Pub Date | A Book Publishing Podcast

Ep. 42: What You Need to Know Before You Self-Publish

Are you considering self-publishing your book? You may be surprised to know that the traditional book publishing process is more complex than ever before. Self-publishing can seem like an attractive option, but it can be a costly mistake if you don’t do it correctly.
In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast, hosts Vanessa Campos and Jen Dorsey share insights into self-publishing and how you can avoid the pitfalls of costly mistakes. They discuss the differences between self publishing and traditional publishing, how to do it better, and share what you need to know when starting on your publishing path:
1. Know Your Goals: Understand the differences between self-publishing, hybrid, and traditional publishing and decide which one is right for you.
2. Choose Your Team: Find experts in your genre and be a smart, educated customer.
3. Plan Ahead: Think about the marketing pieces of the process early on and make sure you’re the right author for the topic.
 
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Ep. 41: Is Your Book Cover Making the Cut?

Are book covers important when it comes to online sales? Is it possible to stand out among thousands of other books with just a cover?
On this episode of the Pub Date podcast, hosts Vanessa Campos and Dr. Jen Dorsey are joined by producer Paul Roberts to discuss their recent award-winning book cover and the importance of book covers in the realm of online sales.
This year the Broad Book Group team won the bronze design award from PubWest for Street Pricing: A Pricing Playlist for Hip Leaders in B2B SaaS by Marcos Rivera, founder of Pricing I/O. The book cover is the perfect example of how books can bring together complex pricing strategies for B2B businesses and the author's appreciation of hip hop culture to help the work stand out from the competition.
Learn from our hosts Vanessa, Jen and Paul as they delve into the power of book covers and how they can help authors and publishers stand out from the crowd.

Ep. 40: Overcome Procrastination and Unlock Your Writing Potential with Lisa McFadden

Our guest is Lisa McFadden, Founder and Coach of The Writer's Mindset. She helps writers overcome self-doubt and design their lives to support their writing goals and aspirations. In a world of competitive writers and relentless inner critics, Lisa McFadden pursues her dream of helping writers to overcome their blocks, find their process and get their writing goals done.You will learn:
How to Overcome Writing Blocks and Reach Writing Goals: Learn how to identify and overcome writing blocks, utilize cognitive behavioral therapy, and build self-compassion to reach writing goals.
The Impact of Social Media on Writing: Discover how to cleanse social media of negative triggers and escape a dopamine habit to increase productivity and write more effectively.
Managing Boundaries and Time for Writers: Explore strategies for setting boundaries and managing time to create a balanced lifestyle that supports creativity and productivity.
About our guest:Lisa McFadden is an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, film festival journalist, and coach of the Writer's Mindset. She helps writers overcome self-doubt and design their lives to support their writing goals. Follow her on Instagram @thewritersmindset
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Ep. 39: Think You Need a Book Publicist? Marissa Eigenbrood of Smith Publicity and Vanessa Campos Talk Through It

Smith Publicity president, Marissa Eigenbrood joins the Pub Date podcast to talk about books, marketing, and author goals.
We've worked on several projects across a few publishers and indie clients and everyone has been delighted with the work that the team at Smith has done. But the ones that are most appreciative are the indie authors who understand that their book can bring credibility to their business. So if you're an entrepreneur, be sure to tune in and take notes!
 
About Our Guest
Marissa Eigenbrood is President of Smith Publicity, working closely with all teams across the company. Throughout her career in public relations, she has worked with non-profits, Fortune 500 corporations, international brands, college/universities, tech start-ups and the publishing industry, including small to large-sized publishers, hybrid presses, debut authors and industry thought leaders. She brings extensive knowledge of the public relations realm, as well as an organized and dedicated focus, to all she does. Learn more about them at https://www.smithpublicity.com/
 
Production by OC Talk Radio
Executive production by Little Red Communications

Ep. 38: How to Sell Your Books in Non-Bookstores (yeah, we’re talking airports!)

Where can you sell books? The answer is ANYWHERE! 
On this episode of Pub Date, we share non-traditional places where you can sell your book and how to get your book into those nontraditional retailers.
Knowing where to sell your book means that you have to really know your audience. Unpack how to know them better (market research, comps, etc.). Some non-book places you can sell books include:
Specialty stores related to your topic (REI, quilt stores, running stores, you name it)
Associations like the American Marketing Association, Vistage, and Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
Corporations (yes, they can and will hire you to speak to their employees! So don't forget to build in a book sale in your fees)
Speaking events, festivals, conferences, workshops (TedTalks, SXSW, and even regional conferences for those associations you're already a member of)
And everyone's favorite AIRPORTS! 

