A People's Guide to Publishing

Most things related to publishing insights are focused on the Big 5. They dominate the Indie Next List, most all bestseller lists, and conversation through the industry. Recently, Jim Hanas launched Small Press Insights, which shows which small press titles rank where at Amazon, and the indie bookstore lists, and what upcoming titles are popular. He joins Joe and Elly on the pod this week to talk...

Aw man, a book you love has gone out of print. But it's not gone forever! There are many reasons publishers bring books back from the grave—suddenly hockey romance is popular, or an author becomes online famous, the world got into sourdough bread during the pandemic, or one of many, many other reasons. This week on the pod, Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to talk to Joe and Elly about tre...

There's been a lot of discourse lately about eBooks, libraries, and sales. But are libraries really hurting book sales (and authors' and publisher's bottom lines)?  This week on the pod, industry analyst and friend of the 'Cosm, Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, joins Joe and Elly to talk about why publishers and libraries often seem pitted against each other, licensing agreements, and how Baker and Taylor'...

This week on the pod, J. Hunter Bennett, author of "More Punk than the Public Library" joins Joe and Elly to talk curating Little Free Libraries, writing the books YOU want to read, and why policing other folks' tastes is anti-punk behavior. Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/62128 ************ Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new...

You would think that if you publish more books, you'll make more money. But that's not always the case! While expanding your title list might feel like the easiest path to profit, you should also factor in staff time and bandwidth, resources, and retailer overwhelm. This week on the podcast, Microcosm's Marketing and Publicity Supervisor, Daley Farr, joins Joe and Elly to talk about her suggestion...

Sales reps are crucial pieces of the book industry puzzle. They are the the ones who help stores find the titles that would be good fits, give feedback to publishers about their title lists, and so much more! This week on the pod, we're back chatting with sales rep extraordinaire Maureen Karb to talk about the process of selling books to bookstores, and what makes a great rep. ************ Thank y...

You open up your inbox and—surprise!— someone wants to turn your book into a movie! Or include it in a book club! Or feature it on a recommendation list! All you have to do is pay a small fee. Oftentimes in book world, if something feels too good to be true, it often is (especially if they want you to pay). This week on the pod, Joe, Elly, and Jane Friedman talk about the common scams authors and...

Books should be sold to book stores, right? That's it? Eh, not really! There are markets for books everywhere, from your local museum gift shop to the gas station around the corner. How do you find these markets, and figure out what types of books sell at what types of stores? What even IS the difference between a gift and specialty shop? This week on the pod, Joe and Elly dive in! ************ Th...

We’ve been honing our software behind-the-scenes for decades, but this is our first public-facing website makeover since 2012!  For 30 years, we’ve had a riotously maximalist ecommerce website. And it’s worked—pretty well. But lately, you’ve been telling us what you want it to do better and we’ve been scribbling notes and making plans.  This week on the pod, Joe and Elly talk about what went into...

The punks, despite all the best efforts of society and time, are still kicking around, and we love that for them/us.  This week on the pod, J. Hunter Bennett, author of "More Punk than the Public Library," joins Joe and Elly to talk about middle-aged punk life, starting a little free punk rock library during the pandemic outside his house on a well-trafficked corner of Chevy Chase, D.C., and more....

Where would we be without our lovely warehouse staff? (Lost, confused, bookless, most likely.) This week on the pod, join Joe and Elly as they talk about our warehouses, how they work, and the hardworking systems nerds that keep it going.  ************ Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book indu...

If you're keeping up with publishing news at all, you've undoubtedly heard about the "Shy Girl" controversy, where Mia Ballard's book was pulled by the publisher after claims it was written by AI. More and more stories like this are hitting the feeds all the time, from authors to book reviewers. What does this mean for the industry, and are AI detectors even reliable?  Jane Friedman of The Bottom...

Throwback time! This week on the pod, we're revisiting an old-school episode, where Joe and Elly report back after helping out on the shipping floor.  Did our systems hold up? What did they learn in the process? (Spoiler alert: A bit!) ************ Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry...

Maureen Karb is a field sales rep and with Como Sales, a rep group that focuses on indie publishers selling to indie bookstores. Because of what she does, Maureen has a great knowledge and perspective on what's new and trending at bookstores. From romantasy and horror to new types of bookstores opening all over the country, this week on the pod, join Maureen, Joe, and Elly to talk about what's hot...

It's been said more and more frequently that reviews from trade publications don't sell books the way they used to. Why is that, and what DOES sell books?  This week on the pod, Jane Friedman of the Bottom Line is back to talk with Joe and Elly about the movement away from book critique to book content, what book reviews are good for, and what, if anything, they can do to help sell books. For more...

Danny Caine, author of "How to Resist Amazon and Why", "How to Protect Bookstores and Why", and the new "How to Defend Books and Why" is a writer, speaker, and former bookstore owner.  This week on the podcast, join Danny, Elly, and Joe as they talk about the interplay of book bans and freedom movements the world over, how you can defend books, and the work and the conversations and interviews tha...

At this point, most of us are familiar with checking the air quality when we go outside during certain times of the year, or ventilating when using chemicals or it's the flu season. But how familiar are you with the air in your home on a day to day basis? From radon, ozone, particulate matter, and more, there's a lot you can do to keep breathing easy, and we've got a book to help! This week on the...

For over 10 years, Elly has been publishing a series called "Bikes in Space," full of joyfully feminist (and often queer) genre short stories ON BIKES. One of our longest term contributors is Summer Jewel Keown, who also edited the most recent edition, "What Rides at Night" This week on the pod, Elly and Summer have a chat about bikes, the Bikes in Space selection process, and queer Halloween. Che...

Book awards! There are a lot of them out there. Our books have even won a couple! But are they success indicators? Does a book or author winning an award mean anything for the publisher? How can a publisher use an award in their marketing? Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to chat with Elly and Joe about awards, cash grabs, and the array of experiences out there. Check out "The Bottom Line"...

In 2018, we released "A People's Guide to Publishing," detailing everything Joe and the Microcosm team had learned through the years about starting, running, and sustaining an independent publishing company. For Microcosm's 30th anniversary, we've released a second edition of the book, expanded to include even MORE lessons Joe's learned over the last few years, and how to apply them to your publis...

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...

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 ev...

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 ou...

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...

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.  ************ Thank you for catching the People's Guide t...