Hybrid Pub Scout Podcast

Karl Becker, founder of Improving Sales Performance and author of Iceberg Selling, talks about his books, how they've made a difference in his business and life, and the necessity of being open to surprises during the writing process.

Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar, founder of Page & Podium Press, joins Emily to talk about overcoming impostor syndrome and taking the courageous step to share your story.

Website copywriter Kelley Gardiner joins Emily to talk about the overlaps between writing clear, attention-getting copy and writing a good nonfiction book.

Emily speaks with Ali about her definition of self-publishing versus independent publishing, how Indigo is working to improve the book world, and the exciting process of learning how to produce audiobooks. This episode's transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Episode-77-Ali-Shaw-of-Indigo-Editing_otter_ai.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Joan Conte joins Emily to talk about their subscription book box for trans people by trans people. Today's transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/76-Joan-Conte-of-Trans-Book-Box-transcript.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Chris, Corinne, and Emily discuss the Library of Alexandria and all the things we don't know about it. The Transcript for Episode 75: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/75-library-of-alexandria_otter_ai.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Emily interviews Troy Lambert, education lead at Plottr, about how the software helps writers plot everything from their novels to their nonfiction books (and even their marketing plans)! Try Plottr for yourself here: https://plottr.com/ Read the transcript here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Episode-74-Plottr_otter_ai.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Founding members of the new 501C3 Disability in Publishing join Emily and Corinne to discuss their mission and their plans for supporting and collaborating with disabled people in publishing. Read the episode transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/73.Disability-in-Publishing_transcript.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

This Halloween episode of Hybrid Pub Scout brings you an exploration of Western grimoires: what they were, who used them, and how they were passed from one person to another. Also, we do slightly deeper dives into the Picatrix, The Lesser Key of Solomon, The Petite Albert, and The Grand Grimoire. Read the episode transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/72-Grimoires.final-transcript.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Joe Vallese joins us to talk about the queer horror anthology It Came from the Closet, which he conceived of and edited with The Feminist Press. Read the episode transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/71-Joe.Vallese-transcript.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Debut author Sierra Elmore talks about self-publishing her Mean Girls remix, Death by Society. Read the episode transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/70-SierraElmore-final-transcript.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Emily talks to Ruthie Hanson about her experience running a successful Kickstarter for her upcoming TV project, Ladies of Fortune, as well as writing books, screenplays, and fanfiction. Read the episode transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Episode-69-Ruthie-Hanson.final_otter_ai.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Stephanie Argy, editor for the International Society for Technology in Education, reminds us that strides in learning and technology is cause for optimism. Read the episode transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Transcript.Episode68-StephanieArgy-ISTE.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

The difficult truth is this: book publishing has a heavy carbon footprint and produces lots (LOTS) of waste. Rachel Done joins us to discuss a recent study done in partnership with Portland State University, Independent Book Publishers Association, and Pub West about how we can change the status quo and do right by the environment. Read the study here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DistributionPractices.pdf Read the episode transcript here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/67-Rachel-Done-publishing-distribution.docx-1.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Content Warning: Discussion of Nazis and neo-Nazis Shady and unethical journalistic practices In 1983, the Stern news magazine in Western Germany, after selling serial rights to publication across the Western world, announced that Hitler's lost diaries had been discovered in the German countryside. Within a few days, Stern was totally discredited, the diaries were exposed as forgeries, and two Hitler-loving dumbasses were arrested. We discussed what kind of dumbasses and dumbassery led up to the diaries being taken for genuine articles and shown to the world as such, exploring what mistakes publishers and reporters made to let something like this happen. And, of course, we will unveil how the scam was brought to an end! Link to the transcript: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/66-HitlerDiaries-Transcript.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

