For authors and artists who don’t have access to publishing technology or spaces to create, print, and publish their work, there are distinct barriers to doing what they love. However, there is an incredible nonprofit organization right here in Portland that seeks to break down these barriers and make publishing affordable and accessible to all.
community
Community Outreach to Find Hidden Gems
By Jennifer Ladwig and Michael Shymanski
Ooligan Press receives many unsolicited submissions through our Submittable from authors all over the world looking to get their books published. Despite the traffic our Submittable receives, there are times where the works we have received do not provide the press with the manuscripts we need. This is where community outreach comes into play.
How to Build Community with Other Editors
By Olivia Rollins
Although editors are a notoriously introverted bunch, we all stand to benefit from a little social connection. What happens when you run into a truly perplexing problem—be it a difficult client or a questionable comma—and you need to turn to other editors for advice? Where can editors go to receive mentoring and swap war stories? This post outlines some of the ways in which editors can connect with each other—virtually as well as in person—in order to grow as professionals and build a sense of community.
A New Department at Ooligan
By Tiffany Watson
At nearly every press, there is a room that is stacked high with cardboard boxes. For people in publishing, a certain feeling may be invoked by this image. I feel it myself. A book unread is a sadder sight than one unloved.
The Book Launch Party
By PJ Zettle
Regardless of what type of book is being promoted, the decisions a publishing company makes when planning a launch party can have an impact on the sales of a book as well as on the perception of what that book stands for. Given the importance of these considerations, the sheer number of lists that one finds when simply googling “book launch party” shouldn’t come as a surprise, but these results can be quite overwhelming to sift through.
6 Tips to Help Authors Reach Niche Audiences
By Victoria Raible
Authors have heard the same things over and over again on how to market their books: you must be on social media, you must be a big fan of your genre, you must create a dedicated fan base, etc. And while that’s all solid advice, most of it is geared toward reaching a general readership. Depending on what you’re writing, there are many more opportunities to grow your readership and visibility. The following tips are ultimately meant for authors writing in niche genres—we’re talking knitting books, self-help books, cookbooks, fitness books, anything directed at a very specific market—but any author could find ways to implement this advice.