# 1997: The Smartest Path to a Book Deal (and a Book That Actually Sells) Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-201423/1997-the-smartest-path-to-a-book-deal-and-a-book-that-actually-sells Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-201423/1997-the-smartest-path-to-a-book-deal-and-a-book-that-actually-sells.md Podcast: [So Money with Farnoosh Torabi](https://stenobird.com/podcast/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-201423) Published: 2026-06-17T19:05:55+00:00 Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-1/episodes/1997-the-smartest-path-to-a-book-deal-and-a-book-that-actual Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/65675c71c3ca8a0012804645/e/6a32f0132a769315bafcacdb/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=xqOVF3L7RfUpHdjePKw_nzojln37p_N8nQAyuKj5MRg Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-201423/episodes/1997-the-smartest-path-to-a-book-deal-and-a-book-that-actually-sells Duration seconds: 2945 ## Resource What does it really take to land a traditional book deal in 2026? In this episode, Farnoosh sits down with book proposal strategist Richelle Fredson, founder of Book Proposal Blueprint, to unpack what publishers, agents, and editors are really looking for today. Together, they explore the role of platform-building, the biggest mistakes aspiring authors make, and the truth about landing a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Richelle, who helped shape Farnoosh's proposal for A Healthy State of Panic , shares practical insights on crafting a standout proposal, attracting the right publishing partners, and turning a book into a bigger opportunity—from growing your business and audience to securing speaking engagements and building a lasting brand. If you're dreaming of writing a book—or already working on one—this conversation offers a clear roadmap for navigating today's publishing landscape. Want to go deeper? Join us at Book to Brand on October 9 in New York, where we'll connect you with agents, publishers, editors, and successful authors for an immersive day of learning and networking. Early bird pricing ends July 1 at booktobrand.co. Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-201423/episodes/1997-the-smartest-path-to-a-book-deal-and-a-book-that-actually-sells/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/so-money-with-farnoosh-torabi-201423/1997-the-smartest-path-to-a-book-deal-and-a-book-that-actually-sells.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.