Notes from a Small Press $5 / month

Notes from a Small Press by Anne Trubek offers insights into the publishing industry, covering historical developments, book production processes, and personal reflections from a publisher's perspective. It addresses topics from editing and typesetting to industry trends and personal anecdotes about academia and reading habits.

Publishing Industry Insights Book Production Processes Reading and Literature Academic Perspectives Editing and Proofreading Publishing History Book Design and Aesthetics

The hottest Substack posts of Notes from a Small Press

And their main takeaways

Big News!

66 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💼 Business Acquisition Publishing Subscription
  1. The publishing company Belt has been acquired by Arcadia Publishing.
  2. Despite the acquisition, the publisher, staff, and book releases will remain the same.
  3. Anne Trubek expresses relief and excitement about the acquisition.

I have a book coming out!

27 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
📚 Literature Authors Books Publishing Essays Nonfiction
  1. The book 'Best of the Rust Belt' features personal essays from a region often labeled the Rust Belt, showcasing diverse perspectives and voices.
  2. The book aims to shift the narrative of the Rust Belt region, moving away from stereotypical coverage during election cycles to more nuanced, authentic storytelling.
  3. The creation of the book was a collaborative effort involving multiple editors, writers, and contributors, emphasizing the importance of community and collective storytelling.

Hi, It's Me. I'm Here.

48 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
💼 Business Media
  1. The author is running a January sale on annual subscriptions.
  2. There is hesitation due to controversy over Substack.
  3. To keep reading, a 7-day free trial is available for subscribers.

Coming Soon

16 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
  1. The Belt team has quietly been working on publishing titles for the summer, undergoing changes due to acquisition by Arcadia.
  2. Exciting upcoming titles from Belt include books on Hannibal's history, Ferguson's racial tensions, Chicago house music, Midwest skating culture, and Scranton's anthology.
  3. The transition for wholesale book orders following the acquisition is set for May 1st.
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What I've Been Reading, February Edition

9 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Insightful analysis on the publishing industry and book collecting.
  2. Discussion on controversial book banning issues and the impact on the Ohioana Book Festival.
  3. Exploration of the relationship between AI, copyright laws, and the book industry.

Winter Institute

19 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
📚 Literature
  1. Winter Institute is an important inside-publishing event for independent booksellers organized by the American Booksellers Association.
  2. Last year, 900 independent booksellers attended the Winter Institute event.
  3. Publishers help fund Winter Institute, making it a valuable platform for independent booksellers.

A Glossary of Publishing Terms

28 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Publishing jargon has interesting historical origins like 'upper case' and 'lower case'
  2. Learning publishing terms can make you feel knowledgeable and insider-y
  3. Consider subscribing for a 7-day free trial to access more content like this

What I've Been Reading

25 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Books Publishing Social media
  1. The author is discussing the issue of missing aggregators in the publishing industry.
  2. There is a desire for a solution to improve curation and discovery of content in publishing.
  3. Social media used to be more effective for finding published pieces about publishing.

American Literature Flowers, Goes Bankrupt

25 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
📚 Literature Authors Publishing
  1. American Literature Flowers, Goes Bankrupt is a post on notesfromasmallpress.substack.com.
  2. The post is by Anne Trubek and was published on July 10, 2023.
  3. Anne Trubek offers a book proposal course starting August 7 and mentions if the fee is a hurdle, interested individuals can email her.

Why I've Been Reading

28 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
📚 Literature Novels Books Reading
  1. The author grew up reading a lot of novels from their parents' bookshelf.
  2. They were influenced by authors like Robertson Davies and Evelyn Waugh.
  3. Readers can subscribe for a 7-day free trial to access more content.

Do Women Dominate Publishing?

27 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
📚 Literature Publishing
  1. Planet Money discussed women dominating the book business.
  2. An individual adores Planet Money as a favorite show/podcast.
  3. The post discusses being flummoxed by the argument presented about women dominating the book business.

Editing, or the lack thereof

23 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
📚 Literature Editing Authors Publishing Feedback Books
  1. Book editors have different styles and expectations based on the type of publishing they work in.
  2. Authors should not expect book editors to provide feedback as they write the book.
  3. Generalizing editors in the publishing industry is unwise; editors have varied roles and approaches.

The Art of Proofreading (from the archives)

22 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
📚 Literature
  1. The post discusses the art of proofreading and references the author's book about publishing.
  2. The author chose not to write about a potentially depressing topic and decided to focus on proofreading instead.
  3. Readers can access the full post by subscribing to Notes from a Small Press with a 7-day free trial.

Book Cover Aesthetics

22 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. The post discusses Book Cover Aesthetics
  2. David Wilson showcases his cover design process on Instagram
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial subscription

The Last Days of Academia

19 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🚌 Education Academia Higher Ed
  1. Attended a retirement party for a dissertation advisor, sparking memories.
  2. Reflecting on academic choices and reasons for leaving academia.
  3. Encourages readers to subscribe for more content and insights.