Learn what it takes to publish books successfully

A People's Guide to Publishing

Building a Successful, Sustainable, Meaningful Book Business From the Ground Up

by Joe Biel (Author)

"Accessible, informal, and highly informative guide is a great place to start if you’re curious about the publishing industry. Joe Biel draws on 30+ years in the industry and shares everything you need to know. Great at explaining industry concepts in ways that make sense." —"10 of the Best Books on Writing and Publishing," Book Riot

"[I]nformal but comprehensive...Biel is the founder and CEO of Microcosm Publishing, a small press that's guided by a strong set of principles." —Publishers Weekly, The Best Books About Book Publishing

"There’s no competition in here. There’s only excitement, a few laughs, and all of the helpful information authors and would-be publishers are in search of. This book really does act as the intensely readable guide to publishing that the title suggests." —Joe Walters, Independent Book Review

"When an intern asked what she should read to complete her education, Biel was stumped... With that intern in mind, Biel wrote A People’s Guide to Publishing, a comprehensive guide to launching a book publishing venture..." —Calvin Reid, Publisher's Weekly

A People's Guide to Publishing: Building a Successful, Sustainable, Meaningful Book Business From the Ground Up

Drawing on over three decades of experience operating an independent publishing company, Joe Biel has written the most accessible and comprehensive guide to running a successful publishing business. You'll learn all the skills of the trade, including how to: develop your individual books, build an authentic niche so you can reach your audience, understand if and when you're ready to work with a distributor, create a budget and predict the cost and income of each book, and plan for sustainable growth. This book is intended for both beginners and experienced publishers alike.

"...an inspirational and practical guidebook for anyone interested in sustaining a publishing company.... a radical, DIY, punk-rock philosophy that echoes Microcosm Publishing itself." —Vivian Wagner, NewPages

SUBJECT: Activism / About Zines / About Books / Microcosm / Creativity / Writing / Business / Publishing

PUBLICATION: Feb 24, 2026

PRICE: $26.99

ISBN: 9781621062950

FORMAT: Paperback

ART: B&W illustrations

Marketing Notes

Author founded and runs a PW fastest growing independent book-publishing company that has been in business for over three decades
Updated and expanded edition of this popular title with 50% new content</li>
Thousands of new publishers are founded every year

"...goes into the nitty gritty of what it takes to build a publishing company. And we’re talking EVERYTHING." —Em Einolander, Hybrid Pub Scout

Joe Biel is a self-made autistic publisher and filmmaker who draws origins, inspiration, and methods from punk rock. Biel is the founder and CEO of Microcosm Publishing and co-founder of the Portland Zine Symposium. Joe has been featured in Time Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Art of Autism, Utne Reader, Oregonian, Broken Pencil, Punk Planet, Bulletproof Radio, Spectator (Japan), G33K (Korea), and Maximum Rocknroll. Biel is the author of dozens of best-selling books.

A small, innovative publishing house, Microcosm Publishing specializes in work designed to make the reader feel good about being alive, take an active role in bettering their life, and impact the world around them. Microcosm has developed a reputation for teaching self-empowerment, showing hidden histories, and fostering creativity through challenging conventional publishing wisdom with books and zines about DIY skills, food, politics, and art. Our books are printed in the USA.