Send us Fan Mail

What really happens behind closed doors before a publisher offers an author a book deal?

In this episode of Kind of a Big Book Deal, Meghan Stevenson sits down with Simon & Schuster editor Kimberly Mae Lin to reveal how traditional publishers evaluate, acquire, and invest in business books. Kimberly explains why strong relationships between agents and editors can shape where a proposal lands and what editors look for when reviewing dozens of submissions each week.

They break down the editorial board process, publisher pitch meetings, book auctions, financial projections, and the factors that determine an author’s advance. Kimberly also shares why an author’s performance during the publisher meeting can strengthen—or completely derail—a promising opportunity.

Listeners will learn why a compelling idea is only one part of landing a major publishing deal. Authors must also demonstrate audience engagement, a clear sales strategy, strong communication skills, and the ability to promote their ideas through podcasts, speaking engagements, and media appearances.

The conversation also challenges authors to look beyond bestseller lists and define success through long-term sales, business growth, and meaningful reader impact.

Kimberly Meilun is an Editor at Simon Acumen acquiring in business and economics. A fierce believer in the power of business to transform lives, she is particularly interested in prescriptive books about entrepreneurship, personal success, career growth, personal finance, and habit change.

Find Kimberly name on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-meilun-74729490/

Learn more about Simon Acumen: https://www.simonandschuster.biz/p/simon-acumen

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:06) How the book acquisition process begins
(6:41) How proposals reach publishing editors
(8:31) How many proposals editors receive
(12:09) What happens during editorial board meetings
(16:11) How publishers structure book offers
(19:24) How publishing auctions determine advances
(24:18) Why the author meeting can seal the deal
(27:01) What editors want in business books
(32:15) How publishers define a successful book
(35:57) What it takes to earn a six-figure advance
(39:35) The truth about traditional publishing
(42:28) Defining success beyond book sales
(43:41) Why bestseller lists should not be the goal
(45:49 Outro

Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5”—Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan—to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out—this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start? MeghanStevenson.com/quiz

Send us Fan Mail

A traditional book deal is not a magic ticket to becoming a thought leader, gaining validation, or creating impact out of thin air. You are ready to pursue one when you already have proof that your advice matters, works for the people you serve, and has the potential to reach people at scale.

In a lot of ways, coming up with a viable book idea is easy. But writing a book requires practice: practice sharing your ideas with your target audience, practice learning what they want from you, and practice knowing what resonates and what doesn’t — and refining that message while growing your ability to reach more and more people.

There is a reason most of the entrepreneurs, experts, and creators Meghan Stevenson works with have millions of followers and run multimillion-dollar businesses. They are not depending on their book to share their message because, in many ways, they are the message.

Instead of seeing yourself only as a writer — or even as a guide with a message that matters — you understand that a book deal is a business partnership.

And that changes everything.

Your publisher is not a fairy godmother who will magically create impact out of thin air. A book deal is also not the magic ticket you need to be seen as a thought leader or to get the validation you really, really want.

The clients Meghan has seen succeed and hit bestseller lists were focused on more than writing their book. They were also prepared to promote, market, and launch their work into the world like any other product or service offering in their business.

Their book mattered, but it was not their only focus.

You are ready to pursue a traditional nonfiction book deal when:

• You have tested your ideas and know your advice works for the people you serve.
• You have proof that your message matters to people.
• You understand what resonates with your target audience and what does not.
• You have refined your message through practice sharing your ideas.
• You are growing your ability to reach more people.
• You have the platform that makes a book appealing to a publisher.
• You are prepared to promote, market, and launch the book.
• You see the book as one component of a bigger mission and broader business impact.

To understand whether you are ready, take Meghan’s free assessment and have custom advice delivered right to your inbox: meghanstevenson.com/quiz.

Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5”—Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan—to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out—this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start? MeghanStevenson.com/quiz

Send us Fan Mail

You do not need a huge Instagram following, celebrity friends, weekly speaking engagements, or thousands of email subscribers to have an author platform worthy of a traditional nonfiction book deal.

What matters is whether you can promote, market, and sell your future book to the people it is written for. Sometimes that platform is public and easy to find online. Other times, it is a “secret platform” built through client relationships, corporate work, workshops, speaking engagements, and bulk-book-buying opportunities.

What is an author platform for a book deal?

An author platform demonstrates your ability to promote, market, and sell your future book.

Many people hear “author platform” and immediately think of social media. Social media can certainly be part of a platform, but it is not the only measure of whether you are positioned to get a traditional nonfiction book deal.

Your platform can include:

• Social media followers and the ability to reach them
• An email list
• Media mentions
• Podcast appearances
• Speaking engagements
• Workshops and live events
• A network of friends, colleagues, and clients
• Corporate relationships
• Opportunities to organize bulk book purchases
• Events where you can distribute books to attendees

The most important question is not simply how many followers you have. It is whether the audience, clients, relationships, and opportunities you already have can become book buyers.

Social media is not the only path to demonstrating a viable author platform.A strong online following may help, but it is not always relevant to the work you do or the audience you serve.

If you have the ability to sell books that is not immediately visible through public metrics such as follower counts, media coverage, or online popularity, you have a secret platform. This often applies to people who work with corporations, but it can take many forms.

A book idea must have potential, but your ability to convert your followers, clients, and audience into book buyers is equally important when pursuing a traditional book deal.

If you want to assess whether you are ready for a book deal, take Meghan Stevenson’s free quiz at meghanstevenson.com/quiz.

Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5”—Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan—to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out—this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start? MeghanStevenson.com/quiz