We were lucky to catch up with Meghan Stevenson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Meghan , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
My team and I only work with people on book proposals that we feel are “ready” — meaning that they have the knowledge of their audience and expertise to support an entire book PLUS the ability to reach readers. Most people in our industry write proposals for folks just because those folks want a proposal, not because it’s actually salable.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I spent eight years as an editor at Penguin and Simon & Schuster before opening my own business in 2012. Since then, my clients have earned more than $5,000,000 from publishers including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, and Hay House, among others.
My team and I specialize in helping entrepreneurs and experts who have a how-to book idea with potential to develop and grow their author platform to expand their reach and influence, and ultimately create a book proposal that attracts a literary agent and gets a six-figure advance from a major publisher.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Being memorable. When I started out in publishing I could really party — and would regularly drink folks under the table in social settings. Combined with my energetic personality, it was hard to forget me even in a crowded industry.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Referral is my #1 source of great clients and I keep that pipeline active by sharing what I’m up to with past clients and communicating consistently and authentically with the folks I know who interact with my ideal clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: meghanstevenson.com
- Instagram: @megstevenson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
Image Credits
Credit Katie Monroe