Of all the things I enjoy about running a boutique hybrid publisher, perhaps my favorite is that each project is different. I’m not just talking about author personalities, book topics, and other obvious traites. Problems invariably arise, but I like to think of them as opportunities. Best of all, there’s ample opportunity to find and implement solutions.

The Catalysts

For example, consider the latest Racket release, The Catalysts: The Accelerating Forces Forging the New World Financial Order.

To be sure, Amanda Wick and the Racket team still followed a reliable process to work effectively, quickly, asynchronously, affordably, and in an organized way. Still, the project required making several critical adjustments that no one could have reasonably anticipated at the beginning. I could cite dozens of examples, but the most notable included:

• Making improvements and changes to RacketHub.¹
• Creating a Python script to extract email addresses from inboxes to build Amanda’s email list.
• Finding a creative way to accept pre-orders via Porchlight Books.
• Introducing the Miro white-boarding app to map out one particularly thorny chapter.
• Using AI in unexpected but responsible capacities.

Put simply, we embraced change.

Trust me: In the publishing world, that mindset is atypical.

A Different Mindset

Openness and flexibility may seem like givens to inexperienced writers looking to land deals with traditional publishers. Nothing could be further from the truth. They generally follow an assembly-line approach. Their tried-and-true way of doing things won’t change for a whip-smart author eager to explore new ideas.

The Five Levels of Non-Fiction Author Marketing

What’s Next?

I don’t know what the sixth Racket title will be. I do know, however, that the journey won’t be identical to the previous five.

To that I say, “Bring it on.”

1. My favorite: A separate tracker for Amanda’s location. After all, she’s a digital nomad.