Lute force. If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're listening to Software Radio, Special Operations, Military Nails. I'm straight talk with the guys in the community.

Lute force. If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're listening to Software Radio, Special Operations, Military Nails. I'm straight talk with the guys in the community.

Hey, what's going on? This is RAD, your host for Software Radio, and I have an awesome guest today. I have been asked so many times Rat, how do I write a book RAD? How do I submit RAD? What if I have an idea and I can't bring it to the fingertips to write it out or type it out, but I've been through it, how do I get that out there? Right? Well, my guest before I introduce you to him, knows all about that. However, I got to remind you to check out our merch store. Right it's just an anthem that I have. Check out the merch store soft rep dot com forward slash merch, the branded goods, the branded items. You guys are tagging us all over the internet on it. So thank you so much for that. It's a lot of love right there, right back at you. Okay. And then also our book club, so soft rep dot Com Forward slash book hyphen Club is where you can get into the books that we have picked out for you that we think that you would like from all the soft Rep team here at the House of soft rep dot com. I also like to give a shout out to my producer Anton who works so hard behind the scenes, and Martin and Brandon Webb who allow me this opportunity to come on board and host these awesome guests. And I tease you a little bit. I said, I got a guy on that knows a little bit about writing a book or two, an author. He also knows a little bit about serving in our military, Randal Surles. How did I say your last name?

Hey, what's going on? This is RAD, your host for Software Radio, and I have an awesome guest today. I have been asked so many times Rat, how do I write a book RAD? How do I submit RAD? What if I have an idea and I can't bring it to the fingertips to write it out or type it out, but I've been through it, how do I get that out there? Right? Well, my guest before I introduce you to him, knows all about that. However, I got to remind you to check out our merch store. Right it's just an anthem that I have. Check out the merch store soft rep dot com forward slash merch, the branded goods, the branded items. You guys are tagging us all over the internet on it. So thank you so much for that. It's a lot of love right there, right back at you. Okay. And then also our book club, so soft rep dot Com Forward slash book hyphen Club is where you can get into the books that we have picked out for you that we think that you would like from all the soft Rep team here at the House of soft rep dot com. I also like to give a shout out to my producer Anton who works so hard behind the scenes, and Martin and Brandon Webb who allow me this opportunity to come on board and host these awesome guests. And I tease you a little bit. I said, I got a guy on that knows a little bit about writing a book or two, an author. He also knows a little bit about serving in our military, Randal Surles. How did I say your last name?

I say that right, It's Searles, and most people call me Randy.

I say that right, It's Searles, and most people call me Randy.

Randy Searles, former Sergeant Major, seventh Group. Huh yeah. Oh so no small little task. Also, we have a mutual friend who hooked us up, Jim Johnson, former Colonel eighty second Airborne. He's like, rad, get Randy on your show. I want to hear it. And I was like, no problem, sir, salute.

Randy Searles, former Sergeant Major, seventh Group. Huh yeah. Oh so no small little task. Also, we have a mutual friend who hooked us up, Jim Johnson, former Colonel eighty second Airborne. He's like, rad, get Randy on your show. I want to hear it. And I was like, no problem, sir, salute.

Yeah. Jim heard me on another podcast, not to talk up your competition, but Military Mentors podcast. I was on that one and he hit me up on my emails and said, hey, my father's writing a memoir. His father was a three star general, same name, Jim Johnson, and he's like, can you help me out? And so we had a couple of sessions we worked through it. To tell you the truth, they did a pretty good job without my help, and they had worked on it for a long time. And I helped them with kind of the self publishing part of it more than anything. Give them their kudos. And so it took us about a year and a half to get it all done and published, and unfortunately, sadly, his father passed away like a week after was published. He you know, he got it out there. That's what he wanted to do. He was very emotional when he did his first book, Shine signing at the Airborne a second Airborne Museum, and then he passed away like a week later. But we got that, We got the book out.

Yeah. Jim heard me on another podcast, not to talk up your competition, but Military Mentors podcast. I was on that one and he hit me up on my emails and said, hey, my father's writing a memoir. His father was a three star general, same name, Jim Johnson, and he's like, can you help me out? And so we had a couple of sessions we worked through it. To tell you the truth, they did a pretty good job without my help, and they had worked on it for a long time. And I helped them with kind of the self publishing part of it more than anything. Give them their kudos. And so it took us about a year and a half to get it all done and published, and unfortunately, sadly, his father passed away like a week after was published. He you know, he got it out there. That's what he wanted to do. He was very emotional when he did his first book, Shine signing at the Airborne a second Airborne Museum, and then he passed away like a week later. But we got that, We got the book out.

There, and the book is called static Line, An Airborne Infantryman's Career by Lieutenant General retired James H. Johnson Junior. You know, he wrote me a nice email personally. I got one from his dad, lieutenant general, and he's like, rad I love your show. I love how you're doing it. You know, I look forward to it. I have a book coming out. And we were corresponding back and forth. And when Jim hit me up, I was like, am I talking to the same gym? Because there's two Jim Johnson's. You know, I'm like, wait, Lieutenant general, but you guys are both like officers and both over like the eighty second Airborne and just a legacy in his own right. So shout out to Jim, who's going to probably be listening to this, and you know, drop them in an email and sliding into our dms. Go ahead and slide into our DMS anytime, Colonel, no problem, all right, It's just like that right here at Soft Rep. We reach out to everybody. I just want anybody to feel like they can reach out and say hi, and you seem to be that same vibe. Randy. Now you just mentioned that you were the sergeant major for seventh Group, so you're Infantry Airborne Special Forces. My father was former nineteenth Special Forces. That's his flag and beret over my shoulder there, you know. So I just want to say I love you, all right, and so thank you for everything, son of the SF. Right here, I loved my dad told me Aaron. He's like, you know, I'm sorry that I exposed you at such a young age to all this stuff. And I was like, why, Dad, I love it, and he's like, that's why. And that was prior to him passing, But he was joking. I do a lot of war games here in Utah. In fact, that's a big thing I do, is uh force commander or going out and taking a bunch of guys in the desert or gals and we just hunt each other. And that's where he was coming off with that whole like, jeez, what are you doing out here? You know, it's like what you wanted me to do, Yoda. So I look at usf guys as a Yoda. So I really appreciate all you do out there. And uh boy, now you've transitioned from being a sergeant major in a in a team, an A team probably eighteen B team, all these different teams. What was your what was the most memorable thing that you can think of right now from your thirty years so.

