What separates the dreamers from the authors with a big book deal? In this real talk episode, Meghan Stevenson pulls no punches. She shares the uncomfortable truth behind traditional publishing success rates and the one thing that determines who makes it and who doesn’t: alignment.
Spoiler alert: it’s not your book idea, your expertise, or even your writing skills. It’s whether you're willing to grow a large audience and build a platform that can sell 20,000+ books in a year.
Meghan walks through examples of both success and failure, revealing the mindset, effort, and strategy behind the rare 2% who land major deals. If you’re an entrepreneur hoping to land a publishing contract, this episode will challenge your assumptions and help you decide if the traditional path is really right for you.
Get the Craptastic Mountain freebie here: https://meghanstevenson.kit.com/2f3c13271d
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:45) The hard truth: 2% success rate
(3:06) The key factor: alignment
(4:36) What publishers actually expect
(5:38) Selling 20,000+ books is required
(6:13) Real example: alignment in action
(7:24) Real example: misalignment and resistance
(9:01) What the 2% do differently
(10:16) If audience growth isn’t for you…
(12:01) The biggest dream killer
(12:39) Outro
Follow Meghan:
Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?MeghanStevenson.com/quiz
Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5” – Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan – to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.
In episodes released every other Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.
Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out – this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.