In the final installment of our fanfiction series, we talk with a publishing professional and fan fiction expert who works in the business of serialized fiction. Katie Fairchild is a marketing associate who uses her expertise in the way fandom audiences read and interact to promote stories on the Radish Fiction app, which is primarily focused on a romance audience. We talk with Katie about the types of campaigns she runs, how serialized fiction fans interact with stories, and how her expertise informs that work. Transcript can be found here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Transcript.Episode-65—Katie-Fairchild-of-Radish-Fiction.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Claudia Rebaza from the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW) joins Emily to talk about their projects—Archive of Our Own, Fanlore, Legal Advocacy, Open Doors, and the Transformative Works and Culture journal—and how such a huge operation stays online. More notes on this page: hybridpubscout.com/organization-transformative-works-interview-ao3 Transcript available here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Transcript-Episode-64-Claudia-Rebaza-of-OTW.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

JT joins us as we add our entry to the wide world of My Immortal dramatic readings. We also discuss a book-publishing incident that almost solved the mystery of who wrote the notorious fanfic and whether or not they were serious or just trolling. CWs The My Immortal fic has self-harm, homophobia, and flippant references to AIDS. Read the transcript here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/63-My-Immortal_otter_ai-1.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Read the transcript here: https://hybridpubscout.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/62.-Intro-to-Fanfic.docx.pdf Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

In part two of our discussion of Anthropodermic Bibliopegy, Emily and Chris explore the reasons for building myths around books made from human skin, and find it could often be simplified to one or a combination of three motivators: prestige, politics, propaganda Content warnings: - Corpse violation - Medical ethics violations - Abuse of power - Objectifying the human body - Worms - Murder and Mutilation - Racism & Colonialism - The French - The British - Foucault (who was a Harpers-letter-style advocate of sex with children along with Simone de Beauvoir) ...and swears of course Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

In part one of this two part episode, Chris Curran joins Emily to explore the practice of binding books in human skin (aka., anthropodermic bibliopegy). Sounds interesting, you say? Famous last words, we say. Get ready for a whole lot of "yikes." Content Warnings for: Corpse violation Medical ethics violations Abuse of power Objectifying the human body Colonialism Find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

There are productivity gurus aplenty online promoting their books, but their advice often leaves the more creative-minded person in the lurch. How can writers, artists, and other creators (cough *podcasters* cough) develop their own systems to make sure they get done what they need to get done? Fortunately, there is a guide that can help creative entrepreneurs like us prioritize our projects and organize our time while allowing us the wiggle room we crave. Emily talks with author Jessie Kwak about her book From Chaos to Creativity: Building a Productivity System for Artists and Writers. She gives us a peek at her four-step creativity system and shares how creative people in her life have customized them to gel with their own approaches to work. And find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

What do you do when you need to talk to a kid in your life about a difficult subject but aren't sure where to start? Enter A Kid's Company About, a media company built on the belief that kids are ready to have challenging, important and empowering conversations with the grown-ups in their lives. The company has published over 50 books to date, ranging from topics like divorce, cancer, and shame to racism, gratitude, empathy, and being non binary. In 2021, they expanded their focus from telling stories through books aimed at five to nine year olds to telling stories through words, video, audio and beyond for kids of all ages. In this episode, we talk to audio project and podcast writer/editor/producer Ari Mathae and editor Denise Morales Soto about the importance of approaching difficult subjects with empathy, the company's unique submission process, how big of a role kids play in each book's development, and how AKCA's mission inspires them. Visit our website post for a transcript: hybridpubscout.com/episode-58-kids-company-about And find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

We are overjoyed to return from our extended hiatus just in time for our fourth annual Halloween episode! We revisit some subjects including a murderous writer story from 2018, the Twitter exploits of one Joyce Carol Oates, and spooky dramatic readings of online horror (comedy) stories. We also discuss our favorite horror books from our childhoods, the tropes that scare us most, and what terrifying things we like to read now. You will also hear one of our spiciest hot takes yet on the subject of Coulrophobia. Visit our website post for a transcript: hybridpubscout.com/episode-57-halloween-return And find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Imagine that you have spent years believing your father was dead, then a $15 palm reader asserts that your real father is very much alive. Now imagine discovering that this wild statement ends up being true. In her Lambda Award-winning graphic memoir and newly launched podcast, Nicole examines the fallout of making such a world-shaking discovery. Listen to Nicole's new OPB podcast https://www.opb.org/show/relativefiction/ And find us on... Our website: https://hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

