Environmental Journalist & Climate Advocate
"Every person has the power to drive climate action. Stories make that power real."
Maya Chen started her career as an environmental journalist, covering climate change for major publications. But she realized that facts and data alone weren't moving people to action. What moved them were stories.
Her book, "Rising Tides," is a personal journey from climate denial—yes, even environmental journalists had doubts—to becoming a vocal climate advocate. It's raw, honest, and ultimately hopeful.
Since publication, "Rising Tides" has reached over 15,000 readers, sparked 8 community climate action initiatives, and inspired Maya to launch a speaking tour reaching 20+ universities. Her work has influenced policy conversations in three states.
"When Publish Matters believed in my book, they weren't just buying a manuscript. They were committing to a climate movement. Every decision—from cover design to marketing strategy—centered on maximizing impact. That's the difference between a publisher and a partner."
Challenge: Maya had written extensively about climate change but struggled to tell her personal story in book form. Her manuscript felt fragmented—part memoir, part manifesto, part policy analysis.
Solution: We paired her with our coaching team for 12 weeks of intensive manuscript development. We helped her identify her narrative thread and learn to weave policy insights into personal storytelling.
The Process: Once her manuscript was strong, our full team engaged. Our designers created a cover that balanced hope with urgency. Our marketing team built a campaign around climate justice influencers and environmental organizations. We positioned her book as essential reading for anyone serious about climate action.
The Result: "Rising Tides" launched with significant media coverage, sold 15,000+ copies, and positioned Maya as a thought leader on climate narrative. But more importantly: measurable climate action in communities worldwide.
Maya is working on her second book, focused on climate solutions and youth leadership. She's also building a speaking and training platform to help other environmental leaders tell their stories with impact. Publish Matters is supporting her entire author platform expansion.