The author, the editor and self-publishing: historical construction of the categories and reflections on their practice

Abstract

Departing from the realization that selfpublishing is gaining space in the contemporary book publishing field, we seek to deepen our understanding of the selfpublished author with a review of the construction of the figures of the author and the publisher as they can be devised from the perspectives of Roger Chartier, Aníbal Bragança, Michel Foucault, Jean-Yves Mollier, Robert Darnton, Peter Ginna, and José Luis de Diego. Against the backdrop of the historical context in which author and publisher emerged, we discuss the difficulty of framing what the publisher does and point out some of his tasks, such as coordinating editorial production and reconciling the forces and interests of the publishing field for the publication, dissemination and circulation of the book. This article focuses on historical evidence of the rise and development of the selfpublished author, reflecting upon and raising questions about their place in the publishing field and their understanding of the publishing process.