Pub Date | A Book Publishing Podcast

Breaking into book publishing can be rally hard. Traditionally, not being in the right city, having the right education (or work experience), or knowing the right people made it 100 times more difficult to get started. We know, we've been there. In this episode, we're sharing our personal insights, tips, and inspiration to help you overcome the challenges and uncertainties that come with...

Ready to take your non-fiction book to the next level but don't know where to start? In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast, Dr. Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos discuss new editions, content updates, and ancillary materials you should consider. Top it all off with a powerful content ecosystem that attracts readers and boosts your brand recognition. Listen in as they discuss: How a content ecos...

In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast, Vanessa and Jen discuss the importance of protecting independent authors' rights and understanding agreements with publishers. But what happens when a publisher shuts down overnight? Tune in to find out how to navigate this stressful situation. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover how to navigate publisher shutdowns and protect your work. Unc...

We have always been firm believers in diversifying your content and creating as many revenue streams as you can with your book. In this episode, your hosts Dr. Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos dive in to the world of subsidiary rights -- also known as getting your book translated and sold in other countries. Some key things to keep in mind as you listen to us geek out about the London Book Fair, fore...

In this episode of the Pub Date podcast, book broads Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos dive into crucial topics such as cover design, book landing pages, competitive titles, and Amazon ads. We emphasize the importance of an eye-catching back cover, as it helps draw in potential readers. We also discuss creating a web page or landing page for your book to enhance discoverability, along with claiming yo...

In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast, we are joined by the Job Doctor herself Tessa White.  Tessa is an HR leader and author of “The Unspoken Truth for Career Success: Navigating Pay, Promotions, and Power at Work.” In her book, Tessa shares her knowledge and experience to help others navigate their career journey and create balance between the workplace and their lives.  In her journey to beco...

Are you considering self-publishing your book? You may be surprised to know that the traditional book publishing process is more complex than ever before. Self-publishing can seem like an attractive option, but it can be a costly mistake if you don’t do it correctly. In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast, hosts Vanessa Campos and Jen Dorsey share insights into self-publishing and how you can avo...

Are book covers important when it comes to online sales? Is it possible to stand out among thousands of other books with just a cover? On this episode of the Pub Date podcast, hosts Vanessa Campos and Dr. Jen Dorsey are joined by producer Paul Roberts to discuss their recent award-winning book cover and the importance of book covers in the realm of online sales. This year the Broad Book Group team...

Our guest is Lisa McFadden, Founder and Coach of The Writer's Mindset. She helps writers overcome self-doubt and design their lives to support their writing goals and aspirations. In a world of competitive writers and relentless inner critics, Lisa McFadden pursues her dream of helping writers to overcome their blocks, find their process and get their writing goals done. You will learn: How t...

Smith Publicity president, Marissa Eigenbrood joins the Pub Date podcast to talk about books, marketing, and author goals. We've worked on several projects across a few publishers and indie clients and everyone has been delighted with the work that the team at Smith has done. But the ones that are most appreciative are the indie authors who understand that their book can bring credibility to...

Where can you sell books? The answer is ANYWHERE!  On this episode of Pub Date, we share non-traditional places where you can sell your book and how to get your book into those nontraditional retailers. Knowing where to sell your book means that you have to really know your audience. Unpack how to know them better (market research, comps, etc.). Some non-book places you can sell books include: Spe...

How do you sell your book around the world as a traditional author or a trailblazing self-publishing author? In this episode, Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos discuss the process of book distribution and how it's not as magical as it seems. What's the spooky process behind getting books from the publisher to the bookstore? "The book business is fully returnable at any time, anytime. At...

Is turning a speech into a book a good idea?"Content remains king and everyone's making all the things and doing all the speeches and giving all the talks and teaching all the courses, but they still love the idea of it being a book because that provides some ethos building and some validity because I have a book."We are book nerds, so we are really interested in the recent trial to...

When it comes to launching your book we are big fans of taking inspiration from new product launches. If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or CEO you're probably thinking "I've got this." But the truth is that you really need to sit, think about it the product, and plan for a book launch months before your book is complete. In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast we&a...

On this episode of the Pub Date podcast we discuss the big question in book publishing: Should you release the hardcover before the paperback? We've seen it all when it comes to this conversation. Authors like the prestige of having that hardcover with dust jacket at a book signing, but as a self-published author does that matter? When it comes to formats we're agnostic. There are pros a...

On this episode of the Pub Date podcast we talk about the difference between indie and small press publishing. The wonderful thing about becoming a published author is that there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to going from idea to final book. If you're thinking about becoming an author, make sure you do your homework and that the math makes sense. At the end of the day, your book is...

On this episode of the Pub Date podcast the book broads are reunited with literary agent, book industry veteran, and all around book broad Wendy Keller. Listen in as we discuss the importance of having a solid platform, what authors should be doing before reaching out to an agent, and the things you should be mindful of as you grow your audience. Wendy's decades of experience has lead to her...

We are often asked about social media and which platform authors should be on. Lately, there have been a lot of questions about TikTok and our answer is usually along the lines of "it depends." Is your ideal audience on TikTok, Twitter, or LinkedIn? Is there a conversation already happening about your topic on Twitter? Have you engaged with and provided value to that community? On this e...

Did you know that less than 7% of children's books are written by Black, Latino, and Native authors combined? Our guest on the Pub Date podcast is on a mission to change that.  Leah Hernandez is the Founder and CEO of Young Authors Publishing. In 2021, Leah was named one of Publisher's Weekly "Star Watch Nominees." Leah sits on the board of Pub West, an association of small to...

Getting a book deal from a traditional publisher doesn't mean your book will be a success and Amazon ads alone won't save your sales. Take a moment to digest those truth bombs. We know you have more questions like these so in this episode of the Pub Date podcast, book broads Dr. Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos answer hot button questions like: Who holds the copyright to my book? Do I need...

Our guest on this episode of the Pub Date podcast is Lilian Sue. Lillian is a long-time PR coach and publicist who focuses on helping authors fulfill their full potential to become global industry leaders by focusing on how to build a healthy PR mindset above any strategy. She’s given workshop presentations and developed journals and other resources to help authors bust down mindset blocks, gain c...

All authors want to know this burning question: HOW do I get my book into a physical bookstore? Well, it's complicated. In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast, Dr. Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos break it down into two buckets: chain stores and independent bookstores. What are chain bookstores? Think Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million and any other bookstore that has locations across the U...

Kim Walsh Phillips is the founder of Powerful Professionals, a business coaching and education company. She was recently named #475 in the Inc 5000 and is a multi-seven-figure business entrepreneur with no business degree and a tendency to say “crazy pants” more than is socially acceptable. She is the best-selling author of The Ultimate Guide to Instagram for Business and The No BS Guide To Direct...

Staying consistent and remaining persistent are the two habits you need to form when it comes to building your brand and author platform. Helping us understand the media landscape in a world that's ever evolving is our PR point person and executive producer, Emily. Emily Carpenter-Pulskamp, M.A. is an APR-certified public relations and marketing professional focused on creating and implementi...