If you're trying to do research as a book industry professional, you're going to hit paywalls—sometimes paywalls so large that your business is better off replacing NPD with a tarot deck and a crystal pendulum. Enter Dr. Kathi Berens and Dr. Rachel Noorda, who spoke with Emily about their 2020 research on Immersive Media & Books. Using the survey results from over 4,000 respondents, they got a multitude of insights about how Americans of all ages and ethnicities engage with books. The best part? All of us have access to it. Listen to find out what some of the implications might be for industry professionals, librarians, booksellers, and readers. Learn about their study through the Panorama Project: https://www.panoramaproject.org/news/2021/2/10/panorama-project-releases-immersive-media-amp-books-2020-research-report And find us on... Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Emily talks with horror author Nicole Wolverton about women in horror, her book The Trajectory of Dreams, and the upcoming menopause-themed horror short story anthology that she is editing with Sliced-Up Press. Our website: hybridpubscout.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

[WARNING — NSFW] JT is back for the first time in a while for a new installation of the "JT Reads series." This time he's going dark with a reading from Elaina Jadin and Marie Robinson's "Fawn" (featured in episode 45). Featured impressions include Kermit the Frog, Jerry Lewis, and a generic Corleone attempt from Emily.

The StoryGraph is a safer, quieter place on the internet where you can find your next favorite book. Founder and CEO Nadia Odunayo joins Emily to discuss developing this cozy online experience and how input from enthusiastic readers makes everything better. Our website: hybridpubscout.com/interview-nadia-odunayo-the-storygraph Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Sometimes readers forget that these cherished bound objects aren't always beacons of goodness and enlightenment in a mad world. Sometimes, in fact, they can be a medium for a 15th century incel to rain down misery and death on thousands of people for hundreds of years! Chris Curran from episode 16 returns to discuss the origins and the general repulsiveness of the Malleus Maleficarum—aka The Hammer of Witches, aka the Witch Hunter's Manual—with Corinne and Emily. "The swift propagation of the witch hysteria by the press was the first evidence that Gutenberg had not liberated man from original sin." (Russel) [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/malleus-maleficarum-chris-curran Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Happy almost Halloween, scouts! On this episode, we’re joined by the wonderful Emily Edwards, host of the Fuckbois of Literature podcast, a podcast about the toxic characters you encounter in all your favorite books! (Apparently, Amy March is not a fuckboi (?!)) We also chat about the delightful Grady Hendrix, horror writer and author of Horrorstor and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, two books that will make you laugh, cry, and gasp in horror, sometimes at the same time! We also discuss our experiences with supernatural phenomena, why Edgar Allan Poe was a real son of a gun to be married to, and, of course, Dear David, one of Twitter’s most important—and scariest!—contributions to social discourse. [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Check Emily's Fuckbois of Literature Podcast at: https://www.fuckboisoflit.com/episodes And on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/fuckboisoflit Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-51-grady-hendrix-fuckbois-of-literature Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

In this power-packed episode, we welcome back Nellie McKesson, founder of book design software Hederis, and meet Liz Gorinsky, president and publisher of Erewhon Books, a small indie press dedicated to publishing speculative fiction with a literary bent. We chatted with them about the challenges of building innovations from scratch in an industry with very traditional ways of doing things, staying afloat as a very small company during a global pandemic, and starting that small company right when the entire world shut down. We also talk about how both Nellie and Liz’s very different career paths prepared them for their current work, how software like Hederis can help publishers retain staff and offer personal attention, and why Erewhon has been the perfect partner for Hederis as they’ve used the software to build the first few titles on their list. [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-50-liz-gorinsky-nellie-mckesson Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

What do you do when you can’t find anything you want to read? You write it yourself. After plumbing the depths of Amazon for erotic romance featuring queer POC and coming up empty, Katrina Jackson took matters into her own hands and started writing her own. More than seventeen books later, we chatted with her about why word-of-mouth is still the best marketing tool—even for self-published authors!—why publishing her work on platforms besides Amazon allows her to reach a much wider international market, and why cats (!) have been crucial to her books. We also discuss the revelation that Amazon may not be the actual devil, inasmuch as it allows work by historically overlooked and marginalized groups to find an audience, something that traditional publishing has emphatically not been able to do, and the importance of self-reflection when it comes to building your personal library. Katrina wants to remind you to check your voter registration and vote! https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration Donate to a bail fund (we pick PDX for obvious reasons): https://www.gofundme.com/f/pdx-protest-bail-fund And support the USPS (um, you can buy a mail carrier costume for your dog for Halloween??) https://store.usps.com/store/results/gifts/_/N-nnxamr [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-49-historian-and-romance-author-katrina-jackson Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