There, and the book is called static Line, An Airborne Infantryman's Career by Lieutenant General retired James H. Johnson Junior. You know, he wrote me a nice email personally. I got one from his dad, lieutenant general, and he's like, rad I love your show. I love how you're doing it. You know, I look forward to it. I have a book coming out. And we were corresponding back and forth. And when Jim hit me up, I was like, am I talking to the same gym? Because there's two Jim Johnson's. You know, I'm like, wait, Lieutenant general, but you guys are both like officers and both over like the eighty second Airborne and just a legacy in his own right. So shout out to Jim, who's going to probably be listening to this, and you know, drop them in an email and sliding into our dms. Go ahead and slide into our DMS anytime, Colonel, no problem, all right, It's just like that right here at Soft Rep. We reach out to everybody. I just want anybody to feel like they can reach out and say hi, and you seem to be that same vibe. Randy. Now you just mentioned that you were the sergeant major for seventh Group, so you're Infantry Airborne Special Forces. My father was former nineteenth Special Forces. That's his flag and beret over my shoulder there, you know. So I just want to say I love you, all right, and so thank you for everything, son of the SF. Right here, I loved my dad told me Aaron. He's like, you know, I'm sorry that I exposed you at such a young age to all this stuff. And I was like, why, Dad, I love it, and he's like, that's why. And that was prior to him passing, But he was joking. I do a lot of war games here in Utah. In fact, that's a big thing I do, is uh force commander or going out and taking a bunch of guys in the desert or gals and we just hunt each other. And that's where he was coming off with that whole like, jeez, what are you doing out here? You know, it's like what you wanted me to do, Yoda. So I look at usf guys as a Yoda. So I really appreciate all you do out there. And uh boy, now you've transitioned from being a sergeant major in a in a team, an A team probably eighteen B team, all these different teams. What was your what was the most memorable thing that you can think of right now from your thirty years so.

Well, I mean, I don't want to talk too long in this because we've got a lot of stuff to talk about, but sure. The thing about Jim Jones also was.

Well, I mean, I don't want to talk too long in this because we've got a lot of stuff to talk about, but sure. The thing about Jim Jones also was.

Johnson Jim Johnson. No, it's okay, I'll drink the kool aid no problem.

Johnson Jim Johnson. No, it's okay, I'll drink the kool aid no problem.

Okay, I was we're going we get we got into first name bases real quick. So I was asking a lot. But think about me and Jim Johnson. Is I was in upper just because I was there. I got in in the late eighties and I jumped in with the Ranger Battalion and his dad was there. Uh. You know, his dad was in Vietnam. It was in a desert storm, Desert shield and he was in Uh he was in the A second two when the when they jumped to the Panama and operation just cause. So so when you back to your question, though, I was serving as an eight promotable in the embassy in Columbia for three years. Uh, and I and I got I actually made sergeant major there and uh the we had three hostage We had three hostages, uh, civilian hostages that of the FARC that that were there forever for over a thousand days and they got rescued while I was there. And that was you know, I didn't have a significant part of that. I wasn't like on the ground like pold security when they're getting pulled out of helicopter or anything like that. But I was making all I was helping out with all the cont condition continuency plans and getting them back to the States and things like that, and it was that was super rewarding.

Okay, I was we're going we get we got into first name bases real quick. So I was asking a lot. But think about me and Jim Johnson. Is I was in upper just because I was there. I got in in the late eighties and I jumped in with the Ranger Battalion and his dad was there. Uh. You know, his dad was in Vietnam. It was in a desert storm, Desert shield and he was in Uh he was in the A second two when the when they jumped to the Panama and operation just cause. So so when you back to your question, though, I was serving as an eight promotable in the embassy in Columbia for three years. Uh, and I and I got I actually made sergeant major there and uh the we had three hostage We had three hostages, uh, civilian hostages that of the FARC that that were there forever for over a thousand days and they got rescued while I was there. And that was you know, I didn't have a significant part of that. I wasn't like on the ground like pold security when they're getting pulled out of helicopter or anything like that. But I was making all I was helping out with all the cont condition continuency plans and getting them back to the States and things like that, and it was that was super rewarding.

Uh that Yeah, that's a feel good moment for extracting the US hostages. Now the fark that is the the organization down in South America, Is that what you're talking about?

Uh that Yeah, that's a feel good moment for extracting the US hostages. Now the fark that is the the organization down in South America, Is that what you're talking about?

Yes, the communists, well the gorillas in Yeah, yeah, that we're fighting the regime.

Yes, the communists, well the gorillas in Yeah, yeah, that we're fighting the regime.

Did you also cross paths with Colonel Nightingale.

Did you also cross paths with Colonel Nightingale.

I did not.

I did not.

He did not. He was down there all the time. I just interviewed him as a matter of fact, another you know, uh friend of Gym's there, and I thought, well, maybe you guys might have crossed paths as well. But dang, dang, dude. So what about jumping out of an airplane? You ever had any scary situations where you were like, okay, I pulled through that, I bicycle kicked or I so.

He did not. He was down there all the time. I just interviewed him as a matter of fact, another you know, uh friend of Gym's there, and I thought, well, maybe you guys might have crossed paths as well. But dang, dang, dude. So what about jumping out of an airplane? You ever had any scary situations where you were like, okay, I pulled through that, I bicycle kicked or I so.

I hit a flagpole jumping into Panama, I broke my leg. I was one of the last guys out of the plane. I ended up crawling a couple of miles to get help, you know, while the battle was going on, right, So that was that that kind of sucked but that was that was the most significant. When my last three jumps I was on. I don't know if you're familiar, they have the four jump roll, Like if you can't jump every three months, then you could jump forward it, you know, four times at one and one day or two days or something and catch up so you don't lose pay. And so when I left seventh group and I was going to a un I was going to Italy to work in Africa Army Africa, and they were I was going to be in jump status anymore and I had to catch up or I would have had to pay back whatever eight months. Hey yeah, And so I times that day and I had it was just a mess, like the first time I ever had to pull my reserve, you know, just all kinds of stuff was going on. But I didn't get hurt. So the only time I got hurt was that one time in Panama when it went and counted right and uh. And I never really lost my butt on uh in rangor school on a rock or so and I had to limp around with a bruised ass.

I hit a flagpole jumping into Panama, I broke my leg. I was one of the last guys out of the plane. I ended up crawling a couple of miles to get help, you know, while the battle was going on, right, So that was that that kind of sucked but that was that was the most significant. When my last three jumps I was on. I don't know if you're familiar, they have the four jump roll, Like if you can't jump every three months, then you could jump forward it, you know, four times at one and one day or two days or something and catch up so you don't lose pay. And so when I left seventh group and I was going to a un I was going to Italy to work in Africa Army Africa, and they were I was going to be in jump status anymore and I had to catch up or I would have had to pay back whatever eight months. Hey yeah, And so I times that day and I had it was just a mess, like the first time I ever had to pull my reserve, you know, just all kinds of stuff was going on. But I didn't get hurt. So the only time I got hurt was that one time in Panama when it went and counted right and uh. And I never really lost my butt on uh in rangor school on a rock or so and I had to limp around with a bruised ass.

Bruised no I feel you, you know, jeezus. So my nineteen eighties is that like going after Noriega. Is that when you went to the.

Bruised no I feel you, you know, jeezus. So my nineteen eighties is that like going after Noriega. Is that when you went to the.

Animal December eighty ninetee.

Animal December eighty ninetee.

That's right. And uh, and let's see my friend mad Max Mullen went in. He's former Ranger Hall of Fame guy. He went in there, and you guys, yeah, I'm just talking to a whole bunch of you guys. You know, it's like, holy cow, but you broke your leg on a flagpole.

That's right. And uh, and let's see my friend mad Max Mullen went in. He's former Ranger Hall of Fame guy. He went in there, and you guys, yeah, I'm just talking to a whole bunch of you guys. You know, it's like, holy cow, but you broke your leg on a flagpole.

Yeah, yeah, my shoe got caught on the flagpole. Actually would kind of maybe fall a little harder, but yeah, it sucked.

Yeah, yeah, my shoe got caught on the flagpole. Actually would kind of maybe fall a little harder, but yeah, it sucked.

