MSI Press Blog

  Women have shaped publishing far longer than most people realize. From early feminist and small‑press pioneers of the 1960s–1980s—who built “a feisty counterculture” of women‑run presses during the mimeograph revolution—to the global network of women’s presses founded during second‑wave feminism, women have steadily expanded their influence in every corner of the industry. Today, women make up 79% of publishing employees and now publish more books than men, a dramatic rise from just 20% in the 1970s. But the story goes deeper: many of the small, mission‑driven presses that anchor today’s nonfiction and niche‑topic landscape were founded by women, often with a commitment to community, clarity, and author dignity. MSI Press fits naturally into that lineage—steady, independent, values‑driven, and woman‑owned. This long arc—from grassroots presses to industry leadership—shows how women not only entered publishing but transformed it, opening doors for diverse voices and reshaping the ...

  The Human Curiosity Behind Every Book Readers don’t just read books — they read people . They want to know who the author is, what shaped them, what they believe, and how their mind works. Even when a book’s topic is timeless, the author’s identity becomes part of the story. This is especially true when an author is known professionally for something entirely different. A lay‑audience book written by someone with a strong professional reputation becomes a kind of window into the person behind the expertise. Readers lean in. They want to see the human side, the unexpected side, the side that isn’t defined by credentials or job titles. It’s the same impulse that makes people read articles about how politicians brush their teeth or what CEOs eat for breakfast. The details aren’t important — the person is. Readers are endlessly curious about the lives behind the words. For authors, this is a reminder: your presence matters as much as your content. People follow people, not just...

  How a Decades‑Old Book Keeps Whispering Back Every author knows the thrill of a new release: the launch, the buzz, the early reviews, the first royalty statement. What we talk about less is the quiet, stubborn afterlife of a book — the way it keeps moving through the world long after we’ve stopped expecting anything from it. Sometimes that afterlife arrives as a tiny, almost comical royalty deposit. A few dollars. A few cents. A reminder that somewhere, someone found your book. Maybe they searched for it. Maybe they stumbled across it. Maybe they were handed a used copy by a friend. But they read it — and that matters. The long tail of publishing isn’t glamorous, but it’s real. Books don’t disappear when the marketing stops. They drift. They linger. They get discovered in unexpected places. They find new readers in new decades. And every once in a while, they send up a little flare: I’m still here. For authors, that pulse is worth noticing. It’s proof that our work has a lif...

  It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side. This week we respond to the question, so what good is a publisher, anyway?  It’s a fair question. In an era where self-publishing tools are abundant and accessible, why would an author choose to work with a publisher at all? Let’s start with the obvious: publishers offer editorial rigor, professional design, and distribution pathways that elevate a book’s credibility and visibility. But beyond those basics lies a deeper truth—one that’s often invisible until an author is in the thick of it. 🛡️ A Buffer Between You and the World Once your book is out, the world wants access—to your inbox, your time, your vulnerability. A publisher can...