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Kyleigh Leddy: 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30; Author by 23; The Business Behind Books
Kyleigh Leddy earned a spot on this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the media category for her first book, The Perfect Other. The Perfect Other shares the story of Kyleigh's sister's disappearance and assumed death in 2014 after years of struggling with schizophrenia. Kyleigh pairs personal experience with scientific research to address how mental health is viewed and treated and finding peace amid grief.
In 2019 Kyleigh won the New York Times Real Love essay for "Years Ago My Sister Vanished; I See Her Whenever I Want." This piece is about how grief has changed in the digital era and caught the attention of many big-name publishers. She received multiple book deal offers and chose to sign with Harper Collins. She spent her first-year post-grad writing The Perfect Other.
Kyleigh talks about the influx of messages related to her NYT essay that made her feel called to push through any hesitation toward writing the book in full, and we talk about the opportunities for young writers. The first time she submitted her writing to a contest, she did not even include her name out of nerves. Now, Kyleigh pushes for young writers to put themselves to submit their writing to contests and magazines. As it was in her case, the second time she decided to share her writing, this time with a byline, changed the trajectory of her entire career and life. With platforms like TikTok, there is no limit to the amount of promotional content authors can create for themselves. Her Forbes 30 Under 30 declaration has also aided in getting her name out there.
We discuss the business behind books in depth and the friction between this tragedy in relation to her career. Kyleigh explains how she decided on her manager and which publisher to sign with. Money, trust, and differing editing processes were all factors in Kyleigh's decision. We also discuss shifts in how authors market themselves and their work. The next step for Kyleigh is turning her book into a video production. Although unsure what the final format will be, Kyleigh talks about her transition from prose and narrative writing to writing for film.
View Kyleigh's work here:
https://kyleighleddy.com
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Other-Memoir-My-Sister/dp/0358469341
Year Ago My Sister Vanished. I See Her Whenever I Want - New York Times 2019 Modern Love Essay Contest Winner
When There's No Word Like 'Widow" - New York Times essay published Feb. 11, 2023
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By Phoebe Drummond
5
44 ratings
Kyleigh Leddy earned a spot on this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the media category for her first book, The Perfect Other. The Perfect Other shares the story of Kyleigh's sister's disappearance and assumed death in 2014 after years of struggling with schizophrenia. Kyleigh pairs personal experience with scientific research to address how mental health is viewed and treated and finding peace amid grief.
In 2019 Kyleigh won the New York Times Real Love essay for "Years Ago My Sister Vanished; I See Her Whenever I Want." This piece is about how grief has changed in the digital era and caught the attention of many big-name publishers. She received multiple book deal offers and chose to sign with Harper Collins. She spent her first-year post-grad writing The Perfect Other.
Kyleigh talks about the influx of messages related to her NYT essay that made her feel called to push through any hesitation toward writing the book in full, and we talk about the opportunities for young writers. The first time she submitted her writing to a contest, she did not even include her name out of nerves. Now, Kyleigh pushes for young writers to put themselves to submit their writing to contests and magazines. As it was in her case, the second time she decided to share her writing, this time with a byline, changed the trajectory of her entire career and life. With platforms like TikTok, there is no limit to the amount of promotional content authors can create for themselves. Her Forbes 30 Under 30 declaration has also aided in getting her name out there.
We discuss the business behind books in depth and the friction between this tragedy in relation to her career. Kyleigh explains how she decided on her manager and which publisher to sign with. Money, trust, and differing editing processes were all factors in Kyleigh's decision. We also discuss shifts in how authors market themselves and their work. The next step for Kyleigh is turning her book into a video production. Although unsure what the final format will be, Kyleigh talks about her transition from prose and narrative writing to writing for film.
View Kyleigh's work here:
https://kyleighleddy.com
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Other-Memoir-My-Sister/dp/0358469341
Year Ago My Sister Vanished. I See Her Whenever I Want - New York Times 2019 Modern Love Essay Contest Winner
When There's No Word Like 'Widow" - New York Times essay published Feb. 11, 2023