Holy cow. Okay, so you've gone through that, You've been all over the world. You're like, okay, it's time for me to start transitioning out. You've made it to the top. You're sergeant major, right, You're just not sergeant major of like the Army. Right, there's like a little bit more up there, but sergeant major, command sergeant major. But still you're at the top. You're just going there. And now where you at the top of today? What are you doing and how did that transition happen? Yeah?

Holy cow. Okay, so you've gone through that, You've been all over the world. You're like, okay, it's time for me to start transitioning out. You've made it to the top. You're sergeant major, right, You're just not sergeant major of like the Army. Right, there's like a little bit more up there, but sergeant major, command sergeant major. But still you're at the top. You're just going there. And now where you at the top of today? What are you doing and how did that transition happen? Yeah?

So you know where whenever you're in group in special Forces, you're traveling a lot, and especially before phones and tablets, you know you brought a bucket of DVDs or before that, vhs, and I always showed a box of books because they've gone for six or eight months. I said, Okay, I'm gonna read some professional do in the books and my some fun books, fantasy, science, picture, military, thriller, some business books and these are this is my goal. And I go to Barnes and Nobles a couple of weeks before and buy a bunch before you get them on kindle. Right now, everything's on my kindle, and I just love to read, right, And so I knew I needed to agree. Before I got out. I got a history degree like fifteen years in and then I tried to get a master's in international relations. I finished about halfway. I was like, what am we gonna do with this? And I tried to get an MBA and I said, what am I gonna do this? I don't really want to do that, and so then I found a creative writing master's program. So that's what I did, and I got my masters a couple of years before I got out. And that's what I thought I was gonna do.

So you know where whenever you're in group in special Forces, you're traveling a lot, and especially before phones and tablets, you know you brought a bucket of DVDs or before that, vhs, and I always showed a box of books because they've gone for six or eight months. I said, Okay, I'm gonna read some professional do in the books and my some fun books, fantasy, science, picture, military, thriller, some business books and these are this is my goal. And I go to Barnes and Nobles a couple of weeks before and buy a bunch before you get them on kindle. Right now, everything's on my kindle, and I just love to read, right, And so I knew I needed to agree. Before I got out. I got a history degree like fifteen years in and then I tried to get a master's in international relations. I finished about halfway. I was like, what am we gonna do with this? And I tried to get an MBA and I said, what am I gonna do this? I don't really want to do that, and so then I found a creative writing master's program. So that's what I did, and I got my masters a couple of years before I got out. And that's what I thought I was gonna do.

Write.

Write.

I thought I was gonna write books. What happened was I got divorced. I hiked across Spain during during my terminal leave and I met my current wife. And I also got an email while I was walking hiking across Spain on my phone and said, hey, we're looking to train people how to be editors in our story grid system is what I what I ended up training under. And I said, well that probably helps me, right, this sounds like a thing I should do, and it's all coming together, and I signed up and I went there on my terminal leaves. As I got back and I got certified as this editor, which you know, kind of helped me with my MFA. Creative writing kind of merged together, and I started editing books as we went into COVID, which was when everyone started writing books because they didn't leave their house.

I thought I was gonna write books. What happened was I got divorced. I hiked across Spain during during my terminal leave and I met my current wife. And I also got an email while I was walking hiking across Spain on my phone and said, hey, we're looking to train people how to be editors in our story grid system is what I what I ended up training under. And I said, well that probably helps me, right, this sounds like a thing I should do, and it's all coming together, and I signed up and I went there on my terminal leaves. As I got back and I got certified as this editor, which you know, kind of helped me with my MFA. Creative writing kind of merged together, and I started editing books as we went into COVID, which was when everyone started writing books because they didn't leave their house.

Right opportune time, right strike while it's hot.

Right opportune time, right strike while it's hot.

Yep. So I did that for a while. I started reconnecting with my military buddy Scott Man. I helped him. We were working on a book together.

Yep. So I did that for a while. I started reconnecting with my military buddy Scott Man. I helped him. We were working on a book together.

With Operation Pineapple Express, Right is that what we're talking about? Oh yeah, right above your head yep.

With Operation Pineapple Express, Right is that what we're talking about? Oh yeah, right above your head yep.

So so we were working a different book first though for like a year. In fact, the rem that the rem that that book changed a couple of times, but his next books is coming out later this year. Uh. I think it's called I think at The final title is no One's Coming to Save You, a book about how green bereays get shipped done or something like that.

So so we were working a different book first though for like a year. In fact, the rem that the rem that that book changed a couple of times, but his next books is coming out later this year. Uh. I think it's called I think at The final title is no One's Coming to Save You, a book about how green bereays get shipped done or something like that.

Self rescue baby, Yeah, what's coming to save us?

Self rescue baby, Yeah, what's coming to save us?

So we worked on that for a while and then Operation Pinpal Express, the Afghan evacuation happened. He was part of the He started Operation Pipal Express to get this guy in a zomba out of Afghanistan who was a soft afghanis soft guy who went through the American Green Break course. And then he rowed more fat into helping get a bunch of other bunch of others. I don't know the final numbers, you know, a couple of hundred out through the Gate Abby Gate and till it blew up, obviously. And then about a month later he got a book deal from Simon and Schuster and he said, hey, I want you. I need your help. And I said, sure, what do you mean to do? It's like I need to do star major stuff. I need you to organize and accountability and write and edit and do everything all the coordinations and stuff.

So we worked on that for a while and then Operation Pinpal Express, the Afghan evacuation happened. He was part of the He started Operation Pipal Express to get this guy in a zomba out of Afghanistan who was a soft afghanis soft guy who went through the American Green Break course. And then he rowed more fat into helping get a bunch of other bunch of others. I don't know the final numbers, you know, a couple of hundred out through the Gate Abby Gate and till it blew up, obviously. And then about a month later he got a book deal from Simon and Schuster and he said, hey, I want you. I need your help. And I said, sure, what do you mean to do? It's like I need to do star major stuff. I need you to organize and accountability and write and edit and do everything all the coordinations and stuff.

Do everything sergeant major stuff. Do everything he's got.

Do everything sergeant major stuff. Do everything he's got.

He's got a business, he's got a run, he had a partner. I love it, and so he couldn't spend all his time on it, and he did take time off to do it, but I was helping him tweak it, you know, along the way. And we got some we got some bad deadlines. When you sign a contract to you know, with these publishing companies, usually you're like, this is what I'm going to turn into you and they're like great, And if they give you an advance of like we'll pay you one third upfront, we'll pay you one third when you give us the first draft, and we'll pay you one third when is published or something like that. Every contract's different. And we got down to the wire where it was like thirty days before it's tuo and we're only halfway finished. Because I that is our major, and I was like, hey, Accountability, do five chapters this week, and he'd give me two and I'm like, hey man, we're following behind. And then finally he's like, hey, we have to ask for an extension. I was like, I don't know a thing about that. That's your that's your deal, and when when they asked for an extension. The guy was like, we can do that, but here's how it goes. You know, we were gonna get it March thirtieth, and then we were gonna look at it and give it back to you to do reviews, and then you were gonna get we were going to have a third draft, and by then we were gonna have the cover and we're gonna have format it, we're gonna have the marketing team go, and then we're going to launch on August fifteenth. If we give an extension, all those dates are screwed up, and we already have books that are going to do stuff after years that we planned and we can't move those. So now your book gets moved to the end. We won't get published till December. So we'll get published in August when in the the annually the the annual day, the you know, the a year after the day of the evacuation, which is when of the best marketings for it. And so we're going to miss that big day and you're not going to get your the rest of your bonuses because you missed your deadline. And so he hung up, and Scott's like, hey, let's uh let's go. And so we knocked the rest of the half books like they turned in the day before, I think, and uh, and it was a mess.

