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"Just because I think it's so interesting through your life how your relationship to money changes and how your experience with money changes and how already there's been kind of patterns of women not being taken seriously around this topic."
Ah guys I know I say this every time but it was a DELIGHT to meet Keris. Keris was one of the first people I met here on Substack through my pal and we reached Substack bestseller (101 paid subs) at the same time back in October 2023.
It was in the heady days of growth where I thought everyone was my colleague and friend online - oh wait…
Anyway, is a gem and on a one woman missing to spread more joy about lots of things including money, chocolate moose bears and Harry Styles. We don’t shy away from the money chat in this episode and we hope our way of speaking transparently is helpful.
“Most books don’t earn out their advance, that’s the reality.”
AUTHOR BIO - Keris Fox is the bestselling author of fourteen novels, including adult and YA romcoms and one Christmas novel for younger readers that is not a romance, but does star a talking pug. Her first non-fiction title, The Harry Styles Effect, both a fandom memoir and celebration of Styles, will be published in March 2025.
Keris writes two Substacks: her author newsletter, Happy Endings, and The Ladybird Purse, where she interviews women about money and shares her own money misadventures. Keris and her two sons recently moved back to the seaside town she grew up in. She'll never say no to fish and chips on the beach.
"The biggest advance I got a few years ago was £9000 for one book and I was delighted!
Then publication was another year after that so it worked out at more like two and a half grand a year over three years. You celebrate the advance, you forget that you've still got to write the bloody book as well."
Shop all the books over at Keris website.
Timestamped overview
00:00 UK book publishing industry busy with timelines.
07:16 Low advances, high royalties, successful book sales.
15:24 Marriage, financial independence, and the challenges.
16:23 Interviewing women across decades about money, experiences.
21:50 Challenges of managing finances with limited income.
29:34 Author reflects on book advances and upbringing.
35:52 Industry workers navigating economic decisions and emotions.
41:20 Free content, follow-ups, and expert interviews.
45:14 Link to Keris, compile articles, talk money.
51:04 Value proposition for paid content is crucial.
55:27 Author documents writing process and personal memories.
01:02:58 Building connections, feeling less alone in navigating.
Other links we mentioned
The chocolate bear…
We hope you enjoy this episode and would love to hear from you in the comments.
Claire and Keris!
Thank you to my WONDERFUL 💎 Diamond Members for sponsoring season 2 of the podcast.
Will Write for Money. Stories for Substack audiences with author Keris Fox