Notes from a Small Press

The first book Belt (then called Rust Belt Chic Press) published was basically self-published; I taught myself how to do it as I went. When it was time to print, we decided to order 2,000 copies. I didn’t really think about receiving these books. But one very hot August day they showed up, in a giant truck, to a house with a very very long, narrow, potholed driveway. The driver got to the curb, looked at the driveway, said no way, and deposited two pallets full of forty pound boxes on the tree lawn.

Andrew and Phoebe both tabled (unfortunate verb) at book fairs last weekend. Andrew handled Cleveland’s Inkubator conference, and Phoebe repped us at Chicago’s Printers Row. Both were great successes, with folks buying books, learning about us, chatting with Phoebe or Andrew, signing copies of the books they themselves had written for us, and, best of all, telling us how much they love Belt and appreciate what we do.

Last week, I sent a mash note to an author. It’s a thing people are always saying you should do, and sometimes I do! This one was on behalf of my son, who read a comics series about public libraries over and over when he was little; today he’s a public librarian. I’ve urged him a few times to write the author with this story but he thinks that’s lame. So I did it, on his behalf.

When Andrew Wittkop sent us a cold query over a year ago, I read it with curiosity, eyebrows both raised and furrowed. This one was unlike the others. Andrew was proposing to write an unconventional history of two women, whom very few know about today. They met in what is now the upper penninsula of Michigan in the 1830s. The 1830s! I thought. It was wilderness then.

After taking a few weeks off in June, I found that I was simply…not reading the various articles and essays about publishing that I come across daily, and often writing about here. I think AI has been the tipping point—the barrage of issues, complications, prophesies, histories, and outrage have overwhelmed me. I joked that I have decided to stop having opinions, and this one simple trick relaxed me more than anything else I’ve tried. Who needs massage when you can simply not know or care?

Okay, that subject line is a bit of a psych, as we Gen Xers used to say. We all know publishers don’t reveal sales figures; instead, they leave everyone to guess via analytics, vibes, and gossip. There are many weird reasons for this, all mainly “norms, not laws,” as we used to say in 2016. I will not be the one to break this silly code. However, no one gets huffy if you reveal actual sales figures for backlist titles.

Last call for my book proposal course. • On July 11 I’m hosting a webinar on what authors can expect from publishers, and how to build a strong and fun relationship with the folks with whom you are creating a book . American Made: Stories of Work from the WPA publishes in two weeks (Bastille Day!). It’s my (ironic) contribution to America250. Below is the introduction*I wrote. Get your copy of the book here or wherever books are sold.

July 6 is soon! That’s when my book proposal course starts.It’s a 12 day opportunity to develop an idea, revise a draft, or gain insight into the weird genre of nonfiction proposals. Asynchronous! No zoom, no set meeting times, just words exchanged on a private site providing you with information and feedback. . We’ve been finished up cover designs, revising descriptive copy, and choosing BISACs for titles Belt is publishing later this year and early next. Can I show them off to you?

But first: Substack peaked in 2023, according to this chart, which shows how much money I’ve earned through this newsletter since 2019. So don’t be fooled by this chart, which shows the number of subscribers during the same period: There is nothing surprising about either chart; we’ve all seen this cycle before. What I do find surprising is I still like writing these newsletters as much as I did in 2019.

I love Pierre Publishing Related (And Adjacent) This great write-up by David Wilson about his art for Rust Belt Arcana book and tarot deck. This great Publishers Weekly review of American Made: Stories of Work from the WPA :) (I’m really thrilled—pull quote is “A mesmerizing combination of voices…Readers will be hooked.” The reviewer’s thoughts about my introduction I find flattering, if surprising in focus (it’s often surprising to see what people respond to in your book).