He's got a business, he's got a run, he had a partner. I love it, and so he couldn't spend all his time on it, and he did take time off to do it, but I was helping him tweak it, you know, along the way. And we got some we got some bad deadlines. When you sign a contract to you know, with these publishing companies, usually you're like, this is what I'm going to turn into you and they're like great, And if they give you an advance of like we'll pay you one third upfront, we'll pay you one third when you give us the first draft, and we'll pay you one third when is published or something like that. Every contract's different. And we got down to the wire where it was like thirty days before it's tuo and we're only halfway finished. Because I that is our major, and I was like, hey, Accountability, do five chapters this week, and he'd give me two and I'm like, hey man, we're following behind. And then finally he's like, hey, we have to ask for an extension. I was like, I don't know a thing about that. That's your that's your deal, and when when they asked for an extension. The guy was like, we can do that, but here's how it goes. You know, we were gonna get it March thirtieth, and then we were gonna look at it and give it back to you to do reviews, and then you were gonna get we were going to have a third draft, and by then we were gonna have the cover and we're gonna have format it, we're gonna have the marketing team go, and then we're going to launch on August fifteenth. If we give an extension, all those dates are screwed up, and we already have books that are going to do stuff after years that we planned and we can't move those. So now your book gets moved to the end. We won't get published till December. So we'll get published in August when in the the annually the the annual day, the you know, the a year after the day of the evacuation, which is when of the best marketings for it. And so we're going to miss that big day and you're not going to get your the rest of your bonuses because you missed your deadline. And so he hung up, and Scott's like, hey, let's uh let's go. And so we knocked the rest of the half books like they turned in the day before, I think, and uh, and it was a mess.

Look at the power of motivation, right Like here we are kind of slugging along trying to get things done. All of a sudden, here's the fire under your ass and you're like, I got to get this done. And what do you want? What what happened? You guys got it done right? So it could have got done, could have got three days, three three a week, four a week, but all of a sudden at the last. Some people work better when it's like right at test time. Let's talk about my daughter for a second graduation high school. She's kicking butt, she's graduating early, but all of a sudden, she's like, I'm doing so good. I'm gonna slow down a little bit and maybe like do some things during school which I should go to school. And then all of a sudden, like, oh, hey, you're down a quarter of a credit and it's like, what are you doing? And she's sitting there doing package it's and like essays and submissions and counselor cons It's like, what are you doing? You know? I feel it? I feel it. It's just like deadlines, deadlines, deadlines, and those of us that are not good at deadlines, Boy, make sure you're signing the contract that works for you if you can't handle the deadline that's about to be presented.

Look at the power of motivation, right Like here we are kind of slugging along trying to get things done. All of a sudden, here's the fire under your ass and you're like, I got to get this done. And what do you want? What what happened? You guys got it done right? So it could have got done, could have got three days, three three a week, four a week, but all of a sudden at the last. Some people work better when it's like right at test time. Let's talk about my daughter for a second graduation high school. She's kicking butt, she's graduating early, but all of a sudden, she's like, I'm doing so good. I'm gonna slow down a little bit and maybe like do some things during school which I should go to school. And then all of a sudden, like, oh, hey, you're down a quarter of a credit and it's like, what are you doing? And she's sitting there doing package it's and like essays and submissions and counselor cons It's like, what are you doing? You know? I feel it? I feel it. It's just like deadlines, deadlines, deadlines, and those of us that are not good at deadlines, Boy, make sure you're signing the contract that works for you if you can't handle the deadline that's about to be presented.

That's the moral I tell That's why I tell everybody. They're like, hey, can you help me get a book deal? And I'm like, you're the only one that can to help yourself get a book. Go. I can help you write copy, to get an agent, to apply to a publishing company. I can help you do that, But your book stands on its own, your concept stands on its own, and then when you get to them to the deal, you need to figure out if that's really something you like. I didn't retire like that last month. Well, for the first two months I was still working fifty hour weeks. I was like one, am I back in the army. But that last month I must have been working eighty hour weeks or something that felt like it anymore. I was working my butt off to get it done.

That's the moral I tell That's why I tell everybody. They're like, hey, can you help me get a book deal? And I'm like, you're the only one that can to help yourself get a book. Go. I can help you write copy, to get an agent, to apply to a publishing company. I can help you do that, But your book stands on its own, your concept stands on its own, and then when you get to them to the deal, you need to figure out if that's really something you like. I didn't retire like that last month. Well, for the first two months I was still working fifty hour weeks. I was like one, am I back in the army. But that last month I must have been working eighty hour weeks or something that felt like it anymore. I was working my butt off to get it done.

Wow. And so what about you? What about a book just straight from you? From you? You know, I know you're reading and editing and copying, and you have a partner that helps you do that stuff. But what about you? Do you have something specific that we could talk about? A book?

Wow. And so what about you? What about a book just straight from you? From you? You know, I know you're reading and editing and copying, and you have a partner that helps you do that stuff. But what about you? Do you have something specific that we could talk about? A book?

So I got a couple of things. Let's let's talk. I do have a book that I'm working on, but I don't have a book out yet. I've been I've probably been doing this stuff for I mean as my full job after I got out, probably six or seven years now. Before that, after I got my master's, I was doing some stuff on the side while I was still in the military. But so I've been ghost writing. I got the fact I'm working on four books right now that I'm ghostwriting. I do book coaching, which is like someone comes to me with a concept and I'm like, and they say, how do I how do I make a how do I make a plan this out? How do I make an outline? How do I make this a compelling story? Where do I start? I also take full managecripts. I finished my third draft. My mom read it and then she said she loved it. I want to get a professional look at it, and so they'll send me that and I'll and I'll look at it and I'll take their I usually send thirty five pages back and say look, man, this is this is great. This could be better. The whole character arc could be changed a little bit to tweak a little bit and be a lot better. And here's some suggestions on how to do that. So those are the three things I mainly do. Probably about fifty percent of the people I work with our military ex military veteran of some sort. I just wrote a memoir for a Vietnam vet who flew sky raiders in Vietnam, you know, help helping a lot of the Green berets down there. It was a really great experience. The guys like eighty five or something. And he after he got out, he started a billion dollar gas station business and a bunch of other things, and he just wanted a memoir written about his life. And we worked on it for about a year and a half. It just it should It should come out of Amazon like next year. It's it's it's called uh I got it right here.

