K.T. Carlisle - Trad Pub is Not the Finish Line: Why an Agency Insider Went Indie

Is a traditional publishing deal actually the finish line, or is it just the beginning of a different struggle? In this episode, Kristin sits down with thriller author and editor K.T. Carlisle to answer just that.

Before becoming a successful indie author, K.T. worked inside a prestigious literary agency, before seeing behind the curtain on what really happens to your query letter, who actually reads your submission, and the shocking financial realities of traditional publishing revealed during the Penguin Random House court case.

K.T. shares why, despite having interest from a Big 5 editor, she decided the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze and pivoted to self-publishing. We also dive deep into actionable marketing strategies, specifically how to dominate Twitter (X) without spending a dime on ads, and why you need to stop letting “I can’t” dictate your writing career.

In This Episode

* Life Inside an Agency: The reality of the “slush pile” and why interns (not agents) are likely the first to read your work.

* The Instant Rejection: The most common mistakes authors make that lead to immediate deletion.

* The Numbers Don’t Lie: Discussing the Penguin Random House court case revelation that many trad-pub books sell fewer than 12 copies in their first year.

* The Big Pivot: Why K.T. walked away from traditional interest to control her own career.

* Indie Quality Control: How to ensure your self-published book rivals HarperCollins or Simon & Schuster.

* Twitter Marketing Masterclass: Why “link dropping” kills your reach, using “Hobo Code” to beat the algorithm, and building community vs. broadcasting sales.

* The Money Mindset: Diversifying income streams (editing, ghostwriting) to fund your art.

* No Excuses: K.T.’s inspiring approach to working and writing while managing chronic pain.

Guest Links

K.T. Carlisle

* Read INTUITION by K.T. Carlisle: https://amzn.to/4i0SLEu

* X: @KT_Carlisle

* Website: https://ktcarlisle.com

* Editing Services: https://ktaeditorial.com

Kristin’s Links

* Services & Content

* Editing Services: nonsensefreeeditor.com

* Newsletter: https://www.fictionalinfluence.com

* YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nonsensefreekristin

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and Purpose of the Interview

01:44 - Meet K.T. Carlisle: Literary Agent to Indie Author

02:39 - Inside the Literary Agency and the Reality of Querying

08:35 - The Harsh Truths of Traditional Publishing

18:12 - Why K.T. Chose the Indie Path

22:11 - Building an Authentic Platform as an Indie Author

25:01 - Crafting the Perfect Social Media Post

25:21 - Navigating Social Media Algorithms

26:55 - Choosing the Right Platform for You

30:18 - Effective Social Media Tools and Strategies

33:48 - Balancing Creativity and Commercial Success

37:14 - Building a Sustainable Writing Career

41:11 - Starting from Scratch: Key Strategies

43:20 - The Future of Independent Publishing

45:28 - Where to Find More from K.T. Carlisle

About This Podcast

Nonsense-Free Kristin is where independent authors and creators learn to build their platforms, master their craft, and create on their own terms—without begging for permission from gatekeepers who hate them.

New episodes weekly.

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fictionalinfluence.com/subscribe