Tagged interviews

How Do Tariffs Affect Canadian Publishers? w/ Kim Werker | A People’s Guide to Publishing

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.

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 can publishers lower information barriers? w/ Jelani Memory | A People’s Guide to Publishing

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!

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How Should Authors Market Their Books? w/ Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

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

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.

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How do I publish thematically? w/ Jelani Memory of A Kids Co | A People’s Guide to Publishing

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

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

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

What is the Impact of Book Bans? | A People’s Guide to Publishing

Book bans have seen an astronomical increase in the last few years. How are they impacting the book industry, booksellers, and publishers? We had the opportunity to check in with book professionals at a recent conference about what alarms them about book bans, their experiences, what kinds of books are banned, and what we can do to fight bans and challenges

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How Should Publishers Manage Overstock? w/ Jelani Memory | A People’s Guide to Publishing

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.

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Is Print-on-Demand a Class Issue? w/Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing

Print-on-demand books have been called cheap, low quality, and the publishing equivalent of fast fashion. But is that true? What are the upsides of publishers using POD? How do publishers know if POD is the right call? Jane Friedman of The Hot Sheet is back 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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Why are bugs so cool? w/Karyn Light-Gibson (author of BUG LIFE) | A People’s Guide to Publishing

Just in time for spring, we’re talkin’ bugs! They’re everywhere, whether you like it or not. And they’re such cool little critters.

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.

Bug out!

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!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!