Sandra Pocrnić Mlakar
Episode · #18
BIZKULTURA Sandra Pocrnić Mlakar
Guest Sandra Pocrnić MlakarHosted by Goran ŠikićMay 3, 2026
Sandra Pocrnić Mlakar
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
In a market often dominated by translated international bestsellers, the idea of a domestic author achieving significant commercial success can feel like an uphill battle. Sandra Pocrnić Mlakar, founder of the publishing house Beletrina, has spent her career challenging this perception. Drawing on her background as a psychologist, a seasoned journalist, and a former editor at a major publishing house, she has developed a keen sense for what connects with readers. This conversation explores how she identifies and cultivates local talent, proving that a well-chosen and expertly promoted local voice can become a market hit, shifting our understanding of what makes a book resonate.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
When Sandra Pocrnić Mlakar decided to publish Professor Mirjana Krizmanić's 'Tkanje života,' it wasn't a gamble on an unknown. It was a deliberate choice to back local psychological expertise over importing another foreign self-help bestseller. The book's phenomenal sales proved that a well-positioned domestic author can challenge, and often surpass, the appeal of international titles.
02
Sandra views the completion of a manuscript not as an end, but as 'the beginning of the work.' The true effort, she explains, lies in the subsequent stages: promotion, media exposure, and meticulous distribution to bookstores. A book becomes a product only after the writing is done, through the deliberate work of getting it into readers' hands.
03
When selecting authors, Sandra’s focus is squarely on 'authors that the public loves,' prioritizing genres over works intended 'for eternity or of cultural significance.' For a publisher aiming for commercial viability, the market for broad appeal and genre fiction is far larger than the niche for academic or literary prestige.
04
The very definition of a 'hit book' has shifted dramatically, Sandra observes: 'Once, a hit was around one hundred thousand copies. Today, a hit is a thousand copies.' Publishers must adapt their expectations and strategies to this new reality, focusing on consistent, smaller successes rather than chasing increasingly rare blockbusters.
05
A commercial success, Sandra insists, 'is not born,' but rather 'must be worked on.' The notion of a spontaneous bestseller is a myth; true hits are the result of conscious strategic effort in packaging, promotion, and market placement, turning a manuscript into a product.
06
Sandra identifies an 'inferiority complex' that drives local publishers to import foreign bestsellers while neglecting domestic talent. The lesson is clear: local authors, when given the same strategic investment and marketing push, can achieve comparable commercial success, often with content more resonant with the local audience.
07
Faced with the common issue of poor translations of foreign titles, Sandra offers a sharp alternative: 'It's far more honorable to write your own book in Croatian with a domestic author than to poorly translate a bad foreign book.' Quality and authenticity in local content outrank the perceived prestige of a poorly executed international import.