No two people are alike.

No two people are alike. That’s why you should publish your book in multiple formats. I’m using an example of a humor book about aging that is about to be released. 

Paperback: Traditional and widely popular. Many readers still prefer the tactile experience of a physical book.

Hardcover: For readers who enjoy a more durable and premium option. This could be ideal for gifting, especially for humor books.

Ebook: Essential for reaching digital readers. Ebooks are convenient, often less expensive, and can be easily distributed through platforms like Kindle, Apple Books, and Kobo.

Audiobook: With the increasing popularity of audiobooks, this format is great for people who enjoy listening while multitasking or commuting. A humor book, especially if well-narrated, could perform well in this format.

Large Print Edition: Especially relevant for a book about aging and midlife experiences. Larger fonts make reading easier for older adults, who may be part of your target audience.

By offering your book in multiple formats, you can cater to diverse reading preferences and expand your potential readership. 

Interactive Ebook: Some ebook platforms allow for enhanced or interactive content, such as clickable links, embedded videos, or animations. If your humor book includes visual or multimedia elements, this could add an engaging twist.

Box Set or Special Edition: If you plan to write more books on similar topics, bundling them into a box set (physical or digital) could offer added value to your readers. A special edition might also include exclusive content, illustrations, or author commentary.

Subscription Model: Platforms like Patreon or Substack allow you to release content in a serialized or subscription-based format. You could share chapters, illustrations, or anecdotes over time, especially for a humor book where readers might enjoy a steady stream of content.

Companion Workbook or Journal: Some humor books that explore midlife or aging might pair well with a companion journal or workbook where readers can reflect on their own experiences. It could contain humorous prompts, exercises, or checklists.

Graphic Novel or Illustrated Version: If the humor in your book lends itself well to visual representation, an illustrated version or graphic novel could be a fun alternative.

Podcast Adaptation: If your writing is conversational and relatable, turning parts of your book into a podcast, or creating a series that discusses the themes of the book, could be a great way to build an audience. You can combine readings with interviews or discussions on aging, health, and humor.

Here's a strategy to combine a few:

Paperback, Ebook, and Audiobook for a broad reach across traditional and digital platforms.

Interactive Ebook or Companion Journal to engage readers more deeply and offer reflective, humorous exercises tied to the themes of aging and midlife.

Podcast Adaptation to create an ongoing dialogue with your audience, where you could share anecdotes from the book, discuss humorous life moments, and perhaps interview others who’ve experienced similar phases.

This combination would not only diversify your offerings but also help create a sense of community around the book's themes. 

1. Paperback, Ebook, and Audiobook

Paperback:

Where to Publish: Consider platforms like Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or traditional publishers.

Design: Choose a cover design that reflects the light, humorous tone of your book. Typography and illustrations should align with the aging/midlife theme but with a playful twist.

Ebook:

Where to Publish: Use Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Apple Books, and Kobo. KDP makes it easy to publish both ebooks and paperbacks simultaneously.

Interactive Elements: If your ebook has humor, think about adding multimedia elements like funny footnotes, embedded videos, or links to relevant articles or humorous quizzes.

Audiobook:

Narration: Humor often benefits from voice inflection, so consider narrating the book yourself (if you're comfortable) or hiring a professional narrator who can deliver your comedic timing.

Where to Publish: Audible (via ACX), Google Play, or Apple Books.

Tip: You can include bonus audio content like outtakes, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, or a Q&A at the end to add extra value.

2. Interactive Ebook

Platforms: Apple Books and Amazon Kindle can support interactive elements, though Apple is generally better for media-rich content.

What to Include:

Clickable links to videos (like interviews with women talking about their midlife experiences).

Humorous GIFs or illustrations that reflect the themes in the chapter.

Quizzes that allow readers to explore how their own experiences compare to the stories in the book. For example, "What's Your Midlife Alter Ego?"

Benefit: This format creates a dynamic, engaging experience that goes beyond traditional reading.

3. Companion Workbook or Journal

Content Ideas:

Create humorous prompts like "List the top 5 moments where you realized you're no longer in your 30s" or "Describe your most epic health-related Google search."

Include spaces for readers to jot down reflections and reactions to sections of your book.

Design: Use larger fonts and plenty of white space, as this could appeal to readers in the aging demographic.

Where to Sell: You can sell this alongside your book on Amazon or as a downloadable PDF on your website.

4. Podcast Adaptation

Format: Make the podcast a mix of book excerpts and real-life stories. For example, each episode could start with a humorous reading from the book, followed by a discussion on that topic, or interviews with guests who share funny or relatable midlife experiences.

Length: Keep episodes short and engaging, around 15-30 minutes.

Where to Publish: Platforms like Anchor (which distributes to Spotify), Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Cross-promotion: Use the podcast to promote the book and engage your audience with sneak peeks of new content or special episodes related to upcoming releases.

5. Graphic Novel or Illustrated Version

Illustrator: If you aren't an illustrator, collaborate with an artist who can turn your humorous anecdotes into simple, engaging drawings or comic strips.

Tone: Think light, fun, and witty. The illustrations should enhance the humor rather than compete with it.

