Welcome to Book School
Here, you’ll learn publishing industry fundamentals and finally understand how books reach readers.
College called. This time, you get to pick the class. Learn how the book business really works. Join publishing professor, literary agent, and industry leader Sara Wigal for a practical, engaging, and candid look at the business behind the books we love.
October 14, 2026, 6-8:15 pm central
Single-Session Course - Live Online
This is for Library Roles in Trade Book Publishing only, a single live online stand alone course, and not for the entire 7-week series.
How to Get Your Book Into Libraries
Libraries are a vital part of the book publishing industry, yet authors often overlook them as an important market for reaching readers and building a book’s long-term success.
In this seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, explains how libraries acquire, evaluate, distribute, and pay for books—and how authors can successfully position and market their books to libraries.
You’ll learn:
How to get your book into libraries and how librarians evaluate books for their collections
How library collections, acquisitions, and book distribution channels work
How to position your book for library acquisition and collection development
Effective strategies for marketing books to libraries and librarians
How public and school libraries are affected by book banning and censorship
How authors and publishers get paid when libraries purchase books
How libraries fit into the larger trade publishing ecosystem
Plus: Librarian Q&A
The second hour features a live Q&A with Pat Bashir, Children’s Manager at Nashville Public Library Main Branch, giving you the opportunity to hear directly from a working librarian about how libraries select and acquire books.
*This order option is for public educators and librarians ONLY. Evidence of current employment required for this discount. Thank you for allowing me to honor my heroes in this way!*
This is for Library Roles in Trade Book Publishing only, a single live online stand alone course, and not for the entire 7-week series.
This is for Library Roles in Trade Book Publishing only, a single live online stand alone course, and not for the entire 7-week series.
How to Get Your Book Into Libraries
Libraries are a vital part of the book publishing industry, yet authors often overlook them as an important market for reaching readers and building a book’s long-term success.
In this seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, explains how libraries acquire, evaluate, distribute, and pay for books—and how authors can successfully position and market their books to libraries.
You’ll learn:
How to get your book into libraries and how librarians evaluate books for their collections
How library collections, acquisitions, and book distribution channels work
How to position your book for library acquisition and collection development
Effective strategies for marketing books to libraries and librarians
How public and school libraries are affected by book banning and censorship
How authors and publishers get paid when libraries purchase books
How libraries fit into the larger trade publishing ecosystem
Plus: Librarian Q&A
The second hour features a live Q&A with Pat Bashir, Children’s Manager at Nashville Public Library Main Branch, giving you the opportunity to hear directly from a working librarian about how libraries select and acquire books.
How to Get Your Book Into Libraries
Libraries are a vital part of the book publishing industry, yet authors often overlook them as an important market for reaching readers and building a book’s long-term success.
In this seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, explains how libraries acquire, evaluate, distribute, and pay for books—and how authors can successfully position and market their books to libraries.
You’ll learn:
How to get your book into libraries and how librarians evaluate books for their collections
How library collections, acquisitions, and book distribution channels work
How to position your book for library acquisition and collection development
Effective strategies for marketing books to libraries and librarians
How public and school libraries are affected by book banning and censorship
How authors and publishers get paid when libraries purchase books
How libraries fit into the larger trade publishing ecosystem
Plus: Librarian Q&A
The second hour features a live Q&A with Pat Bashir, Children’s Manager at Nashville Public Library Main Branch, giving you the opportunity to hear directly from a working librarian about how libraries select and acquire books.
October 28, 2026, 6-8:15 pm central
Single-Session Course - Live Online
This is for Bookstore & Retail Relationships only, a single live online stand alone course, and not for the entire 7-week series.
How to Get Your Book Into Bookstores
Bookstores are one of the most important parts of the trade publishing ecosystem, from nationwide retailers to independent bookstores. But how do bookstores actually decide which books to order, stock, display, recommend, and promote?
In this seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, takes you behind the scenes of the bookselling process and explains how authors can build productive relationships with booksellers and create opportunities for their books.
You’ll learn:
How to get your book into bookstores and how booksellers evaluate and order books
How bookstores merchandise, recommend, and sell books
What publishing sales representatives do and how they influence bookstore purchasing decisions
How book distributors, wholesalers, and sales channels get books to market
Why some books make it onto bookstore shelves—and why others don't
How traditionally published, hybrid, and self-published authors can work effectively with bookstores
How to plan, promote, and execute successful bookstore events and author events
Common mistakes authors make when approaching bookstores—and how to avoid them
How bookstores drive book discovery, word-of-mouth marketing, and bestseller momentum
With Guest Lecturer Hannah Peterson
Hear directly from Hannah Peterson, Kids/YA Events Manager at Parnassus Books, about the bookstore perspective and what authors should know when approaching booksellers and planning events.
*This order option is for public educators and librarians ONLY. Evidence of current employment required for this discount. Thank you for allowing me to honor my heroes in this way!*
This is for Bookstore & Retail Relationships only, a single live online stand alone course, and not for the entire 7-week series.
