Watch the replay of our webinar held on June 10, 2026: Jeevan Sivasubramaniam is the VP of Editorial at Berrett-Koehler. He has been in publishing for thirty years in acquisitions and administration and has worked with over 700 authors and books. Steve Piersanti is the founder, CEO, publisher, and senior editor for Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Tim […]
Marketing Archive
Book Marketing: It’s Not About You (or Even Your Book)
Why does book marketing feel uncomfortable or unnatural for so many authors? It’s because most of us are doing it all wrong. Too often, we think that “marketing” means standing on a soapbox (*cough*cough*LinkedIn post*), raising our book in the air, and shouting, “Hey, everybody, look at me! I wrote a book! Look at my book! It […]
Five Ways to Use AI to Aid Your Writing—The Right Way
AI can be a writer’s best ally—or biggest headache. Some authors are using it brilliantly for writing and research, while others are tripping over its blind spots or blurring ethical lines.
Learn from Rebecca Bultsma, nationally recognized speaker, consultant, and AI research expert, alongside your favorite cranky-pants editorial curmudgeon Jeevan, for five sharp lessons on how to make AI work for you—not against you.
How to Get the Editorial Help You Need
No one can edit their own book, but there are seven simple strategies for better ensuring you do the right prep to get the best feedback, resulting in a stronger work.
Marketing for Authors (and Authors To-Be) Who Hate Marketing
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?
What Publishers Really Want to See in Your Book Proposal (But Won’t Tell You)
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 […]
8 Reasons Why Email Is Your Most Valuable Marketing Asset
Would you rather have 10,000 followers on social media, or 500 email subscribers?
Literary Agents: Do You Need One? What Should You Expect? And How Do You Know You Have a Good One (or a Bad One)?
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.
Threat, Benefit, or Both? What AI Means for Your Book and the Publishing Industry
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.
Are Editors Even Important or Needed Any More?
It’s a good question: Are they? Many authors have indicated how even with traditional houses, they receive minimal editorial guidance or work. And I hate to admit it, but I have looked at many traditionally published books over the last couple of years and wondered—did an editor even look at this? Is this also turning the tide towards self-publishing since editorial shaping was one of the hallmark advantages of traditional publishing houses?