About this episode

Courtney Maum discusses the realities of a writing career and the publishing industry.

Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack : https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is Courtney Maum—novelist, memoirist, and author of Before and After the Book Deal—and she talks candidly about the reality of a writing career, the myth of the breakout book, and why longevity matters more than literary hype.In this episode, Courtney breaks down what publishing actually looks like across every lane: Big Five launches with national tours, indie presses that nurture your inner “art witch,” and self-publishing born out of necessity. She shares the story behind the book that almost never happened—and how the lowest advance of her career became the one that defined her platform—plus why the industry now expects authors to function as marketers, publicists, event planners, and content creators all at once.We also discuss building an audience in the newsletter era, the limits of social media, and why “a thousand true fans” is a better goal than virality. Courtney explains how writers can protect their mental health in a system built on comparison, what’s actually changed…

More episodes of The Bleeders: about book writing & publishing

• The Long Road to Girl Gone Wild: From First Essay to Publication & Promotion with Antonia Crane · April 10, 2026 · 1h 9m
• The Evolution of Publishing: Traditional, Hybrid & Self-Publishing in 2026 with Brooke Warner · March 20, 2026 · 49 min
• Girl Gone Wild: The Story Behind My Memoir—Interviewed by Lili Gourley · March 18, 2026 · 21 min
• How Sari Botton Blew Past Gatekeepers to Build a Writing Life on Her Own Terms · December 28, 2025 · 47 min
• Building a Book Like a Startup: Ali Kriegsman’s Playbook for Self-Publishing Success · December 21, 2025 · 53 min
• The Agony & Ecstasy of Going on Submission with Chloe Caldwell · August 4, 2025 · 23 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Bleeders: about book writing & publishing podcast page.