So I got a couple of things. Let's let's talk. I do have a book that I'm working on, but I don't have a book out yet. I've been I've probably been doing this stuff for I mean as my full job after I got out, probably six or seven years now. Before that, after I got my master's, I was doing some stuff on the side while I was still in the military. But so I've been ghost writing. I got the fact I'm working on four books right now that I'm ghostwriting. I do book coaching, which is like someone comes to me with a concept and I'm like, and they say, how do I how do I make a how do I make a plan this out? How do I make an outline? How do I make this a compelling story? Where do I start? I also take full managecripts. I finished my third draft. My mom read it and then she said she loved it. I want to get a professional look at it, and so they'll send me that and I'll and I'll look at it and I'll take their I usually send thirty five pages back and say look, man, this is this is great. This could be better. The whole character arc could be changed a little bit to tweak a little bit and be a lot better. And here's some suggestions on how to do that. So those are the three things I mainly do. Probably about fifty percent of the people I work with our military ex military veteran of some sort. I just wrote a memoir for a Vietnam vet who flew sky raiders in Vietnam, you know, help helping a lot of the Green berets down there. It was a really great experience. The guys like eighty five or something. And he after he got out, he started a billion dollar gas station business and a bunch of other things, and he just wanted a memoir written about his life. And we worked on it for about a year and a half. It just it should It should come out of Amazon like next year. It's it's it's called uh I got it right here.

Yeah, let's let's pitch it.

Yeah, let's let's pitch it.

Yeah, called life in the fast Lane. He was also he also he also raced commercially complaint planes in the Nevada and he blew his hand off, not in moar, he blew his hand offs messing with his plane and something defected and he blew his hand off and he had his big toes put up where his fingers are. And while he was healing, he was still that year, he still wanted to race, and so he had to get some guys, had to come down and check them out so make sure he went the safety violation. And they got in the back seat and he's he's flying and they're like, well, I mean you're okay to do this. He's like yeah, yeah, yeah, he's flying basically with one hand, like he's got the throttle and he's got the thing, and it's like, you know, he's and they're like this safe, like shut up, and then they they land. He's like, that was amazing. I've never seen anything like that in my life. And they're like, but I don't know if I can like as goodwill and good Will sign off on you as being safe. He's like, did I did I meet all your checklists? He's like, well, yeah, but you only have one hand. He's like, did a metric checklist? You know you don't want to be sue you'd be checking yes. And then he flew and he didn't win. He didn't win that year. I think he came fifth or sixth and his in his cracket. But but he went on to fly later on, after I got the operation and everything, he went on to fly. He's still flying, well, he's still flying, but he flies with people now because after you turn over eighty five, I think they won't let you fly by yourself anymore for obvious reasons.

Yeah, called life in the fast Lane. He was also he also he also raced commercially complaint planes in the Nevada and he blew his hand off, not in moar, he blew his hand offs messing with his plane and something defected and he blew his hand off and he had his big toes put up where his fingers are. And while he was healing, he was still that year, he still wanted to race, and so he had to get some guys, had to come down and check them out so make sure he went the safety violation. And they got in the back seat and he's he's flying and they're like, well, I mean you're okay to do this. He's like yeah, yeah, yeah, he's flying basically with one hand, like he's got the throttle and he's got the thing, and it's like, you know, he's and they're like this safe, like shut up, and then they they land. He's like, that was amazing. I've never seen anything like that in my life. And they're like, but I don't know if I can like as goodwill and good Will sign off on you as being safe. He's like, did I did I meet all your checklists? He's like, well, yeah, but you only have one hand. He's like, did a metric checklist? You know you don't want to be sue you'd be checking yes. And then he flew and he didn't win. He didn't win that year. I think he came fifth or sixth and his in his cracket. But but he went on to fly later on, after I got the operation and everything, he went on to fly. He's still flying, well, he's still flying, but he flies with people now because after you turn over eighty five, I think they won't let you fly by yourself anymore for obvious reasons.

Sounds like a movie, dude, Dude.

Sounds like a movie, dude, Dude.

I told him we needed to write, we needed to figure out how to make this into a movie. We're thinking of, well, I'll talk to me about it again.

I told him we needed to write, we needed to figure out how to make this into a movie. We're thinking of, well, I'll talk to me about it again.

But it reminds me of the World's Fastest Indian, which I was in, which is about an older guy that goes out to the Utah Salt Flats and racist his Indian motorcycle and breaks the land speed record. But he's like, oh, where are these tires? From the safety guy, He's like, I carved him with my knife. He's like, what is this? Is this a cork? He's like, yeah, from a brandy bottle. It's in his gas tank. He's like, what the hell are we gonna let you race? And he wound up breaking the land speed record, right, And what a great movie to be a part of. I was really happy to be just the feature. I was a featured extra as an official who said driver safety meeting in two minutes in the background, and so you know, and then when they're doing the whole checkup, you know, I have a clipboard and I got my pencil and no hair right, nothing at all. I look like babyface rat and I'm like just marking down. When he's like, is this a brandy bottle? He's like, what are these? Did you cut these with your tires? So we filmed that for seven days out on the salt Flats. I gotta work with Tony Sir Anthony Hopkins, really great guy. He's like, he's like, what's your name? I said, it's Aaron. He's like, say it one more time to me. I won't forget it. It's like, it's Aaron. He's like, I'm Tony. So the whole time we're sitting there, what's up right? And then the scene happens and one of the actors in the scene kept forgetting his lines. Dude just kept forgetting it and blowing it off and laughing about it, and Tony's like, what's your motivation? He asked the actor, what's your motivation? In the scene, right now. He's like, listen, I got the part, I got the script. I flew here, I'm gonna fly home and there's gonna be a paycheck in my mailbox. That's what he told Tony. And Tony looks at me and he goes it was Aaron right. It's like Tony right, It's like, bro, give me the dialogue. Like Tony puts everything into his you know, he's like, what are you doing in the scene to me, dude, do you know I have an Academy award Now that reminds me of of your eighty five year old one handed pilot friend, you know, like air pirates are something I don't know. That's awesome.

But it reminds me of the World's Fastest Indian, which I was in, which is about an older guy that goes out to the Utah Salt Flats and racist his Indian motorcycle and breaks the land speed record. But he's like, oh, where are these tires? From the safety guy, He's like, I carved him with my knife. He's like, what is this? Is this a cork? He's like, yeah, from a brandy bottle. It's in his gas tank. He's like, what the hell are we gonna let you race? And he wound up breaking the land speed record, right, And what a great movie to be a part of. I was really happy to be just the feature. I was a featured extra as an official who said driver safety meeting in two minutes in the background, and so you know, and then when they're doing the whole checkup, you know, I have a clipboard and I got my pencil and no hair right, nothing at all. I look like babyface rat and I'm like just marking down. When he's like, is this a brandy bottle? He's like, what are these? Did you cut these with your tires? So we filmed that for seven days out on the salt Flats. I gotta work with Tony Sir Anthony Hopkins, really great guy. He's like, he's like, what's your name? I said, it's Aaron. He's like, say it one more time to me. I won't forget it. It's like, it's Aaron. He's like, I'm Tony. So the whole time we're sitting there, what's up right? And then the scene happens and one of the actors in the scene kept forgetting his lines. Dude just kept forgetting it and blowing it off and laughing about it, and Tony's like, what's your motivation? He asked the actor, what's your motivation? In the scene, right now. He's like, listen, I got the part, I got the script. I flew here, I'm gonna fly home and there's gonna be a paycheck in my mailbox. That's what he told Tony. And Tony looks at me and he goes it was Aaron right. It's like Tony right, It's like, bro, give me the dialogue. Like Tony puts everything into his you know, he's like, what are you doing in the scene to me, dude, do you know I have an Academy award Now that reminds me of of your eighty five year old one handed pilot friend, you know, like air pirates are something I don't know. That's awesome.

