I've been wanting to bring this guest on for a while, because she's one of the main reasons I have a book at all.
I'm sitting down with the incredible Thea Diklich-Newell, the editor who acquired and shaped Career Cheat Codes, to talk about how my dream happened and how it can happen for you too.
a little snippet of what we got into and how it all started: a coworker of hers sent her my TikTok series one day, she saw something in it, and she emailed me asking if I'd ever thought about turning it into a book. that's it. that's the whole "how do I get discovered" story everyone assumes is more complicated than it is.
so I brought her on to break down what editors are looking for when they're scrolling your content, what "authority" means to a publisher if you don't have a fancy degree behind your name, the real red flags that make her pass on a pitch, and the one boring, unsexy habit that made her whole team want to work with me before we'd even signed anything.
this episode is the roadmap for anyone who has this constant thought "I should write a book about this"
📘 Career Cheat Codes - IT’S OUT!!!
My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.
Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/
06:36 Inside the Big Five: what an imprint is and why it matters
08:27 What "authority" means to an editor if you don't have the credentials
12:41 The free "hot tip" hiding in the back of every book you own
15:47 The one habit editors wish more authors had (it's not talent)
21:15 Why "my book is for everyone" is the fastest way to sell zero copies
28:36 Why you have to be okay hearing no 100 times before the one yes
30:48 The actual cheat code for landing a book deal, and it costs nothing
34:46 Why self-publishing doesn't close the door to a book deal anymore
36:47 The books Thea can't stop talking about this year
39:25 What she's telling authors to write about next, in the age of AI
42:03 Her two-question test for finding your own book idea
About Thea Diklich-Newell
Thea Diklich-Newell is an editor at Ten Speed Press, part of the Crown Publishing Group within Penguin Random House, where she focuses on prescriptive nonfiction: self-help, career, parenting, and relationship books built on real authority and lived experience rather than just a big following. She joined Ten Speed in 2024 after editorial roles at Little, Brown and the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, where she got her start vetting manuscripts from the agent's side of the business. She's also the editor behind Career Cheat Codes.
Stay connected with me
📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co
👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod
👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson
💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson
🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson