What is "micropublishing"

Micropublishing is used in two senses.

• The book publishing industry sometimes uses this term in discussing publishing companies below a certain revenue level.
• It is also used to describe the use of efficient publishing and distribution techniques to publish a work intended for a specific micromarket. Typically, these works are not considered by larger publishers because of their low economy of scale and mass appeal and the difficulties that would arise in their marketing.

The remainder of this article is about the second use of the term.

To make micropublishing more economical, the works are often printed using POD ( Print On Demand) printing techniques. Those new to the industry often use companies called "POD publishers," while those who have more experience or who are more profit-focused tend to skip these middlemen. POD printing reduces the required up-front investment in book publishing, allowing many more individuals and companies to enter the marketplace, and allowing niche markets to be served as never before. The ebook market is taking this one step further.