What does BookTok mean for publishers?
This week on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, we talk about the strange and sudden rise of BookTok as a driver of, by some reports, 4% of all book sales in the US. Wow!
This week on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, we talk about the strange and sudden rise of BookTok as a driver of, by some reports, 4% of all book sales in the US. Wow!
This week on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, Joe and Elly tackle a topic that might sound like a parody at first, but we’re serious: authors who publish their own books, whether they’re going with a publishing service or starting their own publishing house, would do well to consider putting themself under a contract. Here’s why to consider creating a business deal with yourself.
P.S. Did you see that Microcosm is hiring? Come join our marketing team!
Magic is the ever-present energy around us—it’s in the sky, our companion animals, what we eat, where we live, and ourselves—and it can be used to create and manifest the things we want in our lives. By living with our intentions and the moon’s guiding energy, we can align ourselves with this energy and live our best lives, creating our narratives and movement along the way. And with each step we take, we are closer to our authentic selves. If you’re new to witchcraft, this guide will walk you through your first year.
Heteronormative platitudes got you down? Color these joyful queer affirmations instead! Next time someone pulls out an old walnut like, “It’s just a phase, they’ll grow out of it,” you can correct it to, “I love your strong sense of self!” Sick of hearing trite shit like, “It could be worse”? Cross it out with a Sharpie and replace it with, “I’m sorry you’re going through this.” Not everyone in your life may know how to talk about feelings and affirm your experience, but you can do it for yourself and the community you create. Joe Carlough’s thoughtful and humorous revisions of everyday platitudes pair perfectly with Ally Shwed’s colorable scenarios of all sorts of queer people bonding with each other, expressing their emotions, and learning to love themselves a little more every day.
This week on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, Joe and Elly tackle a common question: should authors get a lawyer to help them understand and negotiate their book contract? We’ve worked with many hundreds of authors, some who bring lawyers into the mix, and we have some very specific advice about how to approach this.
This week on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, we’re joined by publishing pundit Guy LeCharles Gonzalez to discuss that important question: does an author need to already be famous (or have x number of social media followers) to publish a book? Guy walks us through the reality of the situation and turns the tables in a refreshing take—should a publisher also have a platform? Lots of marketing chops and unconventional takes for our loyal readers to noodle on here.
Sex toys, sex tools, sexual aids—whatever you call them, they have the potential to revolutionize your sex life. Whether you use them solo, partnered, or in group play, sex tools can bring you to new heights of pleasure, teach you about your body, affirm your identity, and liberate you from physical or emotional constraints. But damn, they can be expensive if you buy them new. Sexologist and therapist Dr. Faith is all about making sure you know how to get off safely and on a budget, and provides instructions for making a variety of do-it-yourself toys without breaking the bank or taking an embarrassing trip to the ER.
Glamorous, exuberant, luxurious decorative details suffuse these pages, each bringing to life an archetype of the classic 78-card tarot major and minor arcana. Inspired by the lushness of the early 20th Century Art Deco movement and the Balkan folk art of her native Albania, Gerta Egy’s images draw you into a fantasy world, beautiful and rich with meaning and feeling. Sprite-like human figures dance, writhe, and play with swords, wands, cups, and coins against modernist patterned backgrounds in these ornate pages that await your coloring pleasure. These images are drawn from the Divine Tarot Deco deck.
This week on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, we answer a question from an up-and-coming book publisher who asked “what forms your perspective as a publisher?” This is just a ten-minute episode but it really is about why we get up every morning to do this work, and maybe it will resonate with your goals and dreams, too.
Today on the People’s Guide to Publishing podcast, we welcome guest Jessie Kwak, author of several books from Microcosm, most recently including From Dream to Reality: How to Make a Living as a Freelance Writer. Jessie shares some of her methods and perspectives, shares what it’s actually like to do this work, and tells us about the event she’s organizing for next year, the Author Alchemy Summit.