“Bestseller” gets printed on more book covers than most readers realize, and that’s because the word means something different depending on which list put it there. Some lists count every sale, everywhere. Others rely on an editorial process you can’t…
If your memoir gets you sued, you—the author—are usually the one financially liable, not the publisher, because most publishing contracts include a warranty and indemnification clause that makes you responsible for the accuracy of your own story.
Print-on-demand pricing is built from three stacked costs—a flat production charge per copy, a distribution or “market access” fee taken as a percentage of your list price, and the trade discount wholesalers and bookstores require—and your royalty is whatever remains…
Why Most Books Belong on Screens and Shelves There’s nothing quite like holding a printed copy of your book. But many of your potential readers will never pick up a print book at all. They read on Kindles, phones, tablets,…
Accept, Adapt, Discuss, or Decline: A Guide to Editorial Notes You’ve spent months, maybe years, on your manuscript. Then the edit letter arrives: pages of notes, questions, and suggestions. Some feel exactly right. Some sting. A few make you wonder…
Merch and Swag Ideas to Help You Sell Books A bookmark tucked into a signed copy. A sticker on a reader’s laptop. A poster drawing people to your table at a book festival. Book merchandise turns your book’s cover and…
Give Your Book a Pitch Readers Can’t Resist A reader picks up your book, glances at the cover, and flips it over. Or they click your Amazon listing and scroll to the description. In the next few seconds, a short…
Professional vs. DIY vs. AI illustration In a picture book, the illustrations aren’t decoration. They’re half the story. Children “read” the pictures long before they can read the words, and parents, teachers, librarians, and booksellers decide whether to pick up…
Should You Make an Audiobook? Costs, Benefits, and When It’s Worth It Audiobooks have become one of the most important ways readers find and enjoy books. Millions of people now “read” during commutes, workouts, chores, and walks, and many of…
Advice for First-Time Authors Writing and publishing a first book is a big undertaking, and much of the learning happens along the way. Most first-time authors run into the same questions: When is the manuscript ready? How much editing does…
Author Website Tips: What to Include on Your Author Website Readers who hear about your book, whether from a podcast, a review, a friend, or a bookstore event, will often search for your name next. What they find shapes whether…
What to Do When You Get a Bad Review Every author gets them eventually: the one-star review, the reader who “just didn’t connect,” the stinging line that runs through your head at 2 a.m. Negative reviews hurt, especially when they’re…
Navigating Alternatives: Rethinking Traditional Publishing Routes For many writers, landing a literary agent feels like the first big milestone on the road to publication. Agents can be powerful advocates. They open doors to major publishers, negotiate better deals, and guide…
As a writer, knowing your audience is crucial. Writing without knowing who you’re writing for is like trying to hit a target blindfolded—you’re bound to miss if you don’t know where you’re aiming. But what does it really mean to…
Paid Editorial Reviews: Are They Worth It for Your Book? Professional reviews, whether paid editorial reviews or otherwise, carry weight. A strong line from a respected outlet can go on your cover, sit at the top of your Amazon page,…
Revising & Publishing a New Edition of Your Book Your book is out in the world, but maybe it isn’t quite the book you’d write today. The statistics are out of date. The cover looks like it came from a…
The Short Answer: No (and Here’s the Math) Will Atmosphere Press get rich if your book succeeds? Short answer: no. If your book becomes the next blockbuster, you’re the one who should be shopping for a yacht. We keep just…
How to Have a Successful Book Launch Launch day feels like the finish line. In reality, it’s the middle of the race. The authors who have a successful book launch usually start months earlier: building early reviews, lining up preorders,…
What Are the Benefits of Having a Hardcover Book? There’s something about holding a hardcover: the weight, the clean edges, the sense that the book was made to last. Readers notice it, and so do librarians, booksellers, and reviewers. For…
What Are the First Steps to Publishing a Book? You’ve got a manuscript, or you’re close to having one, and now the word “publishing” feels like a locked door. The good news is that publishing a book follows a fairly…
Atmosphere Press is reading for potential publication in all genres, with no restrictive submission guidelines. You’ll be invited to schedule your pitch call with an Acquisitions Editor right away.