In 1996, Microcosm started a small closet poorly insulated house. It wasn’t intended to be a job or an organization, or even a business. 

Thirty years later, this has turned out to be one Microcosm’s strengths. We've always intended to solve a very real problem, no matter how unrealistic the set of circumstances and challenges.

This week on the podcast, hang out with Joe and Elly as they take you through Microcosm's origins, how we got here, and what lessons they'll be taking into the next 30 years.

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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A LOT goes into the planning of conferences, signings, and basically every event. How do you make sure it's accessible to everyone who wants to come? It goes beyond just making sure your space is ADA accessible! 

Dr. Alex D. Ketchum's new book, "How to Organize Inclusive Events & Conferences," is full of practical tips, templates, and guidance for organizing accessible, inclusivity-oriented events.

This week on the pod, Alex joins Joe and Elly to talk about accessibility, favorite feminist restaurants, and, of course, planning inclusive events and conferences.

Get the book here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/63453

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Marketing is made up many things. Direct outreach, broad social media posts, newsletters, and so much more all play a part, depending on what you do. 

But in the constant chase for analytics and making the numbers go up, it's important to remember that first and foremost, marketing is about building relationships.

Today on the pod, check out a recent staff education session where we put some of our big brains together to learn the ins and outs of marketing, how it works for Microcosm, and more.

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Will publishing fewer books make more money? It feels counterintuitive, but when you look closer, it frees up the ability to market more specifically, edit more thoroughly, and generally give more care in attention to what you've got going on. 

Find out how Joe & Elly made the decision to find Microcosm's "optimal number" of titles per season, and how they've discovered that more isn't always better.

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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We are far from the only ones saying it, but 2025 was an ass-kicker of a year. From tariffs Baker and Taylor closing to AI, publishing felt like a roller coaster for much of the year.

How did it impact Microcosm, and publishing culture? This week on the pod, Joe, Elly, and special guest Bernie the Office Dog recap 2025 in the book industry. 

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Edelweiss is known in the book industry as a powerful tool connecting booksellers and librarians with publishers and their titles. But in the last year, Edelweiss's new owners have made some changes in both the site's functionality and pricing. 

What does this mean for publishers, and how do we think it'll effect the industry? Jane Friedman of the Bottom Line is back this week to talk with Joe and Elly about her thoughts. 

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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How do you set a personal budget, even if thinking about money feels like the worst thing ever? What if you're allergic to spreadsheets, or your family set you up with a ton of anxiety and expectations around finances?

Joe Biel, founder and CEO of Microcosm and regular host of the pod, did a little seminar for Microcosm staff on setting a personal budget and Joe's favorite tips for money management. We got so much out of it, we wanted to share it with you! 

If you want more tips on where to get started with your finances, check out UNF*CK YOUR WORTH by Dr. Faith Harper: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/10744

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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"Innovation" is one of the biggest words you hear in just about any industry, especially with the rise of our new AI overlords. It can be so tempting to make big changes just for the sake of making changes!

But what is real innovation, and how do you know when it needs to happen? How do you innovate with intention? Is innovation even right for you? 

Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back with Joe and Elly this week to talk about branding, change, innovation, and how to go about it all thoughtfully. 

(Does "innovation" sound like a word to you anymore?)

Check out The Bottom Line here: https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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It's another throwback episode!

Usually books and math don't mix. The book people sit in one spot, the math in another, with their calculators and abacuses. But Microcosm founder and CEO Joe Biel is a known champion of combining the two!

This week on the pod, Joe and Elly talk about the math that goes into publishing, from finances, to calculating print runs, and everything in between.

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Early episode drop this week due to the holiday!

Put simply, bookstore co-op is a tool publishers can use to incentivize bookstores for ordering and featuring their books, or hosting events with their authors. Is co-op right for your publisher? How do you best use it?

Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to chat with Joe and Elly about co-op, Microcosm's experience with it, and how to communicate with buyers and reps about it.

Check out The Bottom Line here: https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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