The number one reason employees stay or leave is how much they trust their immediate supervisor, not company-wide programs or benefits.
Continue Reading Targeting Turnover: A Fresh Ink Interview with Dick Finnegan
FEATURED EVENT
Marketing for Authors (and Authors To-Be) Who Hate Marketing
October 8, 10-10:45 am PT (1-1:45 pm ET), 2025
Ever since that childhood debacle with the lemonade stand, there are plenty of nonfiction authors and to-be authors who hate the idea of self-promotion and marketing, so what should they do?
Improvisational Writing Series
First Thursday of each month at 1 pm Eastern Time, 2025
When was the last time you experienced the sheer joy of writing? Improvisational writing is designed to take the work out of writing, leaving only the delight of creativity. Each 2- or 3-minute exercise starts with a common prompt, and then everyone starts writing without paying attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, logic, or all the other “rules” that have been used to take the fun out of writing. The BK Author group invites you to a series of no-cost Zoom-based sessions, designed to make writing fun again.
Learn more
2026 BK Authors Retreat
October 9–12 (Friday–Monday), 2026
Gather with us on October 9–12, 2026, at the Marianist Retreat Center in St. Louis for four days of connection, learning, and discovery. Registration is open!
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Our Programs
Annual Retreat
The annual BK Author Retreat gatherings our author community together for several days of conversations, connections, and renewal. Our 2026 Retreat will be October 9–12, 2026, at the Marianist Retreat Center in St. Louis. Learn More
Regional Gatherings
Get to know the BK authors in your area! If you live in a metro area and are interested in organizing a simple gathering of authors (e.g. a dinner, evening social, etc.), reach out to us at [email protected] to get a list of the authors in your area.
Fresh Ink Webinars
A virtual webinar series designed to generate support among our author community for upcoming Berrett-Koehler book releases. See upcoming dates
Recent Articles & Event Summaries
Damian Goldvarg’s new book “Lead with a Coaching Mindset” applies the 8 core competencies from the International Coach Federation to leadership. These include: ethical standards, coaching mindset, building relationships, trust, presence, communication (listening), creating awareness, and implementing learning.
Continue Reading How to lead with a coaching mindset: A Fresh Ink interview with Damian Goldvarg
All nonfiction book proposals ask for the same basic bits of information, but what are publishers really looking for? What are the words, commitments, and things that make them sit up and take notice and what makes for a damn good proposal? In this webinar on September 10, 2025, Jeevan Sivasubramaniam (who has reviewed, no…
Continue Reading What Publishers Really Want to See in Your Book Proposal (But Won’t Tell You)
Email gets much higher engagement than any social media site. You own your email list. Email isn’t going anywhere. It’s one of the last link-friendly platforms. Etc.
Continue Reading 8 Reasons Why Email Is Your Most Valuable Marketing Asset
Agents can figure out if your book will sell, refine your proposal, introduce your book to the editors that are the best fit, and help you ensure you get a fair contract. They can’t work miracles.
Is AI the end of book publishing and authors as we know it? This conversation features Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, VP of Editorial at Berrett-Koehler Publishers, and Thad McIlroy, a published author and journalist, founding partner of Publishing Technology Partners, a contributing editor to Publishers Weekly, a board member at Johns Hopkins Press, and the principal of The Future of Publishing.
Continue Reading Threat, Benefit, or Both? What AI Means for Your Book and the Publishing Industry