I'm excited to interview Dr. Angela Yarber, founder and Executive Director of Tehom Center Publishing and creator of the online course Publishing for the Global Good. This course is perfect for you if you are interested in writing and publishing a book that makes a difference in the world. It will teach you the Why, What, Who, How, When, and Where of writing your book and help you formulate a book proposal ready for any publisher. Learners who complete the course have an opportunity to pitch a book directly to Tehom Center Publishing, a traditional publisher, and have a chance to finish the course with a publishing contract.
Dr. Angela Yarber is also offering WOW writers a 10% discount code for the course, and a chance to win a free course below!
---- Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: I love your course already from the title alone! Tell us about the course and what authors can expect.
With on-demand, self-paced videos, assignments, exercises, and a supportive community focused on making a difference in the world, the course coaches writers through these questions:
- Why do you want to publish?
- What do you want to write about?
- Who are you to write this book, who else has written about this topic, and who is your audience?
- How are you going to write this book?
- When are you going to write this book?
- And where are you going to publish this book?
Knowing concrete answers to these questions is essential to succeeding in publishing a book for the global good.
WOW: I love how thorough you are in helping people through this course. I am so impressed that this course actually gives people a chance to win a publishing contract! Can you tell me more about Tehom Center Publishing?
Angela: TCP’s goal is to publish feminist and queer authors, with a particular commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. Since LGBTQ+ authors only represent 16% of published authors, and BIPOC writers only 11%, it’s imperative to us to highlight these strategically ignored communities.
As an author myself, I know how incredibly difficult it is to secure a publishing contract, particularly when you come from a historically marginalized community. I’m hoping that the possibility of publishing with TCP will offer learners an encouraging incentive to get their writing out into the world.
WOW: That's so cool! Who is this course right for?
Angela: Anyone who wants their writing to make the world a better place!
If you’re an activist working for social change, a writer dreaming of a better world, this is the course for you.
While I believe it’s particularly poignant for first-time authors, I’m also confident that the exercises and content can inspire even seasoned authors to view their writing anew, offering a fresh, innovative, and subversive approach to publishing in the current political landscape.
WOW: I think that's so tremendously helpful You ask the learners the Why, What, Who, How, When, and Where of writing a book. Why is knowing the answers to those questions so important?
Angela: Since I briefly responded to this in the opening question, I’ll focus specifically on the importance of knowing your WHY. I always coach authors through articulating two different iterations of the WHY behind writing a book. The first is practical and the second is prophetic.
The practical WHY deals with those aspects of publishing that a lot of activist writers don’t really like to talk about. Reasons like becoming famous, getting rich, checking an item off a bucket list, building a brand or business, or raising a middle finger to that 8th grade English teacher who said your writing would never amount to anything are reasons that don’t exactly align with “writing for the global good.” But it’s important for authors to be honest about the practical reasons why they want to publish. There’s nothing wrong with claiming any of those practical reasons, but there is something wrong with not being honest with yourself about those reasons. Plus, if you know why you’re doing it, it’s easier to set your expectations accordingly.
The second and most important WHY is the prophetic WHY. And this reason is all about making a difference in the world. It’s about the calling and vocation of writing and publishing: to change the world. I believe it’s vital for an author to know the deep, abiding, prophetic WHY behind their writing. Are you writing to educate about climate change? Inspire LGBTQ+ inclusion? Honor your enslaved ancestors? Getting to the heart of WHY you’re writing is what will keep you going when writing and publishing gets hard. When you get your 20th rejection letter from a literary agent and want to throw in the towel, your WHY keeps you going. When you’re editing ARCs and find a comma splice in the third iteration of printing, your WHY inspires you not to give up.
WOW: You give people so much to think about. I love that you offer coaching and other help to authors. You even offer no-cost publishing! Can you tell me what drives you to help others in this way?
Angela: Absolutely. After having eight books published with four different publishers, I experienced first hand the ways most publishing companies struggle to meet the needs of queer, feminist, and BIPOC writers. Typically, they don’t understand the nuances of marketing our work.
Then I witnessed two brilliant writer friends spend $40,000 on a hybrid publishing company that promised riches and delivered little. These colleagues are smart, savvy, talented queer women who were taken advantage of by a predatory publishing company.
Inspired by queer, chicana, feminist writer, Gloria Anzaldúa, I wanted “The world I create in my writing compensates for what the real world does not give me.”
The “real world” has given us, at worst, many predatory publishing companies who take advantage of marginalized writers, and at best, publishers who just don’t understand the nuances of marketing us. I wanted to create something better and more equitable that compensates for what the real world does not give us.
So, Tehom Center Publishing charges authors absolutely no fees to publish. And our courses and coaching programs are equitable, just, and fair in pricing. We believe that marginalized authors writing for the global good should be able to live thriving, financially sustainable lives. That’s why we offer authorpreneur coaching, 20% author royalties (which are double industry standard), and equitable contracts.
WOW: I completely agree about the predatory publishing out there. What you have offered to authors is a game changer! This is a course offered through The School of Global Citizenry. Can you tell me about that program and why you decided to offer your course through them?
Angela: The School of Global Citizenry is run by two queer women committed to the global good. I offer a couple other courses with them focused on Queer Spirituality and The Feminine Divine in Global Perspectives. Since their focus is on creating global citizens who imagine and create a more just and beautiful world, offering the course with them aligns with Tehom Center Publishing’s values.
WOW: What a great partnership! At what point in their writing should someone take this course?
Angela: That’s a great question. While it could work at any time, I think the course would be most valuable at two distinct phases of writing. The first is the general idea phase. When a writer is trying to find clarity regarding how to move forward with a book, what exactly to write about, and where they might envision publishing, this course would be tremendously helpful.
Equally valuable is taking the course when an author has done some solid book writing. While the author may have a solid grasp on the WHAT question—what the book is about—learning about the why, who, how, when, and where really provides inspiration and clarity during the writing process, along with a roadmap for how to move forward.
Personally, I know I’m always more eager to write when I know why I’m writing and who is going to publish my work!
WOW: You have been such a fascinating person to interview. I hope everyone takes your course!
Writers, Check out Dr. Angela Yarber's course if you'd like to find out more about Publishing for the Global Good.
Publishing for the Global Good: 10% Discount Code
Dr. Angela Yarber is giving WOW writers a special discount! Go to https://www.sgcitizenry.com/course/publishing-for-the-global-good and use code WoW2024 to receive 10% off her course, Publishing for the Greater Good: Writing a Book that Makes a Difference in the World.
Giveaway: Publishing for the Greater Good Course
Enter the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win Dr. Angela Yarber's course, Publishing for the Greater Good: Writing a Book that Makes a Difference in the World ($297 value). The giveaway ends May 7th at 11:59 PM CT. We will draw one winner randomly the next day and announce in the Rafflecopter form as well as follow up via email. Good luck!
