A People's Guide to Publishing

Microcosm Publishing

Do you find that the traditional methods for book publishing aren't working for you? Are you a publisher or author who wants to innovate, succeed, and expand your audience through time-tested methods? We offer time-tested publishing methods that we know work because we have used them to sell millions of books in a changing industry. We have been inundated with requests for consulting so we created this show to share everything we know. We are the executives of Microcosm Publishing, a Publishers Weekly fastest growing publisher three years in a row. Tune in every Thursday for us to share our latest research in the time it takes you to walk the dog. Check out our fan-favorite episode on cover design. Joe Biel is the inaugural winner of the PubWest Innovator Award and founder and CEO of Microcosm, a 30-year-old midlist publisher. Elly Blue is the editorial and marketing director at Microcosm. Joe is also the author of A People’s Guide to Publishing, which distills what they’ve learned over the past 30 years, taught at dozens of universities. Together, they distill this knowledge for other publishers and people who simply want to understand the publishing industry. 

  1. Budgeting When Thinking About Money Gives You Hives | A People's Guide to Publishing Podcast

    12/26/2025

    Budgeting When Thinking About Money Gives You Hives | A People's Guide to Publishing Podcast

    How do you set a personal budget, even if thinking about money feels like the worst thing ever? What if you're allergic to spreadsheets, or your family set you up with a ton of anxiety and expectations around finances?Joe Biel, founder and CEO of Microcosm and regular host of the pod, did a little seminar for Microcosm staff on setting a personal budget and Joe's favorite tips for money management. We got so much out of it, we wanted to share it with you! If you want more tips on where to get started with your finances, check out UNF*CK YOUR WORTH by Dr. Faith Harper: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/10744************Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosmGet the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6vFind us on social media:Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.socialInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

    33 min
  2. When should book publishers innovate? w/Jane Friedman | A People's Guide to Publishing Podcast

    12/18/2025

    When should book publishers innovate? w/Jane Friedman | A People's Guide to Publishing Podcast

    "Innovation" is one of the biggest words you hear in just about any industry, especially with the rise of our new AI overlords. It can be so tempting to make big changes just for the sake of making changes!But what is real innovation, and how do you know when it needs to happen? How do you innovate with intention? Is innovation even right for you? Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back with Joe and Elly this week to talk about branding, change, innovation, and how to go about it all thoughtfully. (Does "innovation" sound like a word to you anymore?)Check out The Bottom Line here: https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/************Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosmGet the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6vFind us on social media:Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.socialInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

    17 min
4.2
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Do you find that the traditional methods for book publishing aren't working for you? Are you a publisher or author who wants to innovate, succeed, and expand your audience through time-tested methods? We offer time-tested publishing methods that we know work because we have used them to sell millions of books in a changing industry. We have been inundated with requests for consulting so we created this show to share everything we know. We are the executives of Microcosm Publishing, a Publishers Weekly fastest growing publisher three years in a row. Tune in every Thursday for us to share our latest research in the time it takes you to walk the dog. Check out our fan-favorite episode on cover design. Joe Biel is the inaugural winner of the PubWest Innovator Award and founder and CEO of Microcosm, a 30-year-old midlist publisher. Elly Blue is the editorial and marketing director at Microcosm. Joe is also the author of A People’s Guide to Publishing, which distills what they’ve learned over the past 30 years, taught at dozens of universities. Together, they distill this knowledge for other publishers and people who simply want to understand the publishing industry. 

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