Audience: This format could attract younger readers who enjoy visual humor, as well as older readers who appreciate the added visual context.

6. Subscription Model (Patreon or Substack)

Patreon: Offer exclusive content to supporters, such as bonus chapters, live Q&A sessions, or behind-the-scenes looks at the writing process.

Substack: You could release humorous essays, stories, or reflections on midlife on a subscription basis. This would allow for consistent engagement with your readers, and they could receive the content in their inboxes.

Benefits: You create a loyal audience who feels like they’re getting special access to your thoughts, reflections, and humorous takes on life.

Start with paperback/ebook to establish a presence and get your book into readers' hands.

Use audiobooks and podcasts to further connect with your audience on a personal level.

Experiment with interactive content or a companion journal as an additional offering for readers who want more engagement.

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Zoom Life

By Liz Dubelman

Lisa never knew she could feel this exhausted while still wearing pajamas. Her wardrobe was a five-piece interchangeable set of pandemic chic: pajamas, sweatpants, athleisure, and muumuu dresses that made her look "professionally casual" from the waist up and "I give up" from the waist down.

When she first found out she could work from home, she’d nearly jumped for joy—except she was already in bed. That was three months ago.

“Just check in with the team and make sure all the projects are proceeding,” Jack, her boss, had said. Lisa had imagined it would be like calling in sick but without the guilt. Turns out, it was more like being on hold with customer service for eight straight hours while trying to solve the world’s problems.

Her day was a revolving door of Zoom calls, starting at 8 a.m. and ending somewhere around her third emotional breakdown, usually by 6 p.m. And it wasn’t just work. Oh no, this was The Real Housewives of Zoom. She now knew her staff’s lives in disturbing detail.

She could name all the pets: Bacon, Taxes, Fione, and Pete’s white rat, aptly named Rat. She knew the kids' nap schedules, the color of everyone’s kitchen, and even the spouses who hadn’t "won the work-from-home lottery." There were the grocery clerks, truck drivers, liquor store owners (those were the lucky spouses), and medical professionals—basically, all the people keeping the world running while she pretended to be busy in her living room.

Lisa had also become an amateur epidemiologist, as she now tracked each family’s pandemic risk level. She knew who was stripping naked in their garage before entering the house and who was just saying "screw it" by dinner time. And somehow, in the middle of all this, she was supposed to manage clinical trial projects. Lisa was no longer just a project manager—she was now a traffic cop, therapist, and apparently, a very low-budget reality show producer.

This morning, Jack Zoomed in for a “quick check-in” at 8:30 a.m. Quick. Right. She showed up in her long, flowing Indonesian dress—because honestly, who was going to tell her she couldn’t?—and her emergency lipstick. With slightly tinted glasses, her professional look was complete. She couldn’t remember the last time she wore heels, and she wasn’t sure she could still walk in them.

“So,” Jack began, “I thought it would be a great time for the team to take those mandatory HR classes. You know, sexual harassment, racial sensitivity—all that important stuff.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Since they’re all at home on screens anyway.”

Lisa blinked. Was this the same Jack who used the term “girl” to describe every woman in the office, including Susan, who was 62 and ate kale for fun?

“And I need you to do the extra 20 hours of training, Lisa. Gotta make sure everyone actually does it. You know, in case they’re just...running the video in the background while binge-watching Tiger King.”

Lisa sighed. "But what if they don’t?"

“I don’t know,” Jack said casually. “You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.”

Girl. Lisa, a middle-aged woman whose knees made sound effects when she stood up, could only smile sweetly and add Jack’s name to her growing list of people who should never, ever call her "girl" again.

Before working from home, Lisa had never considered quitting. She loved her job—managing clinical trials for CVS and Aetna had always been like being a traffic cop. But now, it was like being a traffic cop in a city where every driver wanted to stop and chat about their feelings before driving off, leaving her in the dust.

Her life was Zoom hell. She was living her worst life.

But tonight, something snapped—or maybe clicked. After her final Zoom call of the day (which had devolved into a team debate over whether the world needed another sourdough starter recipe), Lisa closed her laptop, stared into the abyss, and whispered to no one, “I quit. At least...mentally.”

Then she remembered something—something she’d read in one of those wellness newsletters from HR she always pretended to care about: You can’t pour from an empty cup. Also, please complete your training by Friday.

The next morning, Lisa showed up to her first Zoom call with a new approach.

“Jack,” she said, her emergency lipstick glowing in the artificial light, “we need to set some boundaries. We need breaks. My team is learning more about each other’s pets than about clinical trials. Also, you need HR sensitivity training. Just you.”

Jack blinked. “Oh...um, sure?”

“And by the way,” Lisa added with a smile, “I’m not a girl. I’m a middle-aged woman, far from a girl.”

Without waiting for his response, she logged off. And for the first time in months, Lisa did something radical. She didn’t answer her emails. She didn’t check Slack. She made tea and sat by her window, watching the world go by.

And as she sipped her tea, wearing the same pajamas she’d been in for three days, Lisa felt a glorious sense of peace. Maybe she wasn’t quite ready to quit, but she was ready to start living her best Zoom life.