A micro press is a small publishing company, typically devoted to a few authors or even just one. Usually, such companies focus on a small range of subjects. For example, a micro press could issue how-to books for a small subset of electronics hobbyists, or biographies of people who are interesting to only a tiny portion of the book-reading public. An author can create a micro press to self-publish her own books, and then later expand to publish books by a few of her like-minded author friends and associates.
A micro press can be a good fit for books that appeal to niche audiences. Unlike a blockbuster horror novel, for example, that tens of thousands of people might buy to read on the beach or during an airplane ride, a micro press book may initially find a niche audience of only a few hundred true fans.
One benefit to publishing books with a micro press is the amount of attention the publisher can give the author. A micro press may put out only a few books per month or year, enabling the staff to devote a larger percentage of its resources, including editing and marketing to the book. By comparison, a larger publishing house may put out hundreds of books per year, and not be able to offer as much support to an author. Readers who enjoy reading niche subjects may be loyal to a particular micro press, and more receptive to new titles than they would be from a giant publisher whose focus is less precise.
Because a micro press typically has fewer resources, the author may be expected to do more work, such as arranging for publicity and setting up a book tour. A micro press may have less clout than a larger press as well as less name recognition, making it more difficult for readers to find the book in stores, let alone to hear about new books in the first place. A micro press also may not be able to print as many books for a first run as a larger firm could.