What are the actual sales numbers for authors who get book deals versus authors who self-publish? Mary gets into the data—yep, hardcore math—to help you weigh the pros and cons (financially) of the two major publishing paths. 

-Free training on how much you can make on your book: https://www.thebookincubator.com/free-training

Mary shares the novels and memoirs that came out in 2024 that left her with the memorable reading experiences from a craft and writing perspective—ones that taught her something about writing or showed her something new about what literature can do. The books are (in no particular order):

- The Wedding People by Alison Espach

- Molly by Blake Butler

- Old Enough by Haley Jakobson

- Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley

- Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

She wants you to know that Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (a Kirkus Prize finalist this year) was recused because Rufi teaches with Mary in The Book Incubator, but it's an incredibly instructional novel from a craft perspective (and just a fantastic book).

In the last episode, Mary talked about how a 90% great book will get rejections 100% of the time. How do you make up the difference? Whether it's a 40% gap you need to close or a 5% gap, Mary shares her recommendations.

Mary talks about why a 90% great book will get rejected 100% of the time...and how to tell if that's what's happening from the rejections you're getting. She:

- Shares a sample (real) rejection letter

- Discusses examples of a 10% gap between good and great

- Talks about why this means you shouldn't give up, you should revise

We're back for Season 8! Mary talks about a newcomer to publishing—The Black List—and shares costs, benefits, and how it could potentially save you months (or even years) in your publishing journey. If you dream of publication but dread the long, uncertain querying process, this episode is for you.

Show Notes:

In this episode, I cover:· What is The Black List? Learn how this groundbreaking platform, originally created for Hollywood screenwriters, works—and why it’s now disrupting the world of fiction publishing.

Why I was skeptical—and why I changed my mind: My honest take on whether publishing needed a tool like this and why it might be a game-changer for early adopters. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the slow query process or wondered how to get professional feedback on your manuscript without waiting months, this episode has the answers you’ve been looking for.

Resources Mentioned:

The Black List Fiction Submissions: https://blcklst.com/fiction

Don't fall for anyone offering you "global copyright" for a bunch of money. Here's what you need to know about copyright as an author and how to file.

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Alessandra Torre Ink: https://ati.mykajabi.com/fearlessly-publish

Authors are hiring their own publicists—but how do you know if a publicist is worth the cost? Mary shares the questions she'd ask.

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PublicityxChristina: https://www.publicityxchristina.com/

Mary takes on the recent buzz around "Big 5" publishing being a waste of time for authors by sharing her own story and how she views authorial success.

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Mary's Blog: https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/in-defense-of-big-publishing

The Elysian Article: https://www.elysian.press/p/no-one-buys-books

How do you find the right literary agents or publishers to query? There's one resource that's worth every penny (and this isn't sponsored content): Publisher's Marketplace. Here's why, and how to use it.

How do you get feedback without letting it derail you? The risk is real. Mary shares the single criterion she uses in deciding whether or not to take a piece of feedback.