Is the E-Reader Mightier?: Direct Publishing and Entry Barriers

First-time authors face a choice: Do they pursue traditional publication through major publishing houses, or do they instead utilize online direct publishing? This article examines that choice through the economic lens of entry barriers and considers which barriers block first-time writers from their interests, be they financial or otherwise. The barriers in traditional publishing include the agency process and the acceptance process. The barriers in direct publishing include limited promotion, limited market, and limited editing. This article determines that, more often than not, traditional publishing satisfies a first-time author’s interests more so than direct publishing.