What did Taylor Swift reveal about book publishing? w/Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing

On Black Friday of 2024, Taylor Swift released “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively through Target. But is it a book? What’s the appeal? Who is the audience? Was it unfair to cut out indie bookstores from one of the biggest releases of the year? Jane Friedman of “The Hot Sheet” is back with Joe and Elly to give her thoughts on book-shaped objects.

(Note: This episode was recorded before the book actually released. Joe’s post-release comment— “Since even diehard fans were unhappy with the quality of the book, it’s hard to Bielieve the thinkpieces claiming that celebrities don’t need publishers anymore.”)

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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Relationships, Anxiety, and Lamps- A Q&A w/Dr. Faith G. Harper | A People’s Guide to Publishing

This week, we pretend we’re one of those “hang out and chat about whatever” podcasts, because it’s time for Dr. Faith’s long-awaited return to the pod! Join Dr. Faith, Joe, and Elly while they answer reader questions, talk about Dr. Faith’s upcoming books, surviving the holidays, and more. There are always shenanigans when Dr. Faith comes around, so we hope you have as much fun as we did.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How Did You Get a New York Times Bestseller? w/ Angela Engel | A People’s Guide to Publishing

For a lot of publishers, landing a book on the New York Times bestseller list is one of their loftiest goals. How did a small press like Collective Book Studio end up with a title on the most iconic bestseller list in the U.S.? Angela Engel had a chance to hang out with Joe for a few minutes at a recent conference to tell the story.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

What Makes a Hybrid Publisher a Good Value Chain? w/ Brooke Warner | A People’s Guide to Publishing

This week on the podcast, Brooke Warner of She Writes Press and Spark Press talks with Elly and Joe about her experience in hybrid publishing, how to tell if it’s a good idea for your books, recognizing predatory publishers, and misconceptions about that particular branch of the industry.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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Thornapple Press to be distributed by Microcosm Publishing

Meet our latest distributed publisher

Starting April 1, 2025, Microcosm Publishing will become the new worldwide distributor (excluding Canada) for Thornapple Press, a Canadian publisher specializing in thoughtful titles about love, sexuality, and relational ethics with integrity. Publisher Eve Rickert founded Thornapple as the successor to Thorntree Press, publisher of popular and award-winning polyamory- and relationship-based books such as Polysecure, More Than Two, and Love’s Not Color Blind.

Microcosm founder and CEO, Joe Biel, says of the new agreement, “I’ve found Thornapple to have an excellent point of view, good publication packaging and design, and thoughtful ideas throughout their existence, so when they approached us to become their distributor, the answer was obvious. Independent presses are stronger together and it’s clear that this tide lifts all boats.” 

Rickert and Biel sign their distribution agreement by Andrea Fleck-Nisbet

Rickert adds, “The new arrangement offers a lot of benefits for Thornapple, our books and our authors. Microcosm has a large sales staff throughout the USA, with excellent reach into specialty shops, such as sex shops, that are well-suited for our books. Microcosm is also closely aligned with Thornapple in terms of both brand identity and company culture.”

Microcosm will distribute Thornapple’s full backlist as well as all forthcoming titles, such as Transforming the Shame Triangle: From Shame to Love Using Parts Work by bestselling authors Jessica Fern and David Cooley, scheduled for release in 2025. While Microcosm has always sold Thornapple Press’s catalog, Thornapple titles will be exclusive through Microcosm starting in April 2025.

Excited? Us too! Exclusive distro rights begin in the new year, but you can still browse the Thornapple titles currently available on our site, with more to come!

How does an election impact publishing? (with Jane Friedman) | A People’s Guide to Publishing

How does a major election affect publishing sales trends?

Jane Friedman of the Hot Sheet is back to talk with Joe and Elly about how we’re all doing, what’s been selling, and what we think that means for the next few years. Plus, we touch on the differences between the aftermath of the 2016 election vs 2024’s election.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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Warehouse Walkthrough

Take a little tour through Microcosm’s Cleveland digs!

What happens at a Microcosm warehouse? Come along for a walkthrough of the Cleveland buildings with us for a behind-the-scenes peek at what running an independent press and distro really looks like.

Pallets of books get delivered to our well-marked dock and are received into our system.

We wait for construction to finish.

We fix leaks using the things we have around.

We put away tons of zines.

We make space for new deliveries…

…and plan ahead for the next several years.

Thanks so much for coming along! As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season sets in and orders are rolling out the door, these spaces and our small crew of dedicated, rad staff in them every day are what keep the books, zines, gifts, and resources flowing. We couldn’t do it without you!

—Your friends at Cleveland MCP

Microcosm’s 2024 Gift Guide

Make change, do good, spread some light

It’s been A Year (TM). Don’t know about y’all, but we’re tired—and at the same time, extremely motivated to make change, do good, and spread some light. ‘Tis the season, you know? So for this year’s gift guide, our theme is in keeping with the times. A lot of you are shopping for the movers, shakers, and helpers in your lives, and we have a few suggestions to help get you started (or you can just get yourself something nice).

🚨 If you want to make sure your items arrive in time for the holidays, be sure to place your order by December 6th! 🚨

To save a little money, use coupon GIFTGUIDE15 to get 15% off your order at checkout through December 7th!

So let’s get into it:

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How do you manage author expectations? w/ Chris Vega of Blue Cactus | A People’s Guide to Publishing

Publisher/author relationships are just like any other relationships— they need care, communication, and understanding. This week on the pod, Chris Vega of Blue Cactus press talks with Joe and Elly about different ways to onboard authors and set expectations, how to resolve disagreements, and more.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How Can a Publisher Expand Their List Outside Personal Interests? | A People’s Guide to Publishing

Most publishers are most comfortable publishing to their own tastes. And from there, what’s popular but familiar. This week on the pod, we tackle the important but somewhat uncomfortable transition of publishing what you know to things that would resonate with your readers but are unfamiliar to you.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!