How I Took Control and Rewrote the Rules

By Relentless Aaron

Publishing is a game of power, perception, and positioning. The problem is, most authors walk into it like wide-eyed dreamers, believing the hype about advances, book deals, and the prestige of a major publisher’s stamp on their work. They think the machine will do all the heavy lifting—marketing, publicity, distribution—while they sit back and collect accolades.

Let me tell you the real deal.

When the Big Publisher Calls, You Name Your Price

I was already on record as the sole owner of my content. No agent, no middleman—just me and my work, standing tall. Then one day, a top book publisher called me out of the blue. No introduction necessary, no need for validation. They knew who I was.

They invited me to their offices for a meeting. One of those “let’s see what we can do together” conversations. But when they asked, “What do you want?” I didn’t stutter. I named my price. They cringed. That’s when I knew they weren’t ready.

But here’s the thing about negotiation: if they come back with a counteroffer, it means they want to do business. And they did. Their offer was weak. Laughable, even. So I countered—four times what they put on the table. And guess what? They took it.

But I wasn’t done. Once the ink was dry, I turned around and dictated how the marketing budget would be spent. Not in the traditional way that benefits them more than the author, but in a way that actually pushed the book. Because here’s another truth: getting the deal is just the beginning. What comes after separates the amateurs from the real players.

When Your Editor Isn’t Built for Your World

You’d think that when a major publisher signs a book, they’d understand its cultural weight. They’d assign an editor who gets the content, speaks the language, knows the audience. But nah. They outsourced my editing to someone who had no real experience in street culture.

Maybe they had worked on other so-called “urban lit” books, but I wasn’t just another urban lit author. My work isn’t something you check for grammar and structure alone. It’s a rhythm, a pulse. If you don’t live it, you can’t edit it.

But here’s the funny part: my editor had no notes for me. Nothing. Not a single revision. That’s when I knew—either they had no idea what to do with my work, or they recognized it was airtight. Either way, I walked away knowing I was him. The real deal. The one who didn’t need their approval.

When the Marketing Department Looks to You for Answers

Now, let’s talk about the real red flag. The biggest publishing house in the world, with access to every media outlet, every bookstore, every PR channel, called me—the author—to ask, “Where do you think we should focus our interviews?”

Excuse me?

You mean to tell me, with all your resources, your in-house teams, your decades in the business, you’re asking me how to market my book? That was my first glimpse behind the curtain. That’s when I realized the biggest elephants in the room aren’t always the smartest.

But I had already signed, taken the advance, and committed. So, (like the rap song goes) “What’s a Bro to do?” Like any true hustler, I took control.

They called me again, this time practically begging me to share my knowledge of the internet and e-books. Let that sink in. A major publisher, begging me for insight on digital trends. And this was before the e-book wave really hit.

The takeaway? These so-called industry leaders weren’t as ahead of the game as they pretended to be. And that’s exactly why I am who I am—because I didn’t wait for them to catch up. I was already moving.

Manifesting Media on My Own Terms

While most authors wait for their publishers to “place” them in the media, I was already orchestrating my own coverage.

• I made the front page of The New York Times—not because of my publisher, but because of my hustle.
• I landed multiple appearances on Good Day New York—not through a PR team, but through my own moves.
• I was selling books on 34th and 7th in NYC when a reporter stopped, asked if I’d be there the next day, and returned with a camera crew. That turned into a full-page feature in The New York Daily News.
• Crews from Canada and beyond flew in just to document what made me tick.

I never sat around waiting for someone to validate me. I made my own lane.

The Truth About Publishing Deals

People love to say, “I want a book deal.” But what they really mean is, “I want someone to take care of everything while I just write.” That’s a fantasy.

A book deal without strategy, without knowing your own worth, without an understanding of marketing and ownership, is a trap.

My traditional publishing experience? A farce, if you ask me. The biggest names in the business turned out to be the ones playing catch-up. And the reason I’m still here, still thriving, still owning my work, is because I never let them control the narrative.

If you want to call yourself a boss in publishing, you have to move like one.

• Own your content.
• Set your price.
• Control your marketing.
• Don’t rely on anyone else to make your book successful.

I’m not going anywhere. And neither is my name in this game.