Last week I hosted 2 author meetups in NYC!
Here's what I learned and who I met:
1) You don't need an agent to get a book deal:
Some authors have received book deals directly from acquisition editors or publishers because the person liked their content or saw potential in them. You can hire a literary lawyer and have them look over your book contract, and you'll save 15% from not hiring an agent. But there are pros and cons to either situation. Well-connected agents can pull strings to get you on big TV shows or reviewed in big papers like the NYT.
2) It's likely going to take 20+ revisions for you to find your dream book cover:
It's rare for an author to love their first book cover. Most authors I've talked to said it took about 20+ revisions–sometimes up to 60 edits, before they actually loved their book cover. Don't be afraid to push back and ask for new covers if you don't like the ones the designer has created.
3) Work meetings/calls are an author's kryptonite:
Every author at lunch agreed that even if they have a meeting at 12pm or 2pm, they stress about the meeting so much that they can’t do deep work in the morning. As a result, most authors try to batch all of their meetings into one day. I feel the same way and batch all of my meetings for Fridays.
4) More authors are working with hybrid publishers:
Authors want to own their IP, have more creative control, and more equity in their work. New publishers like Infinite Books and Authors Equity give authors 70% of the royalties. These publishers are also experimenting with giving equity to editors, designers, and marketing teams so that they have skin in the game and are incentivized to keep promoting the book long after it’s been released.
5) Every author wants a social media manager:
Authors want to spend their days reading, researching, and writing books. They don’t want to spend their time creating tons of content and reposting it on 8 different social media platforms. If you have a favorite author and have some experience with writing/creating content, and want a job, email that author with your experience and how you can help them. That’s how my friend Stanley ended up working for the legendary author Robert Greene.
6) These meetups are therapy for authors:
Being an author is an isolating and lonely job. You spend most of your time alone, either reading, researching, or writing. Your family and friends can't relate to your work. The only people who can relate to you are other authors. That's why every author who has joined my meetup has loved it. They can finally share their struggles, get advice, hear similar stories from other authors. In any field you're in, it helps to find your tribe.
I was joined by:
- Maria Konnikova (“The Biggest Bluff”)
- Panio Gianopoulos (Next Big Idea Club cofounder & Author Insider host)
- Stanley Goldberg (Content manager for several big authors)
- Tobias Rose-Stockwell (“The Outrage Machine”)
- Jimmy Soni (“Founders” + Publisher at Infinite Books)
- Katherine Morgan Schafler ("The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control")
- Michael Morris ("Tribal")
- Diana Wu David ("Future Proof")
- Dolly Chugh ("The Person You Mean to Be")
- Vicki Johnson, PhD ("Pitch Your Potential")
Here's what I learned and who I met:
1) You don't need an agent to get a book deal:
Some authors have received book deals directly from acquisition editors or publishers because the person liked their content or saw potential in them. You can hire a literary lawyer and have them look over your book contract, and you'll save 15% from not hiring an agent. But there are pros and cons to either situation. Well-connected agents can pull strings to get you on big TV shows or reviewed in big papers like the NYT.
2) It's likely going to take 20+ revisions for you to find your dream book cover:
It's rare for an author to love their first book cover. Most authors I've talked to said it took about 20+ revisions–sometimes up to 60 edits, before they actually loved their book cover. Don't be afraid to push back and ask for new covers if you don't like the ones the designer has created.
3) Work meetings/calls are an author's kryptonite:
Every author at lunch agreed that even if they have a meeting at 12pm or 2pm, they stress about the meeting so much that they can’t do deep work in the morning. As a result, most authors try to batch all of their meetings into one day. I feel the same way and batch all of my meetings for Fridays.
4) More authors are working with hybrid publishers:
Authors want to own their IP, have more creative control, and more equity in their work. New publishers like Infinite Books and Authors Equity give authors 70% of the royalties. These publishers are also experimenting with giving equity to editors, designers, and marketing teams so that they have skin in the game and are incentivized to keep promoting the book long after it’s been released.
5) Every author wants a social media manager:
Authors want to spend their days reading, researching, and writing books. They don’t want to spend their time creating tons of content and reposting it on 8 different social media platforms. If you have a favorite author and have some experience with writing/creating content, and want a job, email that author with your experience and how you can help them. That’s how my friend Stanley ended up working for the legendary author Robert Greene.
6) These meetups are therapy for authors:
Being an author is an isolating and lonely job. You spend most of your time alone, either reading, researching, or writing. Your family and friends can't relate to your work. The only people who can relate to you are other authors. That's why every author who has joined my meetup has loved it. They can finally share their struggles, get advice, hear similar stories from other authors. In any field you're in, it helps to find your tribe.
I was joined by:
- Maria Konnikova (“The Biggest Bluff”)
- Panio Gianopoulos (Next Big Idea Club cofounder & Author Insider host)
- Stanley Goldberg (Content manager for several big authors)
- Tobias Rose-Stockwell (“The Outrage Machine”)
- Jimmy Soni (“Founders” + Publisher at Infinite Books)
- Katherine Morgan Schafler ("The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control")
- Michael Morris ("Tribal")
- Diana Wu David ("Future Proof")
- Dolly Chugh ("The Person You Mean to Be")
- Vicki Johnson, PhD ("Pitch Your Potential")
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