The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Shooting the Shit About Your Response to Last Week's Episode and What Can Be Copyrighted
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Mar 23, 2026 They dissect the backlash to last week’s conversation, spotlighting burnout and widespread disillusionment in publishing. They reveal a startling reader concentration stat and quiz its implications. Myths from the London Book Fair get busted, including deal timing and platform assumptions. They also unpack a copyright ruling about which YA tropes can and cannot be protected.
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Carly’s Substack Born From Instagram Fatigue
- Carly launched a Substack called The Weekend Rant after feeling fatigued by Instagram's format.
- She described being duped by a pirated AI-produced POD copy of a book she tried to buy, which she wrote about on Substack.
Reading Is Driven By A Small Core Of Readers
- A small minority of readers carry most of the book-reading volume in the US.
- Carly cites YouGov: 19% of American adults account for 82% of all books read, revealing extreme concentration of readership.
Midcareer Reality Causes Publisher Burnout
- Many publishing professionals feel disillusioned or burnt out, especially mid-career editors.
- CeCe and Carly note burnout peaks around years five to ten when the reality of project management and low pay hits.
