A People's Guide to Publishing

CLASS bookstore is probably the most talked about bookseller in the U.S. in 2024. They know how to build a hype machine and get people talking about them. Publishers pressure their sales reps to get books in there. What is different about them? And the big question—how do they utilize fashion marketing to make books dope?
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

During a recent phone call, we asked a partner how she defines "independent publisher" and her answer was "we know it when we see it." "Indie" has grown to mean "dependent on Amazon" and Orwell would be proud. In the past decade, publishing has become overwhelmed by jargon. Well you might say that it goes back much further than that (and we probably wouldn't disagree), but the jargon that is designed to intentionally obfuscate has grown considerably to the point that we have to define things like "small press publisher." 
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

It happens all the time. One of our distributed publishers got in touch, horrified and terrified that MacMillan had just published the same book that she did the week before. She thought it would cannibalize her sales. Many authors and publishers keep this stuff close to the chest. Not us. We follow the Paul Hawken school of being your best, individualized self.  
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

Publishers often think of booksellers as our frontline marketing force; the people who we outsource our jobs to. This week, Janet Geddis of Avid Bookshop does a great job of outlining the actual role that bookstores play in a daily role. It's more matchmaking than pushing the newest thing on some poor, unsuspecting browser. It's a deep game of familiarity that ultimately results in hilarity of two people of disparate backgrounds relating to each other in the store at the same time. Publishers interested in taking her up on her "Hang out in my store and learn what bookselling entails" offer, get in touch!
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

Katie Haegele has been passionate about cats for decades. They have been some of the most meaningful relationships in her life. This time around she's organizing other people to share the most touching, heartwarming, wacky, and unbelievable stories about the behavior and emotional range of cats in her eighth book, Cat Party!
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

Much hullaballoo and many predictions has been made about how AI will "disrupt" the publishing industry. Typically, with a new technology the steps are 1) fear the new way 2) figure out how to embrace it in a practical sense. How will AI affect publishers? Is the fear substantiated? What can publishers do?
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

In the dawn of a young publishers' life, they focus on their own tastes. Gradually, they see which books are well-received and branch outward. Some publishers quickly find that the most popular books are things that aren't exactly the reason that they got into publishing! So this week on the pod, we talk about the limits of a press' curation and why that's important.
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

What is a regional trade association? What can they do for you as a bookseller or a publisher? This week on the pod, we feature Larry Law, executive director of the Great Lakes Bookseller Association to learn about this ecosystem and how it can work even better.
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

Corporate publishing has the distinct advantage of scale: they command more sales dollars, they can push customers and vendors around more. This week we take a look at some of the options available for small publishers to band together and share resources, learn from each other, and be stronger together. Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association, unpacks it all for us and more!
************
Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  
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: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0EABB2040D281C9C
Find us on social media
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
Twitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
************

You may know King's Coop Bookstore as the winner of our How to Resist Amazon display contest, but they are so much more than that! This week on our continuing Bookstore Solidarity Project, we bring you a deeper dive into the realities of bookselling. From ripping books in half to walking around campus and seeing everyone reading the same book!