In this episode, we chatted with freelance food and lifestyle book publicist and Thursday Media founder Kimberly Escobar about the adorable perils of working from home (specifically, Zoom-bombing kittens), how both traditionally and self-published authors can make their publicists’ jobs easier, and how to do your OWN book PR if you can’t afford a pro to do it for you. We also talked about the joys and pains—but mostly joys—of owning your own business, why an Arby’s was actually the perfect place for a book launch party, and how even the shyest of introverts can effectively promote their books without feeling like they need to take a shower afterward. [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our new free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/kimberly-escobar-thursday-media Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Our guest this week is Michael R. Underwood, publishing professional, fellow podcaster, and author of the found family space opera Annihilation Aria, out now from Parvus Press. In addition to his years of writing scifi, he's also a former bookseller, sales representative who sold to bookstores across the midwest, and North American Sales & Marketing Manager for Angry Robot Books. We talk about how bookselling can bolster your career as both an author and a book marketer, what it's like to write a collaborative series for the app Serial Box, how privilege plays into publishing, and how his experience with digital-first publishing is helping him market his book in a pandemic. He also tells us about how his relationship with tabletop roleplaying games has gone from a hobby as a teen, to a subject of academic study, to regular live storytelling performance for more players than ever as part of his authorial life. If you're interested in reading about rebelling against space fascism, Guardians of the Galaxy-style camaraderie, and weaponized singing, you can pick up Annihilation Aria here: https://bookshop.org/a/1023/9781733811958 [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our new free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/scifi-author-michael-r-underwood Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

In this episode, we talk to Head of Publishing at Kickstarter Margot Atwell about why the community crowdfunding platform is tailor-made for authors and why more publishers should be embracing it, why the publishing industry model is broken and suggestions on how to fix it, and why decentralizing the industry is key to making sure that more perspectives are represented in both the industry and the books it produces. (I mean, do we really need any more books about twenty something Brooklyn hipsters and their trust funds?) We also talk about the process of creating a campaign on Kickstarter, and how it helps authors find their audience BEFORE their book comes out. [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our new free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/46-margot-atwell-kickstarter-publishing-head Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9 Link to the "Signs of Change" Campaign, active through August 31st: https://www.kickstarter.com/signs-of-change

You’ve self-published a book. Congrats! Now how do you find your readers? On this episode, Emily sat down with prolific romance authors Elaina Jadin and Marie Robinson to discuss just that, along with the best marketing tools you can use to to find--and keep--an enthusiastic army of fans. They also chat about how having a co-author ultimately benefits a book, how you can still love a story that you’re writing to market, and why writing a book with an end in mind but not so much the rest of the journey can stretch your writing and make you better at it. And if you’ve ever wondered if you should self-publish your book on platforms that aren’t Amazon, Marie is here to tell you: Yes. Yes, you should.

In this episode, Emily chats with book marketing coach and newly installed publisher at Ooligan Press, Robyn Crummer-Olson, who works with both self-published and traditionally published authors on project management and book marketing and publicity. We talk about why it’s important for marketers to be honest with authors about just how hard it is to launch a book (very, very, very hard), why your purpose as an author has to be about more than making money, and what authors can do to make marketers’ jobs easier. (Hint: Don’t insist that your book is for everyone. No book is for everyone. Well, maybe To Kill a Mockingbird.) We also talk about how important it is for authors to let their publishers know exactly what they’re doing to promote their book, and why it’s such a joy to work with authors who are curious and open to trying all kinds of promotional strategies to get the job done. [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our new free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path Our website: hybridpubscout.com/44-robyn-crummer-olson-book-marketer Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Brian and Josie Parker of @believeinwonder_pub speak with Emily about creating and publishing books where all kids—particularly BIPOC kids—can see themselves as heroes and adventurers. We also talk about the difficult feelings and frustrating conversations that they've had in the wake of George Floyd's murder, the difference between brands that pay lip service and ones that take action when it comes to BLM, and when asking Black people questions about racism and social justice is (and isn't!!!) a good move. Our website: hybridpubscout.com/43-Brian-Josie-Parker-Books-Black-POC-kids Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

