After more than 25 years in publishing, I saw the same challenge over and over: talented writers passionate about their ideas, but unsure how to navigate the realities of publishing and get their books into readers' hands.

Publishing is a business, and decisions about what books get published depend on where a book fits in the market and its potential to reach readers. But "success" looks different for every author. That's why I created a process that helps writers define their own goals before choosing a publishing path

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hosting a workshop on the power of comparable titles for Jane Friedman's audience. The response floored me — more than 750 people registered! Clearly, a lot of authors are hungry for a more strategic way to think about their books.

I was lucky enough to grow up in an apartment on the Upper East Side filled with them. Picture a long gallery running from one end of the apartment to the other, lined floor to ceiling with bookshelves. My own bedroom, pink with a canopy bed and a big bookcase crammed full.

As we ease toward 2026 — a year already humming with possibility — I want to give you a New Year’s resolution that matters: No matter where you are in your writing journey, this is the year to build your author platform.

When I left Oxford University Press to start Studiolo Secondari, I thought I was leaving the world of publishing strategy meetings behind — those long tables where editors, marketers, and sales teams debated about how best to position and publish a book.