A brief history of Web publishing

As mammoth media mergers like AOL-Time Warner and CBS-Viacom became commonplace in the late 1990s, the Web emerged as a viable publishing medium, particularly for independent writers and editors. In 1997, at the brink of the Web's explosion, new media expert Roger Fidler said the coming electronic publishing boom would challenge established media. The Web and other electronic forms, Fidler wrote, "know no local or national boundaries and have the capability of empowering individuals to seize control of information and entertainment from the traditional gatekeepers" (Fidler, 6).

The ensuing years have proven Fidler correct as sites such as The Drudge Report, Jim Romenesko's Media News and Salon.com have become important media players. Thousands of smaller independent publishers -- Flak Magazine, New Media Musings, and others -- have used the Web to develop strong editorial voices. These voices have filled the vacuum created by conglomerates. Beholden to no organization and driven by a desire to craft exceptional work, independent publishers have side-stepped corporate gatekeepers. Distinct voices persist, and with the Web, they're amplified.

How this site fits in

If you want to make a mark as an independent publisher, your site has to be more than a simple home page. Good independent Web sites need forethought, planning, diligence and a commitment to editorial standards. Web publishers must have an understanding of usability, content flow, and the strengths and limitations of the medium. If a site is to find and keep an audience, it has to build a reputation through quality.

As it stands, new Web publishers must visit a variety of sources to cobble together expert advice. Sites such as Webmonkey and Builder.com provide tools and guidance for Web site creation. Metafilter, Newcity and others bring together the independent publishing community through message boards and content exchanges. But even with these sites offering ample tools and forums, there is no single storehouse for the techniques and resources of independent publishers. TheIndependentPublisher.com fills this niche.