This week, literary agent DongWon Song provides insights on the #PublishingPaidMe discussion and why decolonizing—rather than "diversifying"—publishing, really makes a lot of sense if you think about it. He also talks about how to find an agent that is right for your communication style and a writing community that will help you navigate a tough, rejection-ridden, and often inequitable industry. He also tells us what he's doing as an agent to amplify black voices. If you are a BIPOC aspiring author or an author from another marginalized group looking for some encouragement, or an aspiring ally who wants to help dismantle white supremacy in publishing, today's interview is for you. And wherever you happen to be right now, hopefully this gets you thinking about how you can help elevate stories that have long been ignored. Our website: hybridpubscout.com/42-DongWon-Song-literary-agent Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9 [PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our new free tool: The HPS Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path

[PERK ALERT] Sign up for our newsletter and get access to our new free tool: The Hybrid Pub Scout Guide to Picking Your Publishing Path. This nifty tool aims to help you gear up for the frontier between traditional and indie publishing, and deciding which of the two is right for you. Get it right here: https://mailchi.mp/da9486666cc5/hps-guide-publishing-path In this episode we speak with Olivia Croom Hammerman about her journey from publishing project management on the west coast to New York managing editorial and design production. Olivia goes into the difference between the "factory floor" of a big-publishing art department, and the creative stimulation and collaboration that comes with creating an indie book design. She also breaks down exactly what a successful book cover is supposed to show to help it get sold. Our website: hybridpubscout.com/41-how-to-design-a-book-cover-olivia-hammerman Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

We hung out with Brian Palmer (aka B.C. Palmer) for the first time in Hybrid Pub Scout Episode 14, when he came on to talk with Emily and Marie Robinson about managing ghostwriters and writing fantasy and romance. This time, he talks about something he'd already referred to in his first appearance: freeing us all from the iron grip of Microsoft Office with his new book writing app—Scribi Writer's Studio. With his new software, Brian plans to create an all-in-one book writing, collaborating, and discovery program to help authors stay on target. We talk about how the app functions, all the things he's envisioning for its future, and how every person working in the indie-publishing chain can get in on it together. Our website: hybridpubscout.com/40-brian-palmer-book-writing-app Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

This week's interview is with Rakesh Satyal, senior editor at Atria Books and author of the award-winning book Blue Boy and No One Can Pronounce My Name. Since 2001, Rakesh has been an all-in editor while still making time to write and promote his own books. We talk about how he balances his work at Atria, supporting some of our favorite authors, with producing his own creative work. PLUS Corinne gets to ask about working with Tori Amos (whose new book, Resistance, is coming out in May 2020!). Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-39-rakesh-satyal-editor-author-atria Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

What do you do if you’ve got 30 notebooks full of your writing and no one to publish them? If you’re University of Hell Press founder Greg Gerding, you do it yourself and create a self-publishing empire. The author of seven published books of prose and poetry, Greg’s initial spark for the press came from a weekly reading series he’d hosted at a bar in Washington, D.C., aptly called Hell. After moving to San Diego, he was inspired by the city’s local music scene’s DIY ethos and began calling on his friends to design covers, among other things. Finding himself in Portland a few years later and virtually swimming in literary goings-on, Greg expanded the press and at this point, publishes a combination of solicited and unsolicited material, and spends most of his time trying to convince other folks to start their own self-publishing empires. His birthday buddies include Stephen Baldwin (boo) and Tony Hawk (yay)! Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-38-greg-gerding-university-hell Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Episode 37: Jessica Reed — Cake Historian by Hybrid Pub Scout Podcast