How to Get Your Book Into Bookstores
Bookstores are one of the most important parts of the trade publishing ecosystem, from nationwide retailers to independent bookstores. But how do bookstores actually decide which books to order, stock, display, recommend, and promote?
In this seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, takes you behind the scenes of the bookselling process and explains how authors can build productive relationships with booksellers and create opportunities for their books.
You’ll learn:
How to get your book into bookstores and how booksellers evaluate and order books
How bookstores merchandise, recommend, and sell books
What publishing sales representatives do and how they influence bookstore purchasing decisions
How book distributors, wholesalers, and sales channels get books to market
Why some books make it onto bookstore shelves—and why others don't
How traditionally published, hybrid, and self-published authors can work effectively with bookstores
How to plan, promote, and execute successful bookstore events and author events
Common mistakes authors make when approaching bookstores—and how to avoid them
How bookstores drive book discovery, word-of-mouth marketing, and bestseller momentum
With Guest Lecturer Hannah Peterson
Hear directly from Hannah Peterson, Kids/YA Events Manager at Parnassus Books, about the bookstore perspective and what authors should know when approaching booksellers and planning events.
Want to learn how to get your book Into bookstores?
Bookstores are one of the most important parts of the trade publishing ecosystem, from nationwide retailers to independent bookstores. But how do bookstores actually decide which books to order, stock, display, recommend, and promote?
In this seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, takes you behind the scenes of the bookselling process and explains how authors can build productive relationships with booksellers and create opportunities for their books.
You’ll learn:
How to get your book into bookstores and how booksellers evaluate and order books
How bookstores merchandise, recommend, and sell books
What publishing sales representatives do and how they influence bookstore purchasing decisions
How book distributors, wholesalers, and sales channels get books to market
Why some books make it onto bookstore shelves—and why others don't
How traditionally published, hybrid, and self-published authors can work effectively with bookstores
How to plan, promote, and execute successful bookstore events and author events
Common mistakes authors make when approaching bookstores—and how to avoid them
How bookstores drive book discovery, word-of-mouth marketing, and bestseller momentum
With Guest Lecturer Hannah Peterson
Hear directly from Hannah Peterson, Kids/YA Events Manager at Parnassus Books, about the bookstore perspective and what authors should know when approaching booksellers and planning events.
How Do Books Become Bestsellers?
Through an asynchronous video seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, takes you behind the scenes of the book publishing industry to explain how books become bestsellers—and what bestseller status really means.
Whether you're an author preparing for a book launch, a publishing professional, or simply curious about how bestseller lists work, this seminar will help you understand the business, strategy, and sales data behind the coveted bestseller status.
In this seminar, you'll learn:
How books become bestsellers and what actually drives bestseller status
How bestseller lists work and how different lists calculate and curate their rankings
The differences between major book bestseller lists and sales rankings
What it really takes to get a book on a bestseller list
The true value of a bestseller designation
How book sales, book launches, marketing, publicity, and distribution can affect a book's success
An example of someone who tried to “cheat” the bestseller list…and how that worked out for them!
Legitimate bestseller strategies authors and publishing professionals can use to support a book's success
Purchasing this option provides you with:
Private access to a recorded YouTube seminar explaining how bestseller lists function within the book publishing ecosystem
An expert, behind-the-scenes look at bestseller lists, book sales, book marketing, and bestseller strategy
Practical information you can use to better understand—and support—the success of a book
No bestseller promises. No gimmicks. Just a clear explanation of how bestseller lists actually work and what authors and publishing professionals need to know.
Through an asynchronous video seminar, Your Publishing Professor, Sara Wigal, takes you behind the scenes of the book publishing industry to explain how books become bestsellers—and what bestseller status really means.
Whether you're an author preparing for a book launch, a publishing professional, or simply curious about how bestseller lists work, this seminar will help you understand the business, strategy, and sales data behind the coveted bestseller status.
In this seminar, you'll learn:
How books become bestsellers and what actually drives bestseller status
How bestseller lists work and how different lists calculate and curate their rankings
The differences between major book bestseller lists and sales rankings
What it really takes to get a book on a bestseller list
The true value of a bestseller designation
How book sales, book launches, marketing, publicity, and distribution can affect a book's success
An example of someone who tried to “cheat” the bestseller list…and how that worked out for them!
Legitimate bestseller strategies authors and publishing professionals can use to support a book's success
Ready to enroll in a course?
Meet Your Guest Lecturers
Pat Bashir, Manager, Children’s Services, Main Library, Nashville Public Library
Mary Elizabeth Colton, Literary Agent, Ami McConnell Literary Agency
Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Dorena Williamson, 10x Children’s Book Author, and, Literary Agent, Ami McConnell Literary Agency
Danielle Marshall, Literary Agent, Jane Rotrosen Agency
Hannah Peterson, Kids/YA Events Manager, Parnassus Books