A People's Guide to Publishing

Fun fact about Microcosm—we broke up with Amazon in 2018 and never looked back. And while we thought we would see a dip in sales, we've really seen the opposite.

There's a common thought in publishing and writing that you HAVE to sell on Amazon, because like it or not, that's where almost all the books are sold these days. But is that actually true? Does Amazon really represent the majority of books sold in the world?

Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to chat with Joe and Elly about the realities of book sales, markets, and how Amazon defines "sales."

For more from Jane Friedman, check out https://janefriedman.com/

To read more about Microcosm and Amazon, check out https://microcosm.pub/amazon

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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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

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Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
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Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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Backlist books—titles that have been around longer than a selling season—are often seen as forgotten or that publishers have given up on them. But often, backlist favorites are the backbone of a publisher's income, as opposed to big new titles. 

This week on the pod, Microcosm author and freelance writer Jessie Kwak joins Elly and a very offscreen Joe to talk about evergreen titles vs flashy frontlist, how to tell which titles will have signs of being good backlist, and whether or not a rising tide lifts all books.

Find Jessie's books on the Microcosm website or your local bookstore: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/artist/jessie-l-kwak
Find more from Jessie on her website: https://www.jessiekwak.com/


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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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

Find us on social media:
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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What makes a book sell? And does Amazon REALLY have the market share on book sales? Jim Hanas of the Small Press Insights Dashboard is back this week to talk to Joe and Elly about their favorite thing... data!

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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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

Find us on social media:
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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What happens when a book doesn't sell well, especially when stores have ordered up?  Oftentimes, they'll get returned to the publisher to be resold as remainders and bargains, pulped and recycled, or something else.

But what does it mean for your bottom line? Are returns a blessing in disguise? 

This week on the pod, Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to Joe and Elly about it!

Want more publishing insights from Jane? Check out https://https://janefriedman.com/

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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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

Find us on social media:
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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Libraries are a great way to access eBooks, streaming shows, and other types of digital content. But how do those licenses work, and who benefits from them? The answer has changed a lot over the years, often contributing to the misconception that libraries hurt authors' and publishers' bottom lines.

This week on the pod, industry analyst and friend of the 'Cosm Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is back to talk to continue the conversation about libraries, ebooks, sales, and who the true enemy is (if there even is one).

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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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

Find us on social media:
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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There is no one-size-fits-all method to guarantee your publisher's success. We all come out with different titles, balance finding a comfortable niche vs branching out to new audiences, and find the structures and systems that work for us.

But there are universal things publishers can do to make their lives easier! This week on the pod, Microcosm' Marketing & Publicity specialist Daley Farr is back to talk to Joe and Elly about Microcosm's strengths, places we can grow, blurbs, pub dates, discoverability, and so much 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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Andrew Coltrin, author of "The ADHD FAQ" and "ADHD Coping Skills Deck,"  joins us on the podcast this week to talk about his journey of getting diagnosed, writing for an ADHD audience, and how understanding of ADHD has changed over time.

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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 few years ago, during the Penguin Random House/Simon and Schuster merger trial, a claim was made that most books only sell around 12 copies. But if you listen to this podcast, you know statistics are rarely that cut and dry (or generalized). 

So where did that stat about 12 books even come from? What's the truth of book sales?

This week on the pod, Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to talk to Joe and Elly about interpreting book sale statistics.

For more from Jane, check out janefriedman.com


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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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

Find us on social media:
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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How do you make marketing your book work for you? The inclination can be to get it in front of as many people as possible, with as much exposure as you can. 

But does that actually work? Microcosm's own Marketing & Publicity Specialist, Daley Farr, is back on the pod this week with Joe and Elly to talk about marketing, why knowing your target audience is better than just getting into Target,  and how the media landscape is changing.

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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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(Because they aren't hurting book sales.)

So then why are people claiming that libraries hurt book sales?

This week on the pod, industry analyst Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is back to continue the conversation about libraries, book sales, and the Author's Guilds claims about ebooks and libraries hurting the wider 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 People's Guide to Publishing book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://microcosm.pub/newsletter

Find us on social media:
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@microcosmpub/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
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