05 Oct What Nobody Tells You About Getting Published

Is it better to self publish your book, or get a book deal through an agent? In today’s episode Lisa Bean and Suzanne Alderson hold nothing back as they explore and challenge both publishing options, Lisa having self published, and Suzanne having published through Penguin Random House!

In this honest reflection on publishing your own book, best selling author Suzanne Alderson shares what it was really like to sign with a major publishing house, the challenging editing process that followed, and how the experience differed from what she expected. Lisa adds her unique perspective of paying to self publish her book, retaining almost full control of the process.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear how Suzanne’s agent got her the deal, how she became a best selling author after delivering her manuscript in February 2020, just before lockdown, along with how book advances actually work, what happens after your book is published, and why most of the promotional work falls on the author, not the publisher.

Lisa and Suzanne also explore why human stories matter more than ever in the age of AI, whether books are becoming obsolete, and what it really takes to find your voice as a writer.

This is a raw, honest conversation about creativity, validation, and what it means to make art in a world that wants everything packaged, productised, and profitable.

We hope you enjoy!

We cover:

• How Suzanne got her agent and what it takes to get into a major publishing house
• What it was like to sign a book deal with Penguin Random House
• What the true book editing process feels like
• The difference between self-publishing and getting a book deal including royalty percentages and creative freedom
• How book advances actually work
• What happens after your book is published
• Why you don’t need a book to validate you and what you should focus on instead
• How to become a better writer and why working with a fiction writer transformed Lisa’s manuscript
• How to find your voice as a writer and why you need to stop creating for other people’s approval

Guest:

Suzanne Alderson, author of Never Let Go published by Penguin Random House – https://link.amazon/B0aky9pkh

Find Suzanne on Substack: The Daily Ramble https://dailyramble.substack.com/

More from Lisa:

Lisa Bean – coaching, speaking, books + latest work: https://lisa-bean.com

Connect on Instagram: lisabeanuk