , private , or public. They may also be described as drafts or proofs . When
2940-573: The primary source of recording knowledge. For accessibility and global reach, this content can be repurposed for the web. The British Library , for example, holds more than 170 million items with 3 million new additions each year. With consent, content can be published online through e-books, audio books, CMS -based websites, online learning platforms, videos, or mobile apps. On the Internet, writers and copy editors are known as content writers and content editors, although their roles vary from their print-based counterparts. Advertising can provide income or
3000-415: The production of non-fiction has more to do with the direct provision of information. Understanding of the potential readers' use for the work and their existing knowledge of a subject are both fundamental for effective non-fiction. Despite the claim to truth of non-fiction, it is often necessary to persuade the reader to agree with the ideas and so a balanced, coherent, and informed argument is vital. However,
3060-489: The public interest, hold people and businesses to account, and promote freedom of information and expression. Editors manage the tone of voice of their publication; for example, negative versus positive articles can affect the reader's perspective. A journal is an academic or technical publication also available in digital and(or) print format, containing articles written by researchers, professors, and individuals with professional expertise. These publications are specific to
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#17328520414403120-452: The publishing industry in the US. Salon described the situation as a "lack of diversity behind the scenes in book world." A survey in 2020 by the same group found there has been no significant statistical change in the lack of diversity since the 2016 survey. Lack of diversity in the American publishing industry has been an issue for years. Within the industry, the least amount of diversity
3180-410: The publishing process to minimize environmental impact. One example is the concept of on-demand printing, using digital or print-on-demand technology. This cuts down the need to ship books since they are manufactured close to the customer on a just-in-time basis. A further development is the growth of online publishing, where no physical books are produced. The author creates an e-book and uploads it to
3240-505: The right to do so, creativity can be represented by documents, also. History, events, examples, opinions, stories etc. all can be expressed in documents. The concept of "document" has been defined by Suzanne Briet as "any concrete or symbolic indication, preserved or recorded, for reconstructing or for proving a phenomenon, whether physical or mental." An often-cited article concludes that "the evolving notion of document " among Jonathan Priest, Paul Otlet , Briet, Walter Schürmeyer , and
3300-442: The risks) with the author. Because of this financial risk, they are selective in what they publish. The contract varies according to what is negotiated between author and company, but will always include the surrender of some rights to the publisher. Hybrid publishing is the source of debate in the publishing industry, due to the tendency of vanity presses to masquerade as hybrids. A vanity press will publish any book. In return,
3360-478: The scribes of Europe had produced since Constantine founded his city in A.D. 330." The history of modern newspaper publishing started in Germany in 1609, with the publication of magazines following in 1663. Missionaries brought printing presses to sub-Saharan Africa in the mid-18th century. Historically, publishing has been handled by publishers , although some authors self-published. The establishment of
3420-487: The third largest book publisher in the United States, to Penguin Random House in a deal that, if it had gone through, would have formed the largest publishing company in the world. On November 2, 2021, the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit (U.S. v. Bertelsmann SE & CO. KGaA, et al.) to block the merger on antitrust grounds, and on October 31, 2022, the D.C. District Court ruled in favor of
3480-540: The title. A book that is privished may be referred to as "killed." Depending on the motivation, privishing may constitute a breach of contract , censorship , or good business practice (e.g., not printing more books than the publisher believes will sell in a reasonable length of time). Publishing became possible with the invention of writing and became more practical upon the introduction of printing . Before printing, distributed works were copied manually by scribes . Due to printing, publishing progressed hand-in-hand with
3540-469: The type based on a matrix and hand mould . The invention of the printing press gradually made books less expensive to produce and more widely available. Early printed books, single sheets, and images created before 1501 in Europe are known as incunables or incunabula . "A man born in 1453, the year of the fall of Constantinople , could look back from his fiftieth year on a lifetime in which about eight million books had been printed, more perhaps than all
3600-453: The way the data is displayed is published. A textbook is an educational book, or e-book, that contains information on a particular subject and is used by people studying that subject. The need for textbook publishing continues due to the global need for education. Textbooks from major publishers are being integrated with online learning platforms for expert knowledge and access to a library of books with digital content. A university press
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