I have been thinking a lot about the role of book publishers in today’s world. With self publishing and digital platforms on the rise, do traditional publishers still offer real value to authors? Are they necessary for marketing, distribution, and credibility, or can independent authors achieve the same results on their own? How do small or new authors navigate this landscape? I’d love to hear experiences and opinions—are book publishers still the gatekeepers of success, or is the industry changing too fast?