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How to Get a Book Deal in 4 Steps + Why You Shouldn’t Bother

Here are the 4 steps to take to get a traditional book deal:

• Ensure your book is fit for market
• Find an agent
• Submit to publishing companies
• Choose an offer

Let me be clear: Traditional book deals are a thing of the past. If you do not actively reach 25,000+ people regularly before a deal, no reputable publishing company or literary agent will take a risk on your book.

In 2022, don’t bother trying to get a book deal without an existing, sizable audience.

If you have a relative or friend who works for an agency, you have a much better chance of your book proposal falling in the right hands.

For the rest of us: Self-publishing is a legitimate way to earn a living as a writer. Publishing your own book may not come with the prestige of earning a book deal. However, publishing prestige is an outdated concept, and readers certainly don’t care. Many self-publishers make more money than their traditionally published counterparts.

If you’re reading this article, I’m guessing you’re not a celebrity. If you don’t have a regular audience of 25,000 or more (and you don’t have close connections at a press or agency), just self-publish. My website and email list are great resources to walk you through the process step-by-step.

If you’re still wondering how to get a book deal, I’ll gladly tell you.

• What is a book deal?
• Traditional vs. self vs. indie book publishing
• 4 steps to get a book deal
• Tips and links to help get a book deal

This article’s links may earn me a small commission if you use any to purchase a product or service. There’s no extra cost to you! And it helps me keep writing this awesome content that you’ll never have to pay for.

Table of contents

• Traditional Publishing
• Self-Publishing
• Indie Publishing
• Maximize the Marketability of Your Book Idea
• Write the Book
• Edit the Book Yourself
• Recruit Beta Readers
• Consider Hiring a Professional
• Refine Your Elevator Pitch
• Step 2: Find an Agent
• Step 3: Submit to Publishing Companies
• Step 4: Choose an Offer
• Book deal or self-publishing?

A book deal is a contract between an author and a publisher. Sometimes called a traditional book deal, this is when the gatekeepers of the legacy publishing industry offer you an advance on book profits in return for several benefits.

How much do you get for a book deal? You can get an advance between $5,000 and $100,000 if you land a book deal. However, it is both difficult to get a book deal and unlikely that a first-time author will receive such a significant advance.

What are the benefits of a book deal?

• A monetary advance before publishing the book
• Bookstore placement
• Professional editors , formatters , cover designers at no extra cost to you
• The ability to say you landed a book deal

What are the disadvantages of a book deal?

• Massive time investment for a slight chance at a traditional deal
• Loss of control and ownership of your work and brand
• Minimal financial upside (in the long run)

Let’s face facts: Traditional media is on its way out, including traditional book publishers. Readers don’t care if something was self-published or traditionally published (as long as it looks professional). Book contracts often require you to sign away your rights for an advance.

Self-publishing is more viable than ever — and more profitable, thanks to Amazon.

I recommend seeking a traditional book deal only if:

• You are a celebrity of some sort.
• You have more than 25,000 loyal followers on social media or listeners on your podcast. (Honestly, that’s a low number.)
• You have a friend or relative who works at a publishing house.
• You would be cripplingly ashamed to say you self-published (Self-publishing is far more respected these days, so this shouldn't be an issue).

Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing vs. Indie Publishing

Traditional publishing is the industry in which a publishing house publishes a book. This usually requires a literary agent as an in-between for the author and publishing house.

How hard is it to get a publishing deal? It is tough to get a traditional publishing deal. The chances of landing an agent, then a traditional publishing book deal, are about 1 in 1,000 — and even worse if you don’t have a massive online following.

Traditional publishers typically cover the cost of a professional editor, book cover artist, back cover blurb , ISBN number , printing costs, final proofreaders , and more. But they also take a sizable chunk out of your royalties.

They offer authors an advance, usually in the form of a five- or six-figure lump sum. This is not in addition to royalties. Instead, you won’t make any royalties until you would have made as much as your advance (called “earning out”). If you don’t earn out, you do not have to pay back the advance. It’s a risk the publisher takes by fronting cash before they’ve made a profit.

How much of a book price goes to the author? After a publisher has earned out their advance, about 5-15% of the book price is paid to the author in royalties. Not only will the publisher take a huge chunk, but you’ll also need to give your literary agent the standard 15% commission of what you make.

I know many writers want a book deal so they don’t have to market their own book. Unfortunately, traditional publishers provide little marketing support for their authors. They reserve most of their marketing budgets for their top bestsellers (a tiny fraction of books written).

