Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Warner
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got lucky and landed a publishing job when I was fairly recently out of college. I’ve had some lucky breaks in getting hired, first at North Atlantic Books and later at Seal Press. I got the job at North Atlantic Books by sending out my resume even to publishing houses that weren’t hiring. I would say my trajectory from there to here has been all about taking the next step, though sometimes those steps felt scary. The job at Seal Press was a dream job for many years, until it wasn’t, and when I left, I took a giant leap of faith to start my own company, She Writes Press. Thirteen years later I would say that I’m deeply entrenched in the business of book publishing, whereas my time in traditional publishing was exclusively about working on one side of the business: editorial. That She Writes Press has made a name for itself in the publishing industry as a reputable hybrid press is one of my proudest accomplishments.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not always, I don’t think it ever is. Any time you make a leap to make a change, that comes with fear and risk. When I left North Atlantic Books and Seal Press, both times I was scared. When I started She Writes Press, I was full of excitement and energy, but it wasn’t easy. I made some mistakes along the way because the hybrid model was fairly unprecedented. I didn’t have anyone to turn to to ask questions about the business model. I was figuring it out as I went, and that wasn’t always smooth. Plus, publishing in general isn’t always smooth. It’s a complicated business with a lot of moving parts, plus authors who bring their expectations and emotions to the table. So the challenges are manifold, but the work is so rewarding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a publisher and a memoir teacher. I’m also a book coach and an editor. I feel lucky because the work I do is so creative, so much so that I don’t always know where my creativity stops and my work begins. I think what sets me apart in my roles is that I’m forward-looking, open and curious, and always interested to know what’s coming next in my space. I feel grateful to be on the cutting edge of ideas in publishing and in memoir, and I bring all that interest and passion to the authors and writers I work with. I love books. I love authors. I love working with words. I think people who work with me see that love and feel my authenticity, and that makes me good at what I do.
Any big plans?
My press is on the verge of moving distribution to Simon & Schuster, which is a big change that should have me busy for at least a good year. I have plans in the more distant future to finish and publish my own memoir. Publishing is always changing. It’s a dynamic industry and so I never can foresee what that next thing is going to be. Like last year I started my Substack (Writerly Things with Brooke Warner) and I never could have imagined how much it would be a driving force for me, to do these weekly posts. I’m always open to what’s going to be next, and always looking to provide the best memoir classes I can deliver. So this fall, for instance, I’m leading a WOMEN WRITING MEMOIR course that features some of the memoirists I’m most excited about right now. I love that my work brings me into contact and collaboration with my literary heroes and heroines.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brookewarner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke_warner
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/warnercoaching
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/warnercoaching
- Other: https://brookewarner.substack.com