Ep. 37: Book Distribution 101: How to Sell Your Book Around the World

How do you sell your book around the world as a traditional author or a trailblazing self-publishing author?
In this episode, Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos discuss the process of book distribution and how it's not as magical as it seems. What's the spooky process behind getting books from the publisher to the bookstore?
"The book business is fully returnable at any time, anytime. At anytime you can get books back that you sold ten years ago."
We are book lovers, so naturally, when we travel, we love to visit bookstores in different cities. We always think about how the books got there and how our authors' books can end up on those shelves. It's not magic, but distribution that gets the books into the store. Traditional publishers take care of distribution for their authors, but self-published authors have to be a little more creative. There are some companies that specialize in distribution for small presses and self-published authors, but it can be difficult to get your book into big stores like Barnes and Noble. If you go the digital distribution route, you can still get your book into the hands of your readers and build a reputation.
In this episode, we discuss:
1. How do books get from the publisher to the bookstore?
2. Are there distribution options for self-published authors?
3. What are the implications of selling a book worldwide?
 
Want to Learn More About Book Publishing? Keep Listening to the Pub Date Podcast:
Ep. 36: How to Turn Your TED Talk into a Book
Ep. 35: How to Launch Your Book Like a Product
Ep. 34: What’s The Best Option for Your Business Book: Hardcover or Paperback?
 

Ep. 36: How to Turn Your TED Talk into a Book

Is turning a speech into a book a good idea?"Content remains king and everyone's making all the things and doing all the speeches and giving all the talks and teaching all the courses, but they still love the idea of it being a book because that provides some ethos building and some validity because I have a book."We are book nerds, so we are really interested in the recent trial to block Penguin Random House's acquisition of Simon and Schuster. So much so, that we purchased the ebook version of the transcripts of the trial by Publishers Lunch, and boy it was a lot of information to process. The document is huge and not fancy in its presentation. This led us to wonder if you can turn anything into a book.
Listen in as Jen and Vanessa talk about all the different ways you could repurpose content, like a speech, webinar, or course, into a book. We also discuss how the the framework is that you have to be careful with the content and make sure it is not just a transcription of the speech. And making sure that the book is associated with the speech, but not the exact same thing. Other episodes you'll enjoy:Ep. 35 How to Launch Your Book Like a Product
Ep. 34 What's the Best Option for Your Business Book: Hardcover or Paperback? 

Ep. 35: How to Launch Your Book Like a Product

When it comes to launching your book we are big fans of taking inspiration from new product launches.
If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or CEO you're probably thinking "I've got this." But the truth is that you really need to sit, think about it the product, and plan for a book launch months before your book is complete.
In this episode of the Pub Date Podcast we're joined by Terry Rice, a business development consultant, staff writer at Entrepreneur magazine, and host of the Launch Your Business podcast, to give you tips on how to reach your ideal audience, test your concepts, and create a work flow that allows you to get it all done.
About Terry:
Terry Rice is a Business Development Consultant and Staff Writer at Entrepreneur magazine. He's also the host of Launch Your Business, a podcast that helps entrepreneurs make money, save time and avoid burnout. His previous experience includes internal consulting roles at Adobe and Facebook. Based in Brooklyn, Terry is an instructor at New York University, speaks at business development events on behalf of Amazon and Google, and has been featured as a subject matter expert by Good Morning America.
Website: terryrice.co
Instagram/Twitter: @itsterryrice
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-rice/

Ep. 34: What’s The Best Option for Your Business Book: Hardcover or Paperback?

On this episode of the Pub Date podcast we discuss the big question in book publishing: Should you release the hardcover before the paperback?
We've seen it all when it comes to this conversation. Authors like the prestige of having that hardcover with dust jacket at a book signing, but as a self-published author does that matter? When it comes to formats we're agnostic.
There are pros and cons to everything in book publishing. And if you're self publishing your next book, you can do what makes sense for you, your business, and your bottom line. 

Ep. 33: Indie vs. Small Press Publishing

On this episode of the Pub Date podcast we talk about the difference between indie and small press publishing. The wonderful thing about becoming a published author is that there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to going from idea to final book. If you're thinking about becoming an author, make sure you do your homework and that the math makes sense. At the end of the day, your book is another product that you deliver to your audience.
Have an idea and want to see if it's a book? Download our checklist here: https://bit.ly/3BE8cPN