Doing the math for publishers since 2002
Running out of books is a good thing, actually! Jelani Memory of A Kid’s Co is back with Joe and Elly to talk about what to do with excess inventory, donating overstock vs pulping, and how “you can’t sell what you don’t have” usually doesn’t apply to books. Stay tuned for more episodes of the … Read more
There’s been a lot of hubbub these last few months about Print On Demand! Can you tell the difference? Yeah, maybe. But is it the “Fast Fashion” of books? We’re not so sure. Jane Friedman gives us her feedback on the way this tool has been moralized in the great world of Book People On … Read more
Bug Life author Karyn Light-Gibson joins Joe and Elly this week to talk about entomology, the importance of maintaining bug populations, how the book could have been much, MUCH longer, and fun insect facts. Stay tuned for more episodes of the “A People’s Guide to Publishing” podcast! We upload every Thursday, discussing your publishing questions, … Read more
Jelani Memory (of DK Publishing and A Kid’s Co) is back to talk about The Workshop Method, how Kid’s Co is able to get subject matter experts to write quality kidlit, often in under a day. With over 200 books under their belt that have been created through the Method, it’s a proven successful way … Read more
Will Trump’s tariffs affect books? Broadly—not really, especially if you’re doing a lot in house (or in the United States in general). And, as Joe and Elly remind us, there are a ton of options for hosting every step of your publishing business within US borders. But there are still a few things you might … Read more
What do you do when someone starts talking about your book on Twitter or Goodreads? How do you handle engaging with good faith vs. bad faith criticism, private or public? Jane Friedman of The Hot Sheet to chat with Joe and Elly about the pros and cons of critical feedback. Stay tuned for more episodes … Read more
Strengthen your sense of place, get to know your local landscape, and up your foraging game with Maggie Herskovits, whose book An Urban Field Guide to the Plants, Trees, and Herbs in Your Path was recently published. Elly and Joe discuss this delightful and practical illustrated field guide with Maggie on this week’s edition of … Read more
How do you raise your kids to be functional adults with big hearts, especially in the current timeline? This week on the podcast, Bonnie Scott and Dr. Faith, authors of Unf*ck Your Parenting, join Joe and Elly to talk about the book’s journey and what’s new, respecting your kid, book bans, and more. Stay tuned … Read more
This week on the pod, Elly, Joe, and Bernie are joined by Jelani Memory of A Kids Co! They talk about taking making your press an imprint of a larger publisher instead of just having it distributed, sticking to your mission during the process, and making your business like a cockroach (unkillable!). Read about the … Read more
Publishing changes all the time. Reader tastes shift, markets move, sometimes the memoir you’re reading was actually about Jesus all along. This week on the podcast, Joe and Elly hang out with The Hot Sheet’s Jane Friedman to talk about the shifts they’re seeing in publishing deals, acquisitions, and tastes. Stay tuned for more episodes … Read more