Show 'em who's boss! Brian Weisfeld

talks about his unusual—and successful—road to publishing

Brian Weisfeld started with a frustration—the same frustration that I once had, and that led to Goosebottom Books; namely, all that “rainbow fairy unicorn princess crap" that’s being peddled to girls. This fired up an idea to build a franchise that could reach, inspire, and empower girls to develop entrepreneurial and life skills: “books and games and apps and in-school programs and out-of-school programs and summer camps and TV shows.” The first step, Brian decided, was to write a series of novels. Well, the first-first step, was to write a first novel. But Brian couldn’t write. What followed makes one of the most unusual stories you’ll ever hear about an author’s journey to author-dom and, let’s face it, remarkable publishing success. (A three-book deal with Macmillan, with much more to come!) It’s a story that’s not only interesting in its own right; it also helps blow out a few cobwebs and shift perceptions about what the author’s role is, and how we might conduct ourselves. Plus, the chat was full of actionable tips, such as how he curated warm leads to his agents.

You can hear the story here, from the horse’s mouth. Trust me, if you’re an author who has ever felt disempowered by the publishing process, this will be an hour well spent.

And when you’re done, check out what all this can-do-ness ultimately led to: The Startup Squad. If you know a girl who already has or could use a little of Brian’s gumption, maybe get her involved.

For all those who attended, thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed it every bit as much as I did.

From me, newly buoyed and inspired, happy writing!

Shirin