Let's talk about BIG book deals (WHO gets the $$$ and WHY?)

Background music is perfect - even the volume is perfection - fabulous insights - we're so focused on getting our book right - we forgot about our stylist, hairstylist, make-up artist, cosmetic surgeon, cosmetic dentistry and so on - you're world class.

Could someone or group use this method to pay someone without there being a direct connection to that someone or group. Then purchase copies of that book to put it on the best seller list?

Things can change.... ROCK ON!!! Oh, the industry.......

I'm also curious about book covers & how that goes down. Why are so many so bad? Or maybe it's just me?

I really like videos like this! There's so much mis-information out there . . .

I haven't gotten your notification so I'm gonna do a mini marathon so don't nind me if you see me in your comment section

As a former editor at one of the big ten, yep. It's all true.

These details make me start thinking publishing is a competitive sport... 🤓

Such a great video! It's like a big engine that makes no sense, but this totally breaks it down in a reasonable way--thank you, Michelle, for doing the careful work 😍And also Bestsellers, please don't. 😓😑

'Explaining a gut feeling' --> I'm sure this leads to Much Eloquence 😂

I just...really love you and your content.

You forgot ageism on your list of things that don't make us mediagenic, Michelle. An ordinary looking 58-year-old woman isn't mediagenic. Period. Thankfully, that doesn't matter anymore. Each of us has the freedom and the power to find our own audience through lots of different avenues. There are so many helpful people, like yourself, who can teach us what we need to know to improve our craft, and there are others who can teach us how to get our work into the hands of people who want it.

I'm so excited about the future. I've been writing professionally since the 80's, and I promise you things are getting better and better for mid-list writers. Really! The big publishers are running scared. Lots of traditionally published mid-list authors are going indie, because they have greater control over their work, and they make more money.

Why not give it a go everyone? Just dip your toes into the self-publishing pool with a little project. You might like it. Someday, you might find yourself thumbing your nose at the Big 5 and laughing all the way to the bank. Happy writing! :)

Just as insightful and thought provoking as always. I can't wait for the next video in this series!
Also, on a side note, I'm starting to notice a lot of really cool new editing techniques that you've been using. Just wanted to say that they look awesome. You deserve so many more subs!

What a great video even though it's such a bummer! This is something we talked about a lot in grad school, but I feel like it's only getting worse. I wonder when the scale will tip towards publishing staff unionizing, hopefully soon. It sounds like such a toxic mindset to burn out employees rather than hire more staff.

This is terrifying but good to know, and do love that you've broken it down for us. Look forward to next week's video!

Another amazing informative video. I love learning about the business side. Cant wait for the next in the series!

I can definitely think of some “mediagenic” authors with 200K+ followers whose books did not sell well. The book is more important than the author, at least for fiction.

This is the best series ever on the publishing industry. Wow. Can't wait for the next one! (And you are fantastic at this!) Love and hugs!

Another invaluable video from you. I have multiple of your videos bookmarked for reference later on, and this one definitely lands on the same list. Thank you (and Andrew) for your thorough research!

Even with the reasons behind it, it sucks. It sucks for the book community, for authors, readers, agents, and the hard-working people at the publishing house. This interview was very insightful, looking forward to future parts!

The info you got just blows my mind. I'll wait to see all parts (and probably have to rewatch this series a few times to be sure I get it) before being sure if I'd ever have a chance of being traditionally published.

But holy crap, I hear so much about "self publishing is killing the traditional publishing industry because the market is becoming oversaturated with books" or other like things that blame self publishing for their downfall. But am I wrong? Aren't they doing this to themselves? Buying up companies, not getting half as much staff as they need, overworking their employees, all to make more money for themselves with less payout to their staff and authors they've published (beyond those top tier authors that get the big bucks). Or am I understanding this horribly wrong? (May have to go for an extensive rewatch; there is just so much there that my brain is sputtering to keep up and process it all. 😅😵)

Oy....thank you for compiling all this info and doing all this research and finding people who are willing to talk to you. Even if I'm questioning my understanding of half of it right now (😅) I'm grateful you're going to these lengths to keep us informed. 💜

Thank you for such well developed, thought out and articulated videos. I deleted my Twitter/Instagram the other month (something I tried, even though I knew I wouldn't like it). This game is really unfortunate and condescending and affirms some of the notions I had why certain authors are published vs not. It's like author eugenics at a book publishing level: who's good looking, charismatic and checks all our hidden boxes? I'm glad it's changing, but understand it will take some time. Take care.

Edit: Also, looking forward to future installments. The honesty is honestly refreshing. :-)

WOW! Thank you for this information.

Fascinating and informative. Thank you so much for sharing this peek behind the curtain with us! Looking forward to the next installment :)

Well, I knew it was a mess. I guess we get the popcorn ready for the next installment to see just how big of a mess it is. Thanks for taking the time to do a deep dive, Michelle.

Couldn't stop watching! Really excited to see the rest of the series.

As always, this is so informational. I would have never thought that marketing, publicity and sales are different. I just lumped them together 😅 and it’s so sad that they overwork staff. I think a lot of these companies do it, which is what kind of deterred me from wanting to work in publishing. Looking forward to the next installment.

Not gonna lie, Michelle... This made me sad :-(

As a black, female, international aspiring author who was told by her family when she said she wanted to be a traditionally published author (self publishing is not a feasible option for my pocket); I was told that "everybody & their mother writing books. And you think you're good enough to surpass the hundreds of mediocre American writers?"

Now I learn that trad pub is a numbers game & even if I write the best novel I can, everything else is outside my scope of control. Its the luck of the draw & Ive never been lucky.

It saddens me because a lot of crappy books are being churned out daily & readers are suffering. I understand the publishers gotta do what they gotta do & they dare not mess with it but what does that mean for unknowns like me from a dot on the Caribbean map in a 3rd world country?

I saw a Kdrama earlier this year ("Love is a Romance Book") & it was a publishing company so much of what you said here I saw in that show but I thought it was just a fictionalised drama. The reality, it seems, is much worse.

Well, Im gonna keep writing. Im gonna keep submitting to trad & indie pubs. Im gonna keep getting rejections (with editor rewrite suggestions or not). Im gonna work hard & never give up. If I make it, great. If not, they'll find my work after I die & I'll get my legions of fans posthumously.

Writing is what I was born to do. Thanks for this eye-opening & reality-jerking kick in the pants!

Great video, Michelle 🤗