Well, we've reached the next step. As of today, my next book is officially on submission.
What's that, you ask? It's pretty much the exact same process as trying to get an agent, except this time SHE is the one sending the letters and manuscripts out. I just get to sit at home and refresh my email every 38 second to see if we have an offer yet.
After I signed with my amazing and talented agent Abby, she went through my book with a sharp editorial eye and gave me a lot of feedback. It was good, but it wasn't ready. I did (another) rewrite based on her edits.
THEN it was ready to submit to publishers.
So Abby wrote up a submission letter and put together a list of editors at publishing houses that work with books like mine (sound familiar?) Then, starting today, she started sending them out.
If they like what they read, the editors will talk to their bosses about making an offer on my book. If the bosses give the OK, they contact my agent and start negotiating. If they come to an agreement, my book gets published!
But that can take a LOOOOONG time. Usually many months. Sometimes over a year.
And even after a deal gets made, it isn't like it hits the shelves immediately. The editor will more than likely go through the manuscript and work with me on another draft. Then they have to get the interior laid out, get a cover, print up some advance copies, solicit blurbs from other authors, drum up some publicity... it's a long process.
In the meantime, my job is to wait patiently in a way that does not drive myself nor anyone around me completely and utterly insane. To do that, I start another book.
I'll tell you about that later. For now I need to go check my email. I know I said it takes a long time, but it's not IMPOSSIBLE that an editor read the first few chapters immediately upon receiving the pitch and thought they were so groundbreaking that she decided to take it upon herself to make an offer.
Right? I better go check.