Life to Paper Foundation

In my insatiable thirst for knowledge about book publishing I've stumbled upon a lot of nonsense.

Here's one that really got under my skin:

“To get into most bookstores, you need a sales rep going store to store to convince them to stock your book. This is very difficult without a traditional publisher, which comes with its own baggage.”

This is a direct quote from Scribe Media’s "The Scribe Method Book" in the chapter "Everything you need to know about self-publishing book distribution".

Scribe, love ya. Ninety-nine percent of your intel has educated me, and very well, at that. But I gotta call you out on this one.

I’ve worked my ass off to prove this wrong, and I know many hybrid, indie publishers who have done the same. Shout out to She Writes Press, Indigo River Publishing, and O’Leary Publishing—some of my fave peers.

When Life to Paper transitioned from a ghostwriting house to a publishing house, the dream was to see our titles in bookstores.

The only problem was, I had no idea how to make that happen.

But I talked about it. A lot.

So much that a friend told me I just had to meet this friend who just happened to be a VP at Indigo and was open to a conversation.

We met, talked, and I gushed about our titles—how brave, bold, purposeful, and impactful they are.

I guess he was impressed because I was put in touch with a category manager.

I, again, raved about our authors' books, and shortly after, I received an email back:

“I have ordered copies for our top Toronto stores.”

I friggin' lost my mind.

But that was just the beginning. One category manager introduced me to another, and another...

Our books were on shelves in stores across the country.

What I also loved was developing relationships.

These relationships allowed me to better understand the needs and desires of book buyers (bookstores) and find an alignment—something that works for them and works for us.

I took what I learned and applied it to conversations with bookstore owners, managers, buyers, reps, and associates all over North America.

So, when I hear that unless you're traditionally published you have no chance of getting your book into bookstores, I know so deeply that this is not true.

Sidenote: I've considered forming an official relationship with a distributor that handles this side of our business—i.e., getting books into bookstores—but always came back to the same question: Why?

Why add another party to the mix? Another party who I don't know will speak as passionately as I do about our books.

and Why would I let go of this part of my job?

Honestly, I would miss chats with those bookstore peeps I've become so fond of.

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Want to chat about getting your book published and into bookstores?

🗓 Book a call: https://TabithaRose.as.me/LifetoPaper

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center, a facility renowned for its clinical excellence in addressing mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our mission to "Change the world, one brave story at a time," by integrating the therapeutic and healing process of storytelling into mental health treatment.

Our unique approach, which encourages individuals to put "Life to Paper," will now be part of the therapeutic regimen at The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center. These in-house workshops are designed not just as a form of expression but as a pathway to healing, allowing patients to navigate through their emotions and experiences in a manner that fosters understanding, acceptance, and ultimately, recovery.

The intersection of our storytelling workshops with the center's strong dual-diagnosis track offers a comprehensive treatment model that goes beyond traditional methods. By addressing the complex interplay between mental health and substance abuse, this partnership ensures that patients receive nuanced care tailored to their individual needs.

We are genuinely excited about the potential this collaboration holds for transforming mental health rehabilitation. The introduction of storytelling as a therapeutic tool aligns perfectly with the center's holistic approach to patient care. It not only complements their clinical efforts but also enriches the therapeutic landscape with a creative and empowering dimension.

This partnership with The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center is a testament to our shared commitment to innovating mental health care and supporting individuals on their journey to recovery. We believe that through storytelling, we can offer a powerful means of healing, fostering resilience, and hope among those grappling with mental health challenges.