Ep 187: A Former Random House Editor on Why She Stopped Checking Her Own Sales (with Anna Pitoniak)

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Anna Pitoniak spent years as a senior editor at Random House, wrote her first two novels in the hours before and after work, and has now published five books of her own. Her newest, The Swiss Agent, comes out December 1, 2026 from Simon & Schuster. It showed up on my doorstep and I got unreasonably excited, because I am fully in my espionage era right now. Anna is one of the few authors I've spoken with who has sat on both sides of this business at the same time, so I had a lot of questions for her.  We picked up the marketing and publicity conversation I've been having across several recent episodes, and Anna gave me her definitions of each: Publicity is earned media, meaning coverage nobody paid for. Marketing has a paid component, like ads and giveaways. Then we got stuck on the same blurry spot Cassie Miller and I landed on a few weeks ago, which is where influencer and bookstagram outreach falls. Neither of us has a perfect answer. We also got into: Why she didn't submit her first novel to her own imprint, and what her boss said when she brought it up What having BookScan access did to her head, and why losing it was a relief Why it's so hard to connect cause and effect with book sales, even when something big happens The question she asks herself about a big first week versus slow steady growth over years Why she used to warn authors away from fall publication, and what changed her mind How The Swiss Agent took close to three years to write/rewrite, and why returning characters made it harder rather than easier Anna is candid about the comedown after her first novel came out. She'd built up so much adrenaline expecting fireworks on publication day (don't we all?), and what she got instead was the ordinary quiet of a Tuesday when other books also come out and everyone moves on.  That book has since earned out and sends her royalties twice a year, which she notes is enough to at least cover the oat milk in her latte.  🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT Get back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers.  🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint WONDERING EXACTLY HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH SO YOU CAN STOP GUESSING? Grab the action plan and finally feel confident you’re doing this the right way. 👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/actionplan WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)? The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy.  👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time).  👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook Support the show ****** Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.  Available wherever podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Let's Connect! Instagram Website Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth