BOW 092: Jacqueline Burns: Publishing Books That Sell Millions

The Business of Writing Podcast

In This Episode:

Jacqueline Burns was commissioning editor at Random House and Editorial Director at HarperCollins. There she edited classics such as Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus, Who Moved My Cheese, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Toddler Taming - all of which have sold millions of copies.

She is the author of Write a Bestseller, and a bestselling series of successful books for Random House. Jacq has also ghostwritten a number of well-known titles, co-founded The London Writers Club, and is a literary agent for authors.

Today we get her to spill the beans on the “behind the scenes” details of publishing books that sell millions of copies, how authors can work with large publishers, and what makes a blockbuster bestseller.

Episode Highlights

• What it’s like working on the most well-known books of modern times
• What Jacq looks for in books that she chooses to publish
• How authors can write a book that will stand the test of time
• The common elements of books that are likely to become blockbusters
• How to avoid the biggest mistakes new authors make when writing their first book
• The #1 piece of advice Jacq gives authors who want to make it big
• The specifics of what you should look for in a writing coach (and it’s not a long list of accreditations)

And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.