The Stories We Share

Good morning. You'll never believe what happened.

It would shock no one that there is an art to storytelling. The best stories leave us sitting on the edge of our seats, eagerly anticipating the next juicy details.

There is a collection of essays, titled The Truth About Stories, that I love. Each year for the last ten years, I have crawled into these pages and found versions of myself. I have connected with King's ideas, reflected on our nation's history, and explored how stories shape lives. And with each reading, I emerge with deeper and richer takeaways.

Stories are deeply personalized experiences for both the listener and the storyteller. We want (arguably need) to know what happened. These become the stories that we find ourselves in, that we share with others, and that we lose ourselves in.

"The truth about stories is that's all we are," King reminds us. At the center of our lives (and world), there are stories and it is our responsibility to share them. This sentiment is mirrored in the mission of CG Sports Publishing. We love stories and we want to help others share theirs.

If you have a story (or know someone with a compelling story), drop us a note. We would love to hear from you.

-- Taylor

Upcoming Releases:

• Application of Power by MJ Wilson

• Soul is Waterproof by Matt Moseley

• Winners Lose, Too by Tom Oberdorfer

• The After Drop by Sarah Thomas

Nervous about missing upcoming news from CG Sports Publishing? Follow us on Instagram (@cgsportspublishing) and, of course, our newsletter.

From the publisher's corner, where we take a peek behind the scenes at CG Sports Publishing. This time, we dig into publishing routes...

Many authors who contact us at CG Sports Publishing are new to publishing. They have questions about publishing in general, as well as how CG Sports does things differently. We love explaining how CG Sports Publishing was born to break the mold, and how we offer each author an exceptional and individualized publishing experience. Is that approach the right fit for your publishing journey? Let's break down the three leading publishing models, so you can decide for yourself:

Traditional publishing is what most people are used to thinking of when they hear the words "book deal." With traditional publishing:

• The publisher buys your story and then owns the rights to it.

• The author enjoys the up-front purchase but usually does not get royalties on sales until the advance is paid out.

• It’s hard to get a deal, especially as a first-time author or without a built-in following.

• The timeline is often several years from when you sell your manuscript.

• Publicity campaigns are often reserved for the highest-profile authors.

Self-publishing is the antithesis of the often-stuffy world of traditional publishers. Its rise is largely thanks to the ease of creating and publishing on Amazon. With self-publishing:

• The author is in charge of everything from writing to editing to cover art to distribution to marketing, requiring all-around expertise and energy to do it well.

• The author can spend a little or a lot of money, depending on whether editors, designers, proofreaders, and marketers are hired to make the project more professional.

• The timeline is of the author’s choosing.

• Booksellers often have limitations on stocking self-published titles.

• Publicity is solely the author's responsibility.

In the middle is what some call "hybrid publishing." Here's how we do it at CG Sports Publishing:

• Author's retain rights to their work and have the final say on edits and changes.

• Up-front fees cover expert editing, production, and distribution, as well as marketing.

• The timeline is about six months from when the editing starts.

• Post-launch management and marketing is a team effort between the author and the company.

• Royalties are paid from the first sale and for life.

To learn more, drop us an email to set up a quick call or read more on our blog!

Holly Neumann, Director of Publishing: What I Was Doing While You Were Breastfeeding by Kristin Newman

Kristin Newman is a TV writer, a job I once thought I wanted, so I was interested to read her memoir, especially since the title seemed aimed directly at me as someone who was married with kids while she was single and traveling the world. While reading it, I couldn't help but wonder what my life might've been like if I'd ever gone to New York and gotten a spot in the "All My Children" writers room. Somehow, I'm pretty sure it still wouldn't have been as wild as Newman's.

Matt Amerlan, Vice President & Partner: The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership by Sam Walker

Fascinating look at leadership through captains of some of the best teams ever in sports. Great take aways on leadership that apply to any field.

Lisa Vetterlein, Accounting Bookkeeper: An Affair of Spies by Ronald H Balson

Captivating storytelling of WWII account!

Cejih Yung, CEO and Founder: Breaking Free by McKenzie Coan

I re-read this recently. It's been fun to see how far McKenzie has come in her journey, even since publishing Breaking Free one year ago. Gets me excited for another book project!

Taylor Brien, Editor: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

I have always loved plays. They are arguably the most quotable pieces of literature and are most fully realized in your imagination. While re-reading A Raisin in the Sun, I was struck by the deep impact of the dialogue and the mastery in which Hansberry portrays each character's hopes, dreams, and fears.