WEEKEND BOOK THERAPY
Your chance to ask me anything about book publishing.
Before we jump into Book Therapy, a reminder about my webinar “Your Book’s Launch Timeline,” which will take place via Zoom on Saturday, June 6, 12-2 PM EST. If you have already signed up, invoices will be sent this weekend. If you would like to sign up, fill out this form. The cost is $75, and the recording, slides, and a launch plan template will be available 24 hours after the live webinar.
Possible upcoming webinars: I’m thinking about doing separate webinars for promoting fiction and nonfiction, with platform-building for each. I may also do another “Positioning Your Book” webinar, where I teach you how to pitch your book step by step. Stay tuned…
Confidantes,
Welcome to Book Therapy!
This community is for paid subscribers, and the goal is to create a safe space where you can ask questions about the publishing industry/process, book publicity, and marketing. It’s also a space where you can share what you’re worried about in book publishing.
Please post your questions in the comments, and I will answer them throughout the day & weekend.
PLEASE READ THE RULES:
-If you are asking a question about YOUR book, please tell me a little bit about it, or my response will be, “It depends on the book…”
-I cannot answer questions via email. Please post your questions in the comments. You'll need to be a paid subscriber to do that.
-I can only provide ADVICE when I respond to specific questions, not definitive answers.
-This is a forum where questions are asked. It is not a forum to write lengthy commentary about your book or the publishing industry (or political beliefs, etc.). If you reply to someone’s question, do so in a helpful way.
-Be respectful to me and others. Everyone’s experience is different. Be kind. Unkind comments will not be tolerated.
-If I don’t know the answer, I will tell you and try to provide a resource where you might find it.
-Please don’t use the comments to self-promote. That’s not what this thread is about.
-There’s no such thing as a stupid question. We don’t know what we don’t know!
-Please be patient. I’ll pop in and out to answer you.
-The more context you provide, the better response I can give you.
-Please allow me the weekend to answer your questions. The deadline to post a question is Sunday night. After that, you’ll have to wait until the next edition of Book Therapy.
Please limit your questions to one comment so I can keep track of them and be fair to others.
-I have the least experience in YA and kids’ books, so I don’t feel comfortable advising that territory.
-This is a community effort, so others may chime in with their own knowledge.
Ready? Go!
-Kathleen
Would love any advice you have about trying to sell my novel (published in 2024) by She Writes Press. While it received good reviews (Kirkus, etc) and I did a couple of Suzy Approved book tours, the novel didn't sell. I've had a little success with ebooks but not with the paperbacks. I'd love any advice you have on getting more of the paperbacks sold. Not looking for miracles. In the past, advertising on Amazon helped but that's not working now. Thank you so very much!
Hi Kathleen! Loving your Substack, as always…My question has to do with what level of quality/quantity platform is best to have before going out with a book proposal. I have a client with a unique memoir in a high interest but crowded field. She had no media platform, so six months ago, I helped her start a Substack (350 subscribers so far, strong open rate), publish a smart op-ed in a legacy media site, and get on a respected podcast in her niche. But in the last few weeks, something nuts has happened. I asked her to go on Instagram, and within one month her storytelling reels went viral. She only put up four of them and now has tens of thousands of followers. I know this can be fool’s gold, but the level of passionate engagement is stunning. 1000 comments on her recent post, many are begging for the next installment. When is the time to say go and pitch agents? It’s a cruel world out there. I was thinking another major media placement And to keep putting out more reels and ride this wave. How much more substack? Obviously, this is unknowable. I respect your insights very much. Would love any thoughts you have to offer.