How well do regional trade shows work for publishers? | A People’s Guide to Publishing

July 10, 2025

For booksellers, the regional trade shows are a beloved time for community, connection, and learning about the latest reads from their favorite publishers. Are they as effective for publishers? Joe and Elly had a chance to chat with other publishers and booksellers at the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Fall Forum last year to find out what brought them to the show.

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How do you experience every emotion? w/Desmond Reed | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

July 03, 2025

There are a lot of horrors to being a human, but there’s a lot of joy and wonder too. This week on the pod, Cola Pop Creemees author and illustrator Desmond Reed joins Joe and Elly to chat about comics, mental health, and experiencing every emotion.

Check out Desmond’s books here.

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Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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How does a press release their first book? w/Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing

June 26, 2025

So you’ve got your company. You’ve got your book. You’ve got an idea. But how do you get it out into the world?

Releasing the first book as a press can be a lot like making the first pancake—you learn a lot in the process. There are a lot of traps and pitfalls presses can fall into, and Jane Friedman of the Hot Sheet is back to talk to Joe and Elly about how a press can get their first book out there.

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Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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“The Bookshelf and Beyond” Microcosm Spring ’25 Spectacular | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

June 19, 2025

We tried a new thing!

Marketing Manager Abby (hi) recently did a presentation for some of our store and library customers, featuring some of our new titles, old favorites, and insights on what The People are buying these days. Elly also joined us for a few minutes to run through our fun new buying portal for stores. It was a good time. We might even do it again!

(If you want to skip the cool new portal and get straight to the books, jump to 8ish minutes in!)

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Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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How Do Tariffs Affect Canadian Publishers? w/ Kim Werker | A People’s Guide to Publishing

June 12, 2025

Tariffs! We’ve talked a lot about how they affect American bookstores and publishers. But what has the impact been for our neighbors to the North? Our friend Kim Werker of Nine Ten Publications sat down with us to talk about being a niche publisher in Canada, how knowing who you are makes you a better publisher, and of course, tariffs.

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Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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How can publishers lower information barriers? w/ Jelani Memory | A People’s Guide to Publishing

June 05, 2025

Publishing a book can feel like this insurmountable wall that you have to climb over while also screaming that your writing is valid. How can publishers make it more accessible to writers, from submitting a manuscript to marketing? Jelani Memory of A Kid’s Co is back to talk about it!

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Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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How Should Authors Market Their Books? w/ Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing

May 29, 2025

Does author marketing have an impact on sales? Can you move the needle yourself, or do you need to rely on your publisher for all of your marketing and outreach? There is a lot of conflicting information out there, and Jane Friedman of the Hot Sheet is back on the pod this week to talk it out with us.

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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Ben Snakepit Returns to the Snake Pit in 2025 | A People’s Guide to Publishing

May 15, 2025

Every day for 25 years, Ben Snakepit has drawn a simple, 3 panel comic about his day. There’s no overarching plot or theme, just Ben answering the question “what did you do today?” But answering that question daily for half his life (and collecting them in volumes) has led to insights about himself, the world, and what it means to live each day.

This week on the podcast, Ben joins Joe and Elly to talk about the comic, punk life, and how the scene has changed.

Check out all the Snake Pit comics here.

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Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
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How do I publish thematically? w/ Jelani Memory of A Kids Co | A People’s Guide to Publishing

May 01, 2025

Readers love knowing what to expect from a publisher. Having consistent theming in your titles can help with discovery, trust, and bringing readers back for more.

But how do you find your theme? And what happens if you want to diverge from your theme? Jelani Memory of A Kids Co is back on the pod this week to talk about it!

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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How do you market a book publisher? w/Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing

April 24, 2025

How do you market your press? It’s not just social media and newsletters. Everything from your cover design, format choices, to who is on your marketing team tells the story of your publisher. Jane Friedman is back to talk to Joe and Elly about staying true to your brand and representing your press.

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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