Professional Self-Publishing, Editorial Excellence, and the Real Publishing Timeline with Kathy Meis {ep. 204}

With decades of experience as a journalist, developmental editor, and publishing technology leader, Kathy Meis, founder and CEO of Bublish, shares why successful self-publishing is not about speed—but about strategy, positioning, editorial excellence, and intentional timelines. Together, Alexa and Kathy unpack common myths about self-publishing and offer practical guidance for authors who want their books to stand out and sell.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why self-publishing isn’t (and shouldn’t be) an overnight process
The realistic timeline required to publish a professional-quality book
What “positioning” means and why it begins inside the manuscript
How an author’s goals influence editorial and marketing decisions
The four distinct levels of editing every author should understand
Why skipping developmental or line editing can hurt a book’s success
How ARC and editorial reviews impact credibility and discoverability
Where AI can ethically support authors—and where human expertise is essential
How technology is helping level the playing field for self-published authors

Key Topics Discussed:

Kathy’s journey from journalism to publishing technology
The evolution of professional self-publishing
Editorial standards vs. “publish fast” myths
Reader expectations and genre alignment
Why publishing is a team effort
Using AI as an assistive tool, not a creative replacement

Resources & Links:

Learn more about author marketing and publishing tools: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/bublish
Explore education, events, and sponsors at the Women in Publishing Summit: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/
Subscribe to Alexa’s Publishing Chat for weekly insights on writing, publishing, and book marketing

Kathy Meis is the founder and CEO of Bublish, an author marketing and publishing platform for quality-minded writers. A veteran developmental editor and publishing strategist, she has guided hundreds of books to major bestseller lists and is a respected voice on professional self-publishing and publishing innovation.