He's awesome, and he just like flew to Africa. He's still flying around with his family's playing this stuff. But yeah, so fifty percent of the guys I work with their military, you know, they come to me all the time. Like, I just finished another one. It was what it was. It just came out. That was the name of the book. Was what it was by Dan Pace. Daniel Pace, and uh it was it was about his time in a round and he was a Green Beret too, but before he was a Green Beray. He was he was in the cab unit and they went to Iraq and he he just wanted to tell a story because he didn't feel like the stories that were coming out were telling the story that he lived. So he wanted to tell his story about uh, you know, working working in through through with and UH the the uh the Iraqi you know, UH leadership and a village that he was working with or in a city that he was working in. So that's so we worked through that. But the big thing with that is, right, it's all about your verbiage, the vocabulary you're using. Are you how are you going to present that to people who aren't military, who aren't going to understand what you're talking about. And then it's also writing really compelling scenes, like starting your scene with something that the first sentence of every scene of every chapter captures the hooks the audience with a bunch of questions to where I went, like today was today was hell? Okay, that's a great start, Right, that's a good sentence, like why is it help? Where the hell is he? Who is this guy? You know you're asking all these questions. The more questions you can get the reader to ask, that he's going to read the chapter, he's going to figure it out, right, and then if you end the chapter with another hook, he's like, but that wasn't my worst day, or you know, just as an example, oh yeah, well what what what worse?

He's awesome, and he just like flew to Africa. He's still flying around with his family's playing this stuff. But yeah, so fifty percent of the guys I work with their military, you know, they come to me all the time. Like, I just finished another one. It was what it was. It just came out. That was the name of the book. Was what it was by Dan Pace. Daniel Pace, and uh it was it was about his time in a round and he was a Green Beret too, but before he was a Green Beray. He was he was in the cab unit and they went to Iraq and he he just wanted to tell a story because he didn't feel like the stories that were coming out were telling the story that he lived. So he wanted to tell his story about uh, you know, working working in through through with and UH the the uh the Iraqi you know, UH leadership and a village that he was working with or in a city that he was working in. So that's so we worked through that. But the big thing with that is, right, it's all about your verbiage, the vocabulary you're using. Are you how are you going to present that to people who aren't military, who aren't going to understand what you're talking about. And then it's also writing really compelling scenes, like starting your scene with something that the first sentence of every scene of every chapter captures the hooks the audience with a bunch of questions to where I went, like today was today was hell? Okay, that's a great start, Right, that's a good sentence, like why is it help? Where the hell is he? Who is this guy? You know you're asking all these questions. The more questions you can get the reader to ask, that he's going to read the chapter, he's going to figure it out, right, and then if you end the chapter with another hook, he's like, but that wasn't my worst day, or you know, just as an example, oh yeah, well what what what worse?

What could be worse for that?

What could be worse for that?

The idea is you hook them so that it becomes that one and you're sitting in your bed and you're reading. It's like, I'm just gonna read another chapter. It's like, oh shit, what worse could happen? It's like and then you know, then you get another hook and you're like, ohit, I gotta read this chapter first, you know. And that's the idea. So a good example of this is there's an article, overally old article about Anne Rice Interview with a Vampire. All those horror books, right, and uh, she wrote Interview with Vampire and she couldn't get anyone to buy the damn thing. And everyone's like it's not compelling, is enough? It's not exciting, and she's like, I'm tired of these these these responses. I'm going to write a hook on every damn page and when they turn the page, they can't stop but read the whole page before they I.

The idea is you hook them so that it becomes that one and you're sitting in your bed and you're reading. It's like, I'm just gonna read another chapter. It's like, oh shit, what worse could happen? It's like and then you know, then you get another hook and you're like, ohit, I gotta read this chapter first, you know. And that's the idea. So a good example of this is there's an article, overally old article about Anne Rice Interview with a Vampire. All those horror books, right, and uh, she wrote Interview with Vampire and she couldn't get anyone to buy the damn thing. And everyone's like it's not compelling, is enough? It's not exciting, and she's like, I'm tired of these these these responses. I'm going to write a hook on every damn page and when they turn the page, they can't stop but read the whole page before they I.

Just wrote, here, hook them every single page.

Just wrote, here, hook them every single page.

I'm gonna do it for every single page. So she wrote it, and then she got accepted, right, and they made it hardback and it sold like hotcakes. And then when the paperback verst usually the paperback takes a year or so to come out, right, so the paperback comes this before digital books. Right now, digital books is all screwed up. But if you do it for the chapter to see, at least you're in the right direction. But her case, when it came out in paperback, the formatting was not the same as a hardback, so the hooks weren't at the top of every page anymore, and that paperbacks weren't selling very well. And the publishers were like, I don't know what happened. She's like, I'll see what happened. You screwed up my books because I wrote a hook on every page, and now there's not a hook on every page because then now it's the formatting is all weird. So they released these large paperback versions so that there's a hook on every page again, and she sold a lot more books. So I don't know if that's urban legend, but it's a really good story and it makes sense, so I tell it whenever I can.

I'm gonna do it for every single page. So she wrote it, and then she got accepted, right, and they made it hardback and it sold like hotcakes. And then when the paperback verst usually the paperback takes a year or so to come out, right, so the paperback comes this before digital books. Right now, digital books is all screwed up. But if you do it for the chapter to see, at least you're in the right direction. But her case, when it came out in paperback, the formatting was not the same as a hardback, so the hooks weren't at the top of every page anymore, and that paperbacks weren't selling very well. And the publishers were like, I don't know what happened. She's like, I'll see what happened. You screwed up my books because I wrote a hook on every page, and now there's not a hook on every page because then now it's the formatting is all weird. So they released these large paperback versions so that there's a hook on every page again, and she sold a lot more books. So I don't know if that's urban legend, but it's a really good story and it makes sense, so I tell it whenever I can.

I talked to so many folks who write books and you know, and these publishers who asked me to get their authors on all the time. And one of them is like, hey, rad, let us know if you ever think about it. And I was like, well, who hasn't thought about it, you know? Or I don't know, I have thought about it. Coming from a movie acting background, you know, it's like I'd rather write almost a movie, you know, about things or something like that. It's but there's always the book to movie like Rambo, you know, hello first Blood.

I talked to so many folks who write books and you know, and these publishers who asked me to get their authors on all the time. And one of them is like, hey, rad, let us know if you ever think about it. And I was like, well, who hasn't thought about it, you know? Or I don't know, I have thought about it. Coming from a movie acting background, you know, it's like I'd rather write almost a movie, you know, about things or something like that. It's but there's always the book to movie like Rambo, you know, hello first Blood.

