S3 E4: Serving Books 📚 Getting an agent and negotiating a book deal

Welcome to episode 4 of this brand new series, Serving Books: from inspiration to publication. The podcast where I map what it takes for a book to go from being a glimmer of an idea to landing in your readers’ hands.

In this series I’ve interviewed industry experts including writing mentors, book coaches, writing community founders, editors, agents, book marketers, publicity and pr experts, and book shop owners to bring their insights and knowledge straight to your ears, because I am an industry-insider with lots of questions about the inner workings of this mysterious industry - and I know I’m not the only one!

So far, I’ve released episodes about:

✍🏻 How do you get words on the page?📖 How do you choose the right publishing path for you?🤔 What’s involved in the different stages of editing?🪝 How do you snag an agent and negotiate a book deal? THIS EPISODE!

COMING UP:

🤝 What are the best ways to work *with* your publisher to prepare and promote your book?🗣️ How might you self-drive your book promotion whether you’re indie or traditional published?📕 What’s the bookseller’s view on how they select the titles they’re going to back?⬆️ How can you keep the ball rolling after publication?🔮 And how might you future-proof your career as an author?

In this episode I speak with two guests - Lauren Currie, who took the bold step of negotiating her own book deal, followed by Literary Agent and founder of Portobello Literary, Caro Clarke.

This conversation is filled with truth-bombs and uncompromising reality that is somehow weirdly comforting at the same time. I hope you enjoy listening to me chat to my guests as much as I enjoyed talking to them!

If you’re new to the podcast you can listen to the first episode here:

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🔗 Links to my guests

Caro Clarke

Substack

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/portyliterary/

Website https://www.portobelloliterary.co.uk/

Extra resources to support your understanding of publishing

Courses - available inside the paid tier of Caro’s Substack which you can pay to access, or you can buy a copy of one of Caro’s client’s books, send her the receipt and she will comp you a subscription!

Lauren Currie

Books https://www.laurencurrie.co/books

Website https://www.laurencurrie.co/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_laurencurrie_/

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