Jane Friedman has an excellent piece explaining the various paths to publishing.

janefriedman.com

Should you self-publish or traditionally publish? This infographic will help you determine the best choice for you and your project.

The Independent Book Publishers Association's overview of the book publishing industry and various pathways to publishing.

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ibpa-online.org/resource/resmgr/files/IBPApublishingMAP-Feb28-2024.pdf