The money talk continues. In Part Two of this no-BS publishing deep dive, Carly and CeCe tackle what really happens after you sign a deal—from how advances are actually paid (spoiler: it takes a while), to whether two-book deals are a smart move, how much authors should spend on marketing and PR, and if believing your book has million-dollar potential is confidence or delusion. They break down genre trends, celebrity “promotions,” agent income realities, and why publishing is equal parts strategy, risk, and skin in the game. Candid, sharp, and full of industry truth bombs—bookmark this one.

Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host ​and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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