Demystifying Traditional Publishing

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How could publishing your story create impact beyond business success?

In this episode, Suneera and her guest, Deepika Sandhu, unpack the realities of traditional publishing, hybrid models, and the courage it takes to share your lived experiences. If you’ve ever wondered whether your story is worthy, how to write without permission, or how legacy is built beyond business wins, this conversation will help you think differently about what you carry and what the world still needs from you.

Today’s guest is Deepika Sandhu, a visionary author, mentor, and founder of Soul Sparks Press, a fast-growing hybrid publishing house dedicated to inspirational stories. A former Silicon Valley executive and six-time award-winning author, she helps leaders turn lived experiences into books that create lasting impact.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

(03:16) Why every lived experience has the potential to become a soul-sparking story.

(08:40) How traditional publishing gatekeeping discourages powerful stories from being shared.

(09:29) Why follower count should never determine whether you write a book.

(12:05) How being seen for your story creates impact beyond book sales.

(17:23) The important differences between self-publishing, traditional publishing, and hybrid models.

(22:10) Why legacy is built through storytelling, not just business success.

(26:20) How first-time authors can write books without being “natural writers.”

(32:00) Why AI can support the writing process but can never replace human truth.

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Thank you to Deepika Sandhu for being on our show!

Learn more about Deepika: https://deepikasandhu.co/ and https://www.instagram.com/deepikasandhu.co/

Submit a book idea or manuscript to Soul Sparks Press for editorial review: https://soulsparkspress.com/

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This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/