S2 E33 - The Myth of the Instant Bestseller, with JT Greathouse

Publishing Rodeo: The Good, The Bad, and the Bloody Ugly

As our one and only return guest, JT Greathouse joins us for the launch of Season 2, this time in his capacity as a true-hybrid author (with a bookseller's eye). JT sold his debut, HAND OF THE SUN KING, to a UK publisher, but didn't get a USA deal. With the support and help of his literary agency, he opted to self-publish the American version in the States.

This week, we talk about the process of getting your books into stores, the nitty gritty of distribution in relation to small presses, indie authors, and hybrid folks like JT, how to make smart choices, the ways in which books can build towards success, and the (psychologically) damaging myth of the "instant best seller" launch.

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• the advantages of splitting rights versus selling world rights
• Thinking about strategies for selling the rights of your book
• self pub USA, trad pub UK
• The importance of ingram
• Why are book royalties so low in trad? What does higher royalties mean in the context of smaller presses
• Good presale numbers--how to calculate this as a debut (jeremy's 'vibe check' formula)
• Debuts not making or breaking you
• how online discussions skew our perception of success
• how to make good decisions
• Jeremy and Scott bicker (good-naturedly) over the definition of "tiers"
• Bookseller mentality re hype and sales
• Small, achievable goals - not totally powerless!
• NEW PODCAST SECTION: The Smallest Hill You're Willing To Die On