If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion

If I’m Being Honest is a straight-talk podcast about self-publishing and book marketing—created for authors who want realistic expectations and practical advice. Hosted by Joel Pitney and Sayde Walker, the show explores what it actually takes to publish, promote, and sell books in today’s crowded marketplace. Featuring interviews with successful authors and industry experts, we dig into the wins, the missteps, the numbers, and the uncomfortable truths that rarely get discussed. If you’re a first-time author (or feeling stuck after publishing), this podcast is here to help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and honesty.

If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion is a education podcast hosted by Launch My Book, with 19 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Launch My Book hosts If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion, a education show with 19 episodes published.

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  If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion

  In-Person Sales: The Marketing Strategy You Might be Overlooking with Lauren Domagas

  Aug 11, 202640 min

  A literary agent tells you your book is “interesting” but they don’t know where it belongs on a shelf. Do you revise it into something safer, or do you publish the thing you actually meant to write? Host Sayde Walker sits down with Lauren Domagas, author and independent publisher of Songs for Mahalia , to unpack the moment traditional publishing uncertainty became a clear invitation to self-publish with confidence. We talk about what Lauren learned pitching at the San Francisco Writers Conference , why short story collections and cross-genre work can be tough for traditional publishing teams to market, and how indie publishing lets you keep creative control without sacrificing professionalism. Lauren shares what surprised her most about the process: how much she loved shaping the full reader experience, from editing and interior layout to book cover design and building the behind-the-scenes author business through print-on-demand distribution, Amazon KDP, and IngramSpark. Then we get into the part most authors dread: book marketing. Lauren breaks down a local-first strategy built on in-person events, vendor tables, and genuine conversations that turn browsers into buyers. We dig into practical tactics like using a free sticker to grow a newsletter, thinking in funnels, cold emailing event organizers, and walking into a local bookstore to pitch as a local author. You’ll also hear why library requests matter, how to meet bookstore standards, and how selling face to face can reveal your real target audience faster than online sales dashboards. If you’re navigating self-publishing, author platform growth, and book promotion that feels sustainable, this conversation is packed with grounded, repeatable ideas. Subscribe for more straight talk on book publishing and promotions, share this with an author friend, and leave a review so more writers can find the show. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Launch My Book

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  If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion

  Five Principles of Book Launch Budgeting

  Aug 6, 202622 min

  Most authors don’t lose momentum because they “aren’t good at marketing.” They lose momentum because they spend everything getting the book finished, then realize they can’t afford the work that helps readers discover it. We’re Joel Pitney and Sayde Walker, and we’re walking you through the five book launch budgeting principles we’ve used for years to help authors stop guessing and start planning with clarity. We talk about budgeting for the entire book publishing process, not just the fun parts. That means the real costs of writing support, developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading, plus the publishing essentials like cover design, interior formatting for print and ebooks, and distribution setup. Then we get honest about the marketing side: author platform building, promotion, time, energy, and strategy that needs to start early and stay consistent. We also dig into a question every self-published author faces: what should you DIY and what should you pay experts to handle? We share a grounded way to decide, especially when your budget is limited. And we address the hard expectation shift that can save your sanity: you probably won’t make your money back right away on a first book, so plan for the long game. Finally, we explain our “33% for marketing” rule, not as a magic formula, but as a guardrail that forces you to fund discovery, not just production. If you want a book launch budget that actually supports sales over time, listen through and take notes. Subscribe, share this with an author friend, and leave a review so more writers can find the show. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Launch My Book

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  If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion

  Distribution Isn't What You Think. So What Is It?

  Jul 28, 202630 min

  “Global distribution” is one of the most persuasive phrases in publishing, and also one of the most misunderstood. We hear authors assume it means bookstore placement, airport shelves, and steady sales. The truth is that distribution can be passive, it can be active, and it can mean totally different things depending on whether you are working with a traditional publisher, self-publishing through print on demand, or paying a hybrid publisher. We walk through a simple framework that clears up the confusion: distribution has three layers. First is printing, whether that is an offset print run or print on demand. Second is fulfillment, meaning warehousing and shipping when orders come in. Third is active sales, where sales reps pitch retailers like Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other accounts. That third layer is the one most authors picture, but it is the least guaranteed and usually depends on proven demand, preorders, platform, and a credible PR and marketing plan. From there, we compare how self-publishing distribution works through Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, why “being in the database” is not the same as discoverability, and how hybrid publishing often markets “traditional distribution” while still requiring authors to pay for editing, design, and sometimes even the entire print run. We also share the exact questions to ask any company so you can spot slippery answers and set realistic expectations about book marketing, bookstore sales, and what you are actually buying. If this helped you think more clearly about your publishing path, subscribe, share the episode with an author friend, and leave a review so more writers can find it. What is the most confusing distribution claim you have heard? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Launch My Book

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  If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion

  Why Authors Have More Power Than Ever with Michael Larson

  Jul 14, 202638 min

  Publishing is changing faster than most writers were taught to expect, and that shift can feel either terrifying or freeing depending on how you approach it. I sit down with legendary literary agent and San Francisco Writers Conference founder Michael Larson, author of How to Write a Book Proposal , to talk about what actually works for writers right now, and what will matter even more in the future. His take is refreshingly practical: this is the best time ever to be a writer, but only if you commit to both craft and readers. We get into why big traditional publishers can be a tough fit for new authors, why mission-driven independent presses are reshaping the literary landscape, and why self-publishing and creator ownership keep gaining ground. Michael explains the real advantage authors have today: controlling your rights, your website, your content, and your email list so you can build a direct relationship with the people who buy and share your work. We also talk about the “three books” (or five) mindset, how a backlist becomes an asset, and why a book that truly delivers can become unstoppable in the age of online discovery. You’ll also hear Michael’s “superpowers” for writing success: loving the work, setting clear goals, mastering craft, becoming visible in ways you can sustain, collaborating with early readers, thinking like a business without sacrificing your values, staying balanced, and finding joy in the long journey. If you’re working on a book proposal, weighing traditional publishing vs self-publishing, or trying to grow a real author platform, you’ll leave with a clearer plan and a stronger sense of what to prioritize. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a writer friend, and leave a review so more authors can find the show. What part of building your writing career are you focusing on next? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Launch My Book

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  If I'm Being Honest: Straight Talk About Book Publishing & Promotion

  The Real Story Behind Hybrid Publishing with Brooke Warner

  Jun 30, 202643 min

  “Distribution” might be the single most misunderstood word in book publishing, and that confusion costs authors real money. We sit down with Brooke Warner, publisher of She Writes Press and host of the Memoir Nation podcast, to explain what legitimate hybrid publishing looks like and why it emerged as a needed alternative to both traditional publishing and DIY self-publishing. We start with Brooke’s path through traditional indie publishing and the industry shift she watched firsthand: acquisitions moving away from “we love the writing” toward “who is the author and what platform do they have?” From there, we trace how She Writes Press grew into a writing-first hybrid publisher and what “author-subsidized” actually means, including why royalties work differently when authors invest in production. Then we get highly practical about book distribution. Brooke breaks down fulfillment versus true traditional distribution, the push effect of sales reps, how Amazon and wholesalers place orders, why bookstores and libraries matter, and the financial reality of commissions and returns. We also cover the modern landscape of hybrid publishers, including the rise of predatory publishing, and share concrete vetting steps like talking to authors you find yourself, examining book quality, and using the IBPA hybrid criteria checklist to verify claims. If you care about publishing transparency, listen, subscribe, and share this with a writer friend. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Launch My Book

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