But a good story is a good story right when I teach. When I teach, so I'm part of the skiel Bridge program, which is you know, transitioning that, you know, transitioning military any service when they get out, if their chance of command lets them, they can spend two to four months with me and they don't have to work at all. They don't show up for work at all. They get paid their normal pay and they just we work online and we meet once a week and we talk about if they want to be a writer. I'll read their stuff. I'll read a chapter, we'll talk analyze their chapters and stuff like that. If they want to be an editor like I am, I'll say this is this was my It's not everyone's path. This is my path. I will you know, it'll be my intern. I'll teach you what I know. We'll do some clients together, and then you go on your way. If I have to find your own clients, that's the hardest part, and then you can maybe make some money at least hip hocket money if nothing else, or make a career like I do. Either way, but I tell that, I tell them all. I'm like, hey, you got you gotta you know, take this like a job. You got to cheat like a job. You got to figure out you know, your clients, you got to figure out your finances, and then you got to do the work. And obviously there's some balance in there. And it's just like but also when you write books, it's the same thing nowadays because there's so many books out there. So there was this court case. You may not be familiar with it. I think it was twenty twenty. Penguin was trying to buy Simon Schuster. I think is what happened. A friend of mine just send me this substack. But I have the article that I read, and basically the court, the court was like, is this a monopoly if Penguin buys it? And because Penguin's a big one time issues is a big one if one buys the other, or do now have the big four publishers instead of the big five? And is this a monopoly? It was like a one point two billion dollar deal at a time or something like that. And so they had a big They brought all the evidence in and all it was all available to the public, like what's selling, who's buying?

But a good story is a good story right when I teach. When I teach, so I'm part of the skiel Bridge program, which is you know, transitioning that, you know, transitioning military any service when they get out, if their chance of command lets them, they can spend two to four months with me and they don't have to work at all. They don't show up for work at all. They get paid their normal pay and they just we work online and we meet once a week and we talk about if they want to be a writer. I'll read their stuff. I'll read a chapter, we'll talk analyze their chapters and stuff like that. If they want to be an editor like I am, I'll say this is this was my It's not everyone's path. This is my path. I will you know, it'll be my intern. I'll teach you what I know. We'll do some clients together, and then you go on your way. If I have to find your own clients, that's the hardest part, and then you can maybe make some money at least hip hocket money if nothing else, or make a career like I do. Either way, but I tell that, I tell them all. I'm like, hey, you got you gotta you know, take this like a job. You got to cheat like a job. You got to figure out you know, your clients, you got to figure out your finances, and then you got to do the work. And obviously there's some balance in there. And it's just like but also when you write books, it's the same thing nowadays because there's so many books out there. So there was this court case. You may not be familiar with it. I think it was twenty twenty. Penguin was trying to buy Simon Schuster. I think is what happened. A friend of mine just send me this substack. But I have the article that I read, and basically the court, the court was like, is this a monopoly if Penguin buys it? And because Penguin's a big one time issues is a big one if one buys the other, or do now have the big four publishers instead of the big five? And is this a monopoly? It was like a one point two billion dollar deal at a time or something like that. And so they had a big They brought all the evidence in and all it was all available to the public, like what's selling, who's buying?

What?

What?

How many books are people selling?

How many books are people selling?

Right?

Right?

And what they found was like ninety percent of the books out there don't sell more than two thousand copies. Okay, so if you make five bucks a copy, then you made ten thousand dollars. If you ate ten thousand dollars and you paid me to edit your book, you probably paid me two thousand and three thousand dollars, depending on how many times you want me to edit it. If you paid a copy editor, you paid ninety three thousand dollars. If you got some book art, you know you got it, paid three or four hundred dollars for that. If you got some of the format, your book you paid, and then all that goes up, and then was the ten dollars you made fifty bucks you made fifteen hundred bucks. Right, So there's a lot of exceptions which is taxed. Yep, there's a lot of exceptions obviously. I mean Tim Kennedy Scars and Stripes, pretty well written book about Tim Kennedy, had a big following. That's the thing right now. Right writers like I'm going to write a gret book, people are gonna red it. They're gonna love having to make a lot of money. You almost have to be in social media nowadays. You almost I mean you have to kind of bring a following with you to the publisher if you want to do that. If you want to self publish, you can do it that way too. But you know that if you look at if you think about what publishers are doing for your marketing, they have a small marketing unit. They're going to push your book for that first month because that's when you're gonna get most your sales. Push that book for the first month, But then they got to move on to the next book or the next book, right, and so there they're after that first month, you're kind of it you're going to be going on podcasts, you're going to be doing book signings. But it's all your money. You're gonna fly there and get a hotel and book sign You're gonna call the podcast. You're going to call rad and go, hey, man, can I write a book? And that's the way you're going to do it. If if you if you don't go with a publisher. So publishers take like eighty five percent of your profit. Right, I don't know if everyone knows that, but that's a lot, right. But they're going to do the editing, they're going to do the the art, they're going to do the title. They're also going to take final say on the title and the cover art and stuff like that. They're also going to and then, uh, they got to do a timeout. You's frozen, I think, yeah, there you are.

And what they found was like ninety percent of the books out there don't sell more than two thousand copies. Okay, so if you make five bucks a copy, then you made ten thousand dollars. If you ate ten thousand dollars and you paid me to edit your book, you probably paid me two thousand and three thousand dollars, depending on how many times you want me to edit it. If you paid a copy editor, you paid ninety three thousand dollars. If you got some book art, you know you got it, paid three or four hundred dollars for that. If you got some of the format, your book you paid, and then all that goes up, and then was the ten dollars you made fifty bucks you made fifteen hundred bucks. Right, So there's a lot of exceptions which is taxed. Yep, there's a lot of exceptions obviously. I mean Tim Kennedy Scars and Stripes, pretty well written book about Tim Kennedy, had a big following. That's the thing right now. Right writers like I'm going to write a gret book, people are gonna red it. They're gonna love having to make a lot of money. You almost have to be in social media nowadays. You almost I mean you have to kind of bring a following with you to the publisher if you want to do that. If you want to self publish, you can do it that way too. But you know that if you look at if you think about what publishers are doing for your marketing, they have a small marketing unit. They're going to push your book for that first month because that's when you're gonna get most your sales. Push that book for the first month, But then they got to move on to the next book or the next book, right, and so there they're after that first month, you're kind of it you're going to be going on podcasts, you're going to be doing book signings. But it's all your money. You're gonna fly there and get a hotel and book sign You're gonna call the podcast. You're going to call rad and go, hey, man, can I write a book? And that's the way you're going to do it. If if you if you don't go with a publisher. So publishers take like eighty five percent of your profit. Right, I don't know if everyone knows that, but that's a lot, right. But they're going to do the editing, they're going to do the the art, they're going to do the title. They're also going to take final say on the title and the cover art and stuff like that. They're also going to and then, uh, they got to do a timeout. You's frozen, I think, yeah, there you are.

Oh no I'm still here. No, I'm just listening. Yes, I'm still listening. No, no time out. I'm just like I am right, I am your student right now, so as my listener.

Oh no I'm still here. No, I'm just listening. Yes, I'm still listening. No, no time out. I'm just like I am right, I am your student right now, so as my listener.

So you know, so where was I Man, damn it.

So you know, so where was I Man, damn it.

No, no, no, no, there's no time now. So what you're saying is that eighty five percent of profit.

No, no, no, no, there's no time now. So what you're saying is that eighty five percent of profit.

