Books
Promote Your Book: Spread the Word, Find Your Readers, and Build a Literary Community
Your book is out. What now?
So you've written a book—now what? Your next step is to find your readers and get that book into their hands.
In Promote Your Book Eleanor Whitney offers perspective, practical advice, and checklists for shepherding your new book into the wider world. Traditionally published, self-published, and hybrid authors alike will benefit from these accessible tools and frameworks. No matter what kind of book you've written or where you are in the writing or publishing process, you can always build a community of readers, strengthen your literary support system, and have fun doing it.
Combining her deep marketing and community-building knowledge, Whitney also interviews a variety of authors and publicists writing in different genres about what worked for them and what they learned the hard way. She walks readers through creating and executing a plan to promote their book on their own terms, with whatever resources and time they have available. She provides a timeline of promotional activities to consider before and after publication, while reminding us that publicity is a long game that you can begin well before your book is finished and continue long after its release. Ultimately, promoting your book is about connecting with a reader through ideas that inspire you both. And that is something we can all do.
Promote Your Book was released by Microcosm Publishing in the fall of 2023.
“An essential and pragmatic guide for writers of all types, this book demystifies the spooky world of book promotion in accessible terms. Scattered throughout are engaging, thought-provoking exercises and ready-made to-do lists; if you don’t have a clear plan after reading Promote Your Book, you’re not paying attention. It doesn’t matter how many books you’ve written or where you are at the writing of your next book; if you consider yourself a writer of books, make sure this book is on your shelf. ”
Riot Woman: Using Feminist Values to Destroy the Patriarchy
A celebratory but critical look at the Riot Grrrl movement
Growing up immersed in the feminist, DIY values of punk, Riot Grrrl, and zine culture of the 1990s and early 2000s gave Eleanor Whitney, like so many other young people who gravitate towards activism and musical subcultures, a sense of power, confidence, community, and social responsibility. As she grew into adulthood she struggled to stay true to those values, and with the gaps left by her punk rock education.
This insightful, deeply personal history of early-2000s subcultures lovingly explores the difficulty of applying radical feminist values to real-life dilemmas, and embrace an evolving political and personal consciousness. Whitney traces the sometimes painful clash between her feminist values and everyday, adult realities — and anyone who has worked to integrate their political ideals into their daily life will resonate with the histories and analysis on these pages, such as engaging in anti-domestic violence advocacy while feeling trapped in an unhealthy relationship, envisioning a unified "girl utopia" while lacking racial consciousness, or espousing body positivity while feeling ambivalent towards one's own body.
Throughout the book, the words and power of Bikini Kill and other Riot Grrrl bands ground the story and analysis, bringing it back to the raw emotions and experiences that gave this movement its lasting power while offering a complex, contemporary look at the promises and pitfalls of Riot Grrrl-informed feminism.
Riot Woman was published by Microcosm Publishing in the fall of 2021.
“Eleanor Whitney’s Riot Woman is a great contribution to contemporary feminist thought—her essays are vital, fascinating, and more relevant with every passing day.”
Quit Your day Job Workbook: Building the DIY Project, Life, and Business of Your Dreams
A practical guide and comprehensive workbook for starting a creative business. As an artist, dreamer, or thinker, you may be looking for extra support with the practical aspects of entrepreneurship. This workbook helps you create structures to support your vision, clarify what success looks like for you, find the resources you need, and take your next steps. Includes chapters on topics like branding, publicity, fundraising, pricing your goods and services, forming a legal entity, taking on a partner, making the transition to working for yourself full-time, and knowing when to close or change your business. As you work through these helpful, jargon-free exercises, you'll quickly find that the independent, creative life you imagine is within reach. The workbook can be used on its own or as a companion to my 2013 book Quit Your Day Job. I wrote this for anyone who dreams of turning your hobby, craft, art, or passion project into a fulfilling, sustainable career.
Quit Your Day Job Workbook was released by Microcosm Publishing in 2020.
“If you’ve ever dreamt of life beyond the cubicle, pick up this book. It will help you make those dreams come true.”
Quit your Day Job: Build the DIY Project, Life, and Business of Your Dreams
Quit Your Day Job is a field guide that has helped entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives of all types launch and cultivate the businesses of their dreams. Through practical knowledge, hands-on advice, and real life inspiration from do-it-yourself businesses owners and independent creatives, Grow enables readers to empower themselves to propel their projects forward and achieve success and sustainability on their own terms. From craft-based business owners to authors to musicians to filmmakers, Grow has enabled readers to clarify their project vision, get organized, set goals, create a plan, raise funds for, market, and guide their do-it-yourself project from idea to reality.
Quit Your Day Job was originally released as Grow by Microcosm Publishing in 2013.