My Literary Agent's Brutally Honest Take on the Publishing World

Twenty years ago, I struck gold connecting to literary agent Laura Yorke. She's guided me through the ivory-toured world of traditional NY publishing with wisdom, humor, and incredible generosity—working with me to co-create two New York Times bestsellers: Bend, Not Break with Ping Fu and The Five Invitations with Frank Ostaseski.

In a recent live Q&A with Your Bestselling Book and The Story Cure, Laura delivered some hard truths about where publishing stands today. Here's what every author needs to know:

The Reality Check

• Reading is dying. Only 16% of people read for pleasure now (down from 28% in 2003). Social media and AI have killed our attention spans.
• Traditional publishing is broken. Publishers now choose books based on your follower count, not your talent. Need hundreds of thousands of social media followers? Check. Ready to wait 2+ years to see your book in print? Double check. Expecting decent editorial support? Think again—you'll likely pay for your own editor.
• Getting an agent is nearly impossible. Big agencies are chasing celebrities, not great writers.

The Silver Lining

• Self-publishing has never been better. Hybrid or self-publishing gives you speed, control, and most of the profits. Smart authors are bypassing the traditional gatekeepers entirely.
• You're marketing your book anyway. Whether traditionally or self-published, you're spending your own money on promotion. At least with self-publishing, you keep the lion's share of sales and can have your book out in 6 months instead of 2 years!

The Bottom Line

• Your story matters. Not every book needs to hit the New York Times bestseller list to change lives. The right readers are out there waiting for your voice.
• Build your audience before you need them. Focus on pre-orders. Don't give away too much of your best content for free. 

And remember—having a story to tell is different than having a book to sell.

There are people who want to hear your story. Your voice could change their lives.

Aloha,
MeiMei 

TIP OF THE WEEK: 

The "3-2-1 Content Strategy"

Before you even think about pitching agents or self-publishing, try this simple content audit:

3… List your 3 best pieces of content (newsletter/ blog posts, Substack articles, social media videos

2… Identify the 2 topics your audience engages with most

1… Write 1 sentence that captures the unique angle only YOU can bring to these topics

This becomes your book's foundation AND your platform-building blueprint. Laura's right—you need an audience first. But you also need to know exactly what makes your voice irreplaceable.