The main mission of The Creative Penn is to empower authors to take control of their writing career, so it's wonderful to interview business-minded, traditionally published author, Ruth Ware, on the show today. She explains why self-editing is the key to writing a book that might get a book deal, plus why authors need to understand their contracts and to always think like a freelancer, not an employee. In the introduction, I talk about an article on advances and talking about money in publishing with a lot of interesting comments in The Guardian. Plus, I recommend a couple of books: Closing the Deal on your Terms: Agents, Contracts and Other Considerations by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and also Hollywood vs the Author with chapters from a lot of big names on the perils of TV & film deals. Do you need a professional editor or book cover designer? Do you need help with marketing, publicity or advertising? Find a curated list of vetted professionals at the Reedsy marketplace, along with free training on writing, self-publishing and book marketing. Check it out at: www.TheCreativePenn.com/reedsy Ruth Ware is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of five crime thriller novels, including In a Dark, Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10, which have both been optioned for screen adaptation. Her books have been published in over 40 languages. Her next book is The Turn of the Key. You can listen above or on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below. Show Notes * Getting feedback on first drafts from those who know how to be honest * On changing genres and changing pen names * How publishing has changed since Ruth got involved in the early naughts, including a shift in the balance of power * On the language of love and relationships in publishing * The reality of being a full-time writer and why you are always a freelancer, not an employee. * The pros and cons of selling world rights * The intricacies of publishing contracts * The importance of peer support when contract terms are unfamiliar You can find Ruth Ware at ruthware.com and on Twitter @RuthWareWriter Transcript of Interview with Ruth Ware Joanna: Hi, everyone. I'm Joanna Penn from TheCreativePenn.com, and today I'm here with Ruth Ware. Welcome, Ruth. Ruth: Hello, and thank you so much for having me. Joanna: Oh,