publishing journey

Culture

The Day I Received My First Box of Books

Jul 15, 2026

There are some packages you forget about minutes after opening them. This was not one of them. I still remember the day the delivery truck arrived with the first box of books my publishing company had ever produced. From the outside, it looked completely ordinary. A brown cardboard box sealed with packing tape. Nothing about it suggested the months of work, uncertainty, excitement, and frustration that had gone into what was inside. To anyone walking past, it was just another delivery. To me, it felt like the end of one journey and the beginning of another. Because inside that box was something I had imagined, planned, worried about, and worked on for months. My first published book. Long Before There

Society

What I Wish I Had Known Before Starting My Publishing Company

Jul 13, 2026

When I decided to start my own publishing company, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what the job would involve. I loved books. I enjoyed editing. I was passionate about discovering meaningful stories and introducing them to new readers. In my mind, publishing was mostly about finding a great manuscript, turning it into a beautiful book, and sharing it with the world. That sounds simple enough. It wasn’t. Looking back now, I realize how little I actually understood about what happens behind a published book. I don’t regret starting my publishing company for a second, but there are countless things I wish someone had told me before I printed my first book. People often ask me what

Society

What Running a Small Publishing Company Has Taught Me

Jul 2, 2026

Many people imagine that running a publishing company revolves around reading books, meeting authors, and seeing new titles appear on bookstore shelves. While those moments certainly exist, the reality is much more complicated. Behind every published book is a long series of decisions, challenges, unexpected expenses, and countless hours of work that most readers never see. Having been involved in operating a small independent publishing company, I have learned that publishing is both a creative and business-driven industry. It is rewarding, but it can also be demanding. Some days are spent discussing cover designs and manuscript edits. Other days are spent calculating printing costs, coordinating shipments, or responding to customer inquiries. One of the biggest misconceptions about publishing is that