Title: From Book Idea to Book Deal: My Full Publishing Timeline

Title: From Book Idea to Book Deal: My Full Publishing Timeline

Most people think a book happens overnight. Mine took seven years from first idea to pub date — and every single step had a strategy behind it. In this episode, I’m breaking down my complete book journey timeline, starting in 2019 when 7-Figure Educator was just an outline for a Harvard doctoral independent study, all the way to June 16, 2026, when the book officially publishes. This is the hidden curriculum that nobody talks about. Not just writing the book — but the audience-building, the proposal, the agents, the offers, and everything that happens after you sign a deal. What I cover: * How I practiced writing a book proposal as a Harvard doctoral student in 2019 * Why I spent all of 2023 building my audience before writing a single word of the proposal * How my audience grew from 10,000 to 170,000 in three years * The 8 months it took me to write the book proposal (January to August 2024) * How I pitched agents, signed with my dream agent, and received 3 publishing offers all in the same year * Why I chose Hay House and signed my deal at the end of December 2024 * The full manuscript process: writing, illustrator, cover designer, copy editing, and audio book recording Pre-order 7-Figure Educator: www.7FEBook.com Subscribe for more book launch strategy, business behind-the-scenes, and the blueprint for building a seven-figure education business. 7-Figure Educator Podcast | Season 5, Episode 4 Most people think a book happens overnight. Mine took seven years from first idea to pub date — and every single step had a strategy behind it. In this episode, I’m breaking down my complete book journey timeline, starting in 2019 when 7-Figure Educator was just an outline for a Harvard doctoral independent study, all the way to June 16, 2026, when the book officially publishes. This is the hidden curriculum that nobody talks about. Not just writing the book — but the audience-building, the proposal, the agents, the offers, and everything that happens after you sign a deal. What I cover: * How I practiced writing a book proposal as a Harvard doctoral student in 2019 * Why I spent all of 2023 building my audience before writing a single word of the proposal * How my audience grew from 10,000 to 170,000 in three years * The 8 months it took me to write the book proposal (January to August 2024) * How I pitched agents, signed with my dream agent, and received 3 publishing offers all in the same year * Why I chose Hay House and signed my deal at the end of December 2024 * The full manuscript process: writing, illustrator, cover designer, copy editing, and audio book recording Pre-order 7-Figure Educator: www.7FEBook.com Subscribe for more book launch strategy, business behind-the-scenes, and the blueprint for building a seven-figure education business. 7-Figure Educator Podcast | Season 5, Episode 4

Built My Book Tour 4 Years Before My Book Launched

Most authors plan the tour after the book. I planned mine before. Four years before 7-Figure Educator published, I was already on the road building the infrastructure, the relationships, and the community I would need for launch day. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on exactly how I built a 12-city book tour strategy — starting with just 4 cities in 2023. This is what strategic planning actually looks like in practice: not a vision board moment, but bricks laid one year at a time. What I cover: * Why I started touring in 2023 when my book wasn’t launching until 2026 * How I scaled from 4 cities to 8 to 12 using a brick-laying strategy * The exact data I used to pick my tour cities: social analytics and email list reports * My popup strategy for testing new cities before committing to a full tour stop * How VIP dinners help me deepen relationships in anchor cities * Why I’m dropping 2026 tour stops in chapters instead of all at once * The strategic hire I made to manage 12 in-person events this year Pre-order 7-Figure Educator: www.7FEBook.com Subscribe for more book launch strategy, business behind-the-scenes, and the blueprint for building a seven-figure education business. 7-Figure Educator Podcast | Season 5, Episode 3

The Anatomy of a Book Proposal – What Book Publishers Want to See

A book proposal isn’t about talent. It’s about clarity, market demand, and strategy. In this episode, I’m breaking down the full anatomy of a book proposal — and what traditional publishers are actually evaluating when they decide to invest in your book. Here’s the truth most aspiring authors don’t know: a publisher isn’t asking if you can write. They’re asking if you can sell. Your book proposal is your sales plan — and the stronger it is, the bigger the deal you can negotiate. I walk through every section of the book proposal I submitted to land a six-figure traditional publishing deal for 7-Figure Educator, publishing June 16, 2026. What we cover: Why a book proposal is a sales plan for you and your audience — not your book How publishers use the 10% rule to project how many books you can sell Why I chose traditional publishing and how I negotiated a six-figure advance The 6 sections of a complete book proposal, broken down step by step Why the marketing plan is the gold ticket of the entire proposal Pre-order 7-Figure Educator: www.7FEbook.com Subscribe for more business strategy, book launch tips, and the behind-the-scenes of building a seven-figure education business. 7-Figure Educator Podcast | Season 5, Episode 2

Building a Team to Support a Book Launch - Who I Hired and Why

Building a book launch team is one of the most overlooked parts of becoming a bestselling author. In this episode, Dr. Erica Jordan Thomas breaks down the exact 5 hires she made to execute her New York Times bestselling book launch for "7-Figure Educator." From hiring a book coach with a proven blueprint to bringing on a full-time marketing manager, brand designer, web designer, and editorial partner - this is the real behind-the-scenes of what it actually takes to launch a book at scale. If you're an educator, coach, or consultant writing a book - or already in the process - this episode will shift how you think about your team and your launch strategy. What we cover: * Why a book launch is really a 12-month marketing campaign * The difference between a marketing coordinator and a marketing manager * Why your book needs its own brand kit * What an editorial partner actually does (and why you need one) * The founder vs. CEO mindset shift that changes everything Pre-order Seven Figure Educator: www.7FEbook.com Subscribe for more business strategy, book launch tips, and the behind-the-scenes of building a seven-figure education business. Seven Figure Educator Podcast | Season 5, Episode 1

Season 5 | 7-Figure Educator Podcast | My New York Times Book Launch Blueprint

Season 5 of the 7-Figure Educator Podcast is here — and this time, we are going all the way to the New York Times bestseller list. I am Dr. Erica Jordan Thomas: former teacher, former principal, Harvard grad, and full-time entrepreneur. And this season, I am taking you inside every single piece of my New York Times bestselling book launch for 7-Figure Educator. The goal: sell 15,000 copies in six months. The average book sells 2,000 in its entire lifetime. We are not doing average. This season covers: • The 5-person team I built to make this launch possible — and why each hire mattered • The marketing strategy behind a 12-month book launch campaign • The founder-to-CEO mindset shift every entrepreneur needs to make • The behind-the-scenes of working with a publisher and managing a full manuscript • What it actually takes to go from educator to New York Times bestselling author If you are an educator, a coach, a consultant, or an entrepreneur who has a book inside you — or who is already on the publishing journey — this season was built for you. New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe so you do not miss a single one. Pre-order 7Figure Educator at www.7FEbook.com 7-Figure Educator Podcast | Season 5