What is the difference between a publisher and a printer?
A printer does the actual physical printing and binding of books, journals, advertisements, etc. and is paid by the person or company requiring the printing. A publisher chooses what to publish and enters a contractual agreement with an author for the right to publish their work. The publisher has staff that edits, designs, proofreads, prepares the work for the printer, and provides marketing and publicity to promote the finished work. When an author hires a printer to print his or her book, that book is considered a self-published work.
A printer does the actual physical printing and binding of books, journals, advertisements, etc., and is paid by the person or company requiring the printing. A publisher chooses what to publish and enters a contractual agreement with an author for the right to publish their work. The publisher has staff that edits, designs, proofreads, prepares the work for the printer, and provides marketing and publicity to promote the finished work. When an author hires a printer to print his or her book, that book is considered a self-published work.