What if your messy first draft could become a bestselling book?

In this episode of Kind of a Big Book Deal, Denise Duffield-Thomas opens up about her journey from self-publishing her first book Lucky Bitch to landing a traditional deal with Hay House. She shares how imposter syndrome nearly stopped her, how she turned early success into industry credibility, and why writing a book is more about momentum than mastery.

Denise, together with host Meghan, demystifies the traditional publishing process, highlights why a book should be part of your marketing funnel (not your main income stream), and explains the power of mentorship, hiring help, and letting go of perfection. If you’ve ever thought, “Who am I to write a book?” this episode will inspire you to say, “Why not me?”

Denise Duffield-Thomas is the money mentor for the new wave of online entrepreneurs who want to make money and change the world.⁣ She helps entrepreneurs like you charge premium prices, release the fear of money and create First Class lives. ⁣Her books Lucky Bitch, Get Rich, Lucky Bitch, and her newest Chill and Prosper give a fresh and funny roadmap to living a life of abundance without burnout.⁣ Her Money Bootcamp has helped over 10,000 students from all around the world.⁣ She’s a lazy introvert, a Hay House author and an unbusy mother of 3. She lives on the East coast of sunny Australia with her family and two fur babies.

Website: www.denisedt.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deniseDT/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denisedt
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/deniseduffieldthomas

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:00) From self-publishing to bestseller status
(4:42) Childhood chaos, ADHD, and writing
(7:00) The Lucky Bitch origin story
(8:12) Marketing with sweat, networking, and grit
(10:15) Books as business cards and funnels
(13:01) Rejection from Hay House and what it taught her
(16:45) Why she wrote Chill and Prosper
(19:16) Getting an agent with support
(25:01) The ROI of hiring help
(30:00) Books don’t cannibalize, they amplify
(32:49) Narrating her own audiobook and owning her voice
(36:42) Updating language to stay inclusive
(39:00) How to actually finish your book
(42:26) Outro

Follow Meghan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megstevenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megstevenson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
• TikTok: @meghan.stevenson.books
• Website: https://www.meghanstevenson.com/

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?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 other 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.

What’s really holding you back from landing that big book deal?

In this no-BS episode, Meghan pulls back the curtain on the most common mistakes aspiring authors make and how to avoid them. From hiding your ideas out of fear, to trying to do everything yourself, to staying stuck in analysis paralysis, Meghan calls it all out with hard-earned insight and humor.

You’ll learn why educating yourself, building a real platform, and getting expert help are non-negotiables in today’s publishing landscape. Whether you're dreaming of a traditional publishing deal or just want to finally write that book, this episode is a must-listen wake-up call.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(01:26) The harsh truths about traditional publishing
(02:26) Mistake #1: Going in blind
(03:51) Mistake #2: Hiding your idea from the world
(05:02) How to protect your intellectual property
(07:44) Mistake #3: Staying small = staying invisible
(10:21) Mistake #4: Doing everything yourself
(12:27) Buying back your time is smart business
(15:00) Leveraging help to land the book deal
(16:41) Rapid-fire recap of the 4 big mistakes
(20:38) Outro

Follow Meghan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megstevenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megstevenson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
• TikTok: @meghan.stevenson.books
• Website: https://www.meghanstevenson.com/

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?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 other 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.

What if your book deal didn’t pay you the way you expected, but still made you rich in other ways? In this episode, Meghan Stevenson breaks down the financial truths of traditional publishing, answering listener Becky’s smart questions about advances, royalties, taxes, and startup costs. From the real cost of writing a book proposal What if your book deal didn’t pay you the way you expected, but still made you rich in other ways? In this episode, Meghan Stevenson breaks down the financial truths of traditional publishing, answering listener Becky’s smart questions about advances, royalties, taxes, and startup costs. From the real cost of writing a book proposal.

You’ll learn why writing a book is less about immediate profit and more about long-term ROI, like doubling your mastermind rates, landing speaking gigs, or scaling your brand. Plus, Meghan explains how tax structures (S Corp vs. sole prop) can affect your take-home income, and why your literary agent and collaborator will get paid before you do.

Whether you dream of a bestseller or a business-boosting book, this episode pulls back the curtain on the numbers that matter.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:25) Do you have to pay taxes on your advance?
(6:39) Why your advance might net $0
(8:25) How much to save before publishing
(12:01) Average advances and what’s left
(14:20) Where the real ROI actually comes
(15:34) Will your book actually sell?
(17:00) Do you repay the advance if you flop?
(19:03) Royalties explained with simple math
(21:15) Don’t let taxes stop your dream
(22:19) Where to ask your publishing questions
(22:29) Outro

Follow Meghan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megstevenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megstevenson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
• TikTok: @meghan.stevenson.books
• Website: https://www.meghanstevenson.com/

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?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 other 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.