Can Authors Make Actual Money In 2026? w/ Alyssa Matesic

<p>Alyssa Matesic spent years working in traditional publishing before she noticed something surprising: aspiring authors had endless questions about book deals, advances, agents, and the business of publishing - but very few people were giving straight answers.</p><p>What started as sharing publishing insights online grew into a thriving YouTube community of nearly 170,000 followers. Today, she&#39;s one of the internet&#39;s most trusted voices on the realities of modern authorship.</p><p>On today&#39;s episode, she shares:</p><p>• What authors actually earn, and the truth about advances, royalties, and book deal economics</p><p>• Whether you really need a large platform or social media following to land a publishing deal</p><p>• How literary agents decide which projects to represent</p><p>• What surprised her most about growing a YouTube audience from scratch and building a business around helping writers</p><p>Follow Two Cents / STS on all socials @SalaryTransparentStreet and @twocents.sts. Follow Hannah on IG @hannahwilliamsllc, TikTok @hannahwill3ams. Follow James on IG @sts.bts.</p>