Bookselling is an inherently political profession, and few people know that better than Danny Caine, owner of the Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, Kansas, and author of one of our favorite reads, How to Resist Amazon and Why. We talked politics, poetry, and bookstore cats; the Raven has two—Dashiell and Ngaio, the store’s undisputed social media stars. When Caine’s tweetstorm about how Amazon’s pricing screws indie bookstores went viral, he started playing closer attention to the store’s social media, and realized that it could be used in service of politics as well as adorable cats. Since being picked up for distribution by local Portland publisher Microcosm, How to Resist Amazon and Why has sold more than 5,000 copies, even though Amazon has quit selling it after Caine criticized them in an article in the NYT. (Thinkyface emoji) Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-36-danny-caine-raven-book-store Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

What exactly does a publicist spend their days doing? Pitching the media, confirming (and re-confirming) interviews/appearances/events, managing author egos, putting out fires, etc. But if you’re someone who works with NYT bestselling authors like Jennifer Weiner and Fredrik Backman, you also get to go on tour! Ariele Fredman Stewart began her publishing career interning for Bloomsbury and mocking up Harry Potter posters, and now works as the Associate Director of Publicity in the Atria imprint at Simon & Schuster. Corinne talked to Ariele about just how much publicity has changed since the advent of digital media, why her role on book tours is that of a (friendly) cop, how the role of a publicist is always evolving, and whether or not viral fame has changed her toddler. https://www.popsugar.com/family/video-toddler-saying-goodbye-mom-before-preschool-46647233 Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-35-ariele-fredman-stewart Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

How does an author find their audience? Do the methods of finding an audience differ between traditionally and self-published authors? How can you establish an initial connection with readers, and how can you turn them into superfans of your work? All these questions and more were considered during our latest author panel, appropriately titled “Knowing Your Audience.” Featuring traditionally published author Jessica Brody, self-published romance author Marie Robinson, and grizzled book marketing vet Corinne Kalasky, the panel discussed the most effective ways to reach potential readers and turn them into lifelong devotees of anything you write. Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-34-knowing-your-audience Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

It’s our very first live podcast AND the very first installment of our “Business of Being an Author” series, held at the lovely Jan’s Bookstore in downtown Beaverton. Emily talks to three women who work with authors on the reg—marketing/PR professionals Mary Bisbee-Beek and Tara Lehmann, and graphic designer Courtney Clarke. They chat about the importance of keeping your branding consistent across your website and social media, smart ways to invest your marketing dollars that actually sell books, and how you can devise and execute a social media plan while keeping your day job. They also talk about what authors should NOT do: argue with reviewers who didn’t like your book, make a book trailer, neglect to hire an editor. Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-33-live-author-branding-panel Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

Enter for a chance to win "The Untouched Crime" by Zijin Chen, translated by Michelle Deeter: https://hybridpubscout.com/giveaways/win-untouched-crime/ Chinese to English translator and interpreter Michelle Deeter joins us for an episode about the world of literature in translation, during which we learn about Amazon Crossing—an imprint that Amazon uses for good rather than for evil—as well as translation slams, which are kind of like poetry slams with less pretension. We talk about the different ways that book translators find work, how Americanizing a novel sometimes means just adding more beer, and how a translator’s role fits into the long and arduous publishing process. Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on— Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-32-book-translator-michelle-deeter Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9

CW: for child abuse at 33:02. Also racist tweets and disgusting keyboards. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We chat about literary horror queen Shirley Jackson’s infamous short story, The Lottery, which, upon publication in The New Yorker in 1948, inspired thousands of people to wring their hands and gnash their teeth and write angry letters demanding to know why a nice lady would write such a thing. (Don’t you want to read it now?) We also talk about the horrors of Joyce Carol Oates’s casually racist tweets as well as her retch-inducing keyboard. And speaking of badly-behaving authors, we also discuss the dangers of denying your subjects review rights, then acting SHOCKED when you publish a book essentially making fun of them and they have the audacity to COMPLAIN about it. Finally, we discuss the need to read more women horror writers of color, the disappearing ethics of the American death industry, and how much nicer a place the world would be if we all gave out king size candy bars on Halloween. Please rate and review us on whatever podcast platform you happen to use. And follow us on: Our website: hybridpubscout.com/episode-31-ladies-horror-lit Facebook: www.facebook.com/hybridpubscout/ Twitter: twitter.com/hybridpubscout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridpubscoutpod/ Our newsletter: eepurl.com/gfajR9