So the publishing a publisher you've got usually you have to have an agent. It's a good idea to have an agent. It's just going to take fifteen percent of your profit all right around, you know, depending on the contract. But that's average. Then if they find a publisher, the Big five, the Big four, now whatever, they're going to take eighty five percent of your profit, and your agent is going to get fifteen percent of that fifteen percent. So now you're getting like whatever, thirteen percent, and the publishing company is going to work on your cover for you, work on a little bit of a marketing thing going on. They're going to do the formatting, and they're going to get it into all the different you know, the hardbacks, soft back, you know, and paper or ebook and stuff like that. They're going to do a lot of that stuff for you. But their marketing is just a small window and it's you and you can bring whatever you bring the table. They're going to use that. They're like, thanks God, you brought all this to table. You'll read about people that they paid one point five million dollars to Colleen Hoover for her book, probably more than that, because Colleen Hoover is the most probably the best selling romance author ever. She last year, she had like five books on the best seller list for like a year. She's like raking in the dough, right, but she brings. She is the TikTok queen, that's what they call her. And she she started as a self published author. She's selling TikTok and and so when she goes to the table her she does her own marketing. I mean they spend a little bit. They paid her whatever, a couple million dollars for the book, and then they spend like maybe twenty thousand dollars for some marketing or whatever. But she's a TikTok. She's got all these followers and she's selling the book, and they're just helping her with all the other stuff because she can't be bothered with it. And she probably gets a lot better than in eighty five because they know they're going to make millions of dollars from her. So they're like, how about you guys take twenty. I don't know what the deal is, right, I don't have no idea what these big guys go. But if they've got guaranteed millions of dollars selling their books, you know, I'll take twenty percent of that, So I'm sure they went too.

So the publishing a publisher you've got usually you have to have an agent. It's a good idea to have an agent. It's just going to take fifteen percent of your profit all right around, you know, depending on the contract. But that's average. Then if they find a publisher, the Big five, the Big four, now whatever, they're going to take eighty five percent of your profit, and your agent is going to get fifteen percent of that fifteen percent. So now you're getting like whatever, thirteen percent, and the publishing company is going to work on your cover for you, work on a little bit of a marketing thing going on. They're going to do the formatting, and they're going to get it into all the different you know, the hardbacks, soft back, you know, and paper or ebook and stuff like that. They're going to do a lot of that stuff for you. But their marketing is just a small window and it's you and you can bring whatever you bring the table. They're going to use that. They're like, thanks God, you brought all this to table. You'll read about people that they paid one point five million dollars to Colleen Hoover for her book, probably more than that, because Colleen Hoover is the most probably the best selling romance author ever. She last year, she had like five books on the best seller list for like a year. She's like raking in the dough, right, but she brings. She is the TikTok queen, that's what they call her. And she she started as a self published author. She's selling TikTok and and so when she goes to the table her she does her own marketing. I mean they spend a little bit. They paid her whatever, a couple million dollars for the book, and then they spend like maybe twenty thousand dollars for some marketing or whatever. But she's a TikTok. She's got all these followers and she's selling the book, and they're just helping her with all the other stuff because she can't be bothered with it. And she probably gets a lot better than in eighty five because they know they're going to make millions of dollars from her. So they're like, how about you guys take twenty. I don't know what the deal is, right, I don't have no idea what these big guys go. But if they've got guaranteed millions of dollars selling their books, you know, I'll take twenty percent of that, So I'm sure they went too.

Right, right, right, seriously, But then when you start thinking about twenty percent, you're like, let me think about that for a second. Let's go with fifty percent, right. You know, It's like, if you're that person and you're busting out and hustling and they've got top five spots in the top ten categories of the best seller of New York Times and she's going out.

Right, right, right, seriously, But then when you start thinking about twenty percent, you're like, let me think about that for a second. Let's go with fifty percent, right. You know, It's like, if you're that person and you're busting out and hustling and they've got top five spots in the top ten categories of the best seller of New York Times and she's going out.

We'll take twenty percent to twenty million any day, right.

We'll take twenty percent to twenty million any day, right.

So any day? Yeah? I mean seriously, right.

So any day? Yeah? I mean seriously, right.

Yeah, But the thing going back to ninety percent of the books sell like two thousand, not you know, only two thousand in the life of their book. Now I think that, I mean, I'm pretty sure that represents published books by publishers, not self published books. Right, So if you look at self published books, there's there's this thing called twenty Books to fifty k. It's a Facebook group. Awesome, very generous with knowledge. Everyone in there wants to just help everyone else get better, be better as authors and do their books. I can't remember the man who started it. He sold it since its inception, but he it started only like seven or eight years ago. Started small basically using all these forums for writers. Hey, how do you write better? Blah blah blah. He's like, hey, let's talk about find it. How do we mark books better? Is like, you're not an artist, you know, write your book. They'll come. And he's like, I don't think that's true. I think if we market it, they'll definitely come. And they're like, and they kind of I'm probably making light of the whole thing. But basically, the way I understand the situation is they're like, you know, you're not an artist. You know, we don't want to talk about the marketing. So he made his own group, twenty Books to fifty K. The reason it was called twenty Books to fifty k was the idea is you sell twenty books, you market it correctly, so you're selling eight or ten books, you know a day from each of the twenty, you'll make about fifty k a year, which is a Liverpool wage eight years ago. Right, So now it should be twenty books to eighty k or something. But books sell for more too, right. So that was the concept and he started, you know, everyone started joining. He's got I don't know how many people. How many people are on his Facebook group now, but he has these big vague one week Vegas seminars with you know, all the publishers are coming and everyone trying to help the the self published people get self published with various different new gizmos and apps and and uh platforms and things like that, and that they had one here in Sevilla where I live. I live in Sevia, Spain right now, and they had one here in Spain like a couple of months ago, and I went to that one too. But but you know, that is so even if you're if you're so, if you're published traditionally, you're you're giving you know, eighty five eighty seven percent of your stuff away to your agent, your publisher, if you're if you're publishing yourself publishing and you're doing it, you know, even if you're not doing successfully, if you're doing it, you're making Like so, Amazon's going to take thirty percent of your ebook, They're going to take forty percent of your paperback. They're going to take forty or fifty percent of your audible book. And that doesn't count include all the money you put into it with the editors and that artist for your cover and things like that. Now there's something that So that was the way three or four years ago. That was that was what you self published. You're still giving away thirty forty percent, but that's twice as much as you were making from them. So if you've got your own following and you're building it because you've got social media and TikTok and Instagram and your web page, and you get a newsletter out which has got your you know, your name list and all that stuff, and you start building this slowly over four or five years, getting your twenty books out there and building this list of people who enjoy your work, then then you can ideally make a wage, a livable wage as an author. And some people are making hundreds of thousands of dollars as they never published through traditional publishing because they make so much more money doing it themselves, and they've built their own little author empire. Romance, you know, there's one, this one lady has books based on Plin Eastwood movies with cyborgs and they're romances and she's making a lot of money doing that. And then there's one that has romances with different aliens and each book starts with a different letter, and that's her deal. And she's written twenty six of them or whatever, so you know, there are these things out there that people are doing. And then the Jack Reacher guy. You know, he was a lawyer and he wanted to be a writer and he wrote The Jack Reacher and it's a pretty good book series and gets kind of repetitive in my opinion after a while. But you know, they got a TV series, they got movies with Tom Cruise in it. It did really well, even though even though rad he's an English author and he really kind of messed up the character in my opinion, but no one seems to mind. Military people read it kind of upset, you know that he is who he is. But but I remember reading an article he's like, yeah, so I made him. You know, I made an MP because MP's have to arrest Green Berets and Delta Force and Rangers and seals, so they have to be batter than them. They have to be stronger and better shots, and they have to be able to take them. And I was like, what the hell is he talking about? So take us because they get us when we're drunk and there's like.