First, you dance. Have a party, Celebrate, you deserve it. And, as you will find, once the book is accepted, a lot of things will shift into high gear.
While different publishers may progress slightly differently, in general terms this is what you can expect:
First, the contract. Read it carefully and ask questions if anything strikes you as odd or untenable. Just because it’s in the contract, it doesn’t mean you have to agree to it.
Most countries have a writers’ union who will review a contract for you and offer advice. In Ireland, this is free, and I suspect the same is true of similar organisations elsewhere. You may want to consider becoming a member of the union, if you agree with its principles, and can afford the fees.
Editing. Once you sign and return the contract — make sure you keep a copy — the publisher will assign an editor to work with you on getting the novel ready to print. A word of warning:
Don’t agree to changes that fundamentally alter your work, unless you have agreed to that in advance with the publisher. On the other hand, this is no time to be a diva. I’ve been blessed to have worked with several editors over the years. No, I didn’t agree with all of them about everything, but I never doubted they wanted the best for my work. Sometimes I was presented with changes that I didn’t agree with but as they had no major impact on the story, I let them go. Only once have I regretted it.
Many years ago, I submitted a short story to a now-defunct literary magazine. They rejected the tale, and life went on. But about a month later, they phoned me asking if the story was still available. Despite rejecting it, it had wriggled under their skin and they decided that with a few little tweaks it would be perfect. As I was still a pretty new writer, I agreed. Most of the changes were fine. I cringed at the loss of some jokes I liked, but they did not harm the story. But the ending…
As the story involved a man who appeared to have been resurrected from the dead. His irked wife eventually starts to make money by selling off his ‘miraculous’ clothes, and charging neighbours an ‘entrance fee’ to visit the man (who suffered a stroke on waking in a a coffin). Then, just as the coffers are filling, the selfish man inconveniently dies. For real, this time. The story ends with him being buried again but this time with a bell so he can let the cemetery workers know if he’s come back. My last line was, “they’ve heard nothing yet.” This was a tongue-in-cheek way of implying that the situation could still change. The editor, alas, wanted it cut. We debated a few times, but in the end, I surrendered. I still regret it.
As to your own editing, I can’t tell you what changes are good and what are not. I would suggest that you listen carefully to what’s being said. If you have misused a word, then of course you should change it. However, if the word in question has a different connotation wherever (or whenever) your story takes place, you should keep it.
You and your editor should have a mutually respectful relationship. Take your time in addressing the changes.
The cover. In many cases, the publisher will contact you re the cover. My own publisher, MX Publishing, assigned a cover artist to me and he was kind enough to ask for my input. With each book since, I’ve tried to have an idea for how the cover should look, ensuring the font and basic format remain similar so the reader can see they are all part of a series.
Once the draft cover is done, you will need to sign off on it. Be honest. Try to appreciate the designer’s work, and be gentle if you have any criticisms. I know people who have self-published and they tell me finding a decent cover can be a nightmare, so be glad if you have a designer who will work with you.
Final Draft. After you have reviewed the the edits and made the changes, you will send it back to the publisher. You may then receive an author’s copy in print format or a PDF of the finished article. You need to review this and make sure it’s correct. For me, this is probably the hardest part of the process. By this point, I’ve written, rewritten, and edited the novel so many times that I can probably quote chunks of it off the top of my head. That makes it a challenge to focus on each word, comma, and apostrophe in the final text. And even then, I promise you, once the book is published you, or someone you know, will still discover at least one typo.
I know.
Other possibilities:
A photo. If your publisher wants to include a picture for you for their publicity, or to put on the back cover of your book, you may be asked for a recent photograph. Depending on the type of book you have written, you want a basic image of you looking friendly, wearing something comfortable and not too revealing. Unless it’s that type of book, an image of you skinny-dipping in Cancun is probably not the vibe you’re going for. Make sure you know what size image the publisher wants, and if it should be in colour, or black-and-white. If possible, have it taken by a professional photographer.
Contact Sheet: This is a list of all the people who can be relied upon to buy copies of your book, write reviews, or recommend it to others. So it’s a good idea to get to know your local bookshop owners, library staff, members of your writing group or other writing organisations. Obviously, if you have any friends or acquaintances in the media: DJs, TV personalities, other writers your publisher will be thrilled, not only because these people might help you to market your book, but also because a celebrity endorsement on your cover can be worth its weight in gold.
Also, if your book features a specific place or a type of industry or profession, you may want to include people who pertain to either or both, especially if they have helped you research your story. If, for instance, your novel tells the adventures of a vet, you might want to let some veterinary associations know about your book.
Next week, we’ll look at setting up your book launch.
Geri Schear 