Agency #97 - From Self-Publishing to Netflix: How One Story Sparked a Global Movement | Callie Hart
Nov 7, 2025
Callie Hart, a bestselling author and screenwriter known for her dark romance novels, shares her incredible journey from self-publishing to achieving a Netflix deal for her viral book, Quicksilver. She discusses overcoming burnout and reinventing her passion, tapping into the power of BookTok to reach a broad audience. Callie also delves into the intricacies of worldbuilding, crafting morally complex characters, and navigating fan expectations, all while maintaining her creative integrity amidst unexpected pressures.
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Burnout Sparked A Hail Mary Book
- Callie hit burnout after 15 years self-publishing and chose one final passion project as a Hail Mary.
- She wrote Quicksilver quickly and initially pursued traditional publishing before self-publishing it herself.
Hold Your Story If It’s Core To You
- If an agent asks for big structural edits you refuse, you can still self-publish and control your work.
- Do not change your core story if it undermines your vision.
Targeted BookTok Outreach Went Viral
- Callie cold-emailed 30 BookTok creators and sent 15 digital copies to targeted reviewers.
- Within 48 hours, creators posted and the book began gaining rapid momentum on TikTok.