Traditionally published authors still have to do their own marketing , including:

• Social media
• Blog posting
• Video blogging
• Book signings
• Email newsletters
• Promotional giveaways
• Book reviews (including paid/sponsored)
• Organizing a launch team
• Establishing a solid track record by writing good books in the first place

You may have heard of the Big 5. They’re the biggest publishing houses in America, primarily housed in New York City. The Big 5 traditional publishers are:

• HarperCollins
• Penguin Random House
• Simon & Schuster

Self-publishing is when an author publishes their own book. This is a legitimate publishing route that many authors of all shapes and sizes have chosen.

Self-publishing can be more lucrative than traditional publishing.

Although you will not receive an advance on your self-published book, you keep a lot more of the profits. Amazon KDP might take 35-70% of self-published ebook profits, whereas traditional publishers and literary agents would take 80-95% of the royalties and retain printing rights.

But to be a real author, you have to go through a traditional publisher… right?

No! This is an outdated, offensive way of thinking. “Self-published” is not a dirty word. But if you like, you can say “independently published” or simply “published” to your friends.

Although Amazon does take a portion of your profits, they command 70% of the market share for selling eBooks. And Amazon gives little to no advantage to eBooks that are traditionally published.

You can always seek a book deal after you’ve successfully self-published. Make sure your first book is a great book that earns rave reviews . Your second book should do even better.

Once you’ve gained tens of thousands under your banner, perhaps it’s time to look into traditional book publishing for your new book. (I expect you will have fallen in love with self-publishing by this point.)

I know many writers don’t want to deal with marketing their book, but don’t be fooled. Traditional publishers hardly lift a finger to sell your book unless you’re an author superstar. When you traditionally publish, you still need to market your own book at signings and on social media.

Check out my article on the Best Self-Publishing Companies (retailers and aggregators).

You could even Start Your Own Publishing Company for the tax benefits, legal protection, and other benefits. It’s easier than you think.

There’s a third option: indie publishing , sometimes called hybrid publishing or independent publishing . Different people mean different things when using these terms, but typically an indie publisher or hybrid publisher tries to combine the benefits of self-publishing and traditional marketing.

The main advantage of an indie publisher is that you usually don’t need an agent, but you can still tell your friends you landed a book deal.

Check out these 30 Publishers that Accept Unagented Submissions .

They may offer small advances but still take a large chunk of the royalties. They may provide minimal design and formatting services but could ask for the copyright (a big no-no; never hand over the copyright for your book). They will still offer little to no marketing while expecting the author to market their own book.

Feel free to look into indie publishers with a critical eye. However, many of you reading this will benefit from simply self-publishing, utilizing professional freelancers along the way.

Pro tip: Avoid vanity presses. A vanity press is a type of publishing company that charges you upfront for publishing, usually resulting in a net loss for the author. Vanity presses prey on writers desperate to get their book published. Never pay upfront to distribute your book.

To be clear, self-publishers should pay for a professional editor and a book cover designer, at least, on top of other self-publishing costs. But never pay a publishing company. While we’re on the topic, never pay a literary agent to represent you. (Same as in real estate, acting, etc.)

So… if you’re still interested in how to get a book deal for yourself, here are my 4 steps to getting it done.

Step 1 : Ensure Your Book Is Fit For Market

The first step for getting a book deal is to ensure your book is fit for the market. This is a big step that entails a lot of hard work, but I’ll sum it up as concisely as possible.

To make sure you’re ready to find an agent and a publisher, first, you need to:

• Maximize the marketability of your book idea
• Write the book (for fiction authors)
• Edit the book yourself (multiple drafts)
• Recruit beta readers
• Consider hiring a professional editor
• Refine your elevator pitch (the 1-2 sentence description of your book)

Important: Non-fiction authors can get away with shopping a book proposal for a non-fiction book that has yet to be written. Fiction writers usually need a finished manuscript to land an agent and a book deal. Non-fiction writers may be able to find an agent and land a book deal before writing the book.

First off, before writing a book, you must maximize the marketability of your book idea. This means looking at Amazon and New York Times bestselling books in your genre.

Do not copy someone else’s idea. Instead, be inspired by the bestsellers.

Ask yourself, what do readers want? How are you going to give it to them? Agents and publishers will all want to know how marketable your book idea is, maybe more than the actual quality of your work.

Check out Publisher Rocket , which takes the hard work out of researching your book’s marketability. Read my in-depth Publisher Rocket review for more details.

Increase Your Book Marketing

See the Publisher Rocket effect, when you use the right keywords and categories to help get your book seen more on Amazon.

Writing a book is a behemoth of a topic. Check out my article on How to Write a Book for more info.

Suffice it to say, a fiction book should not only look professional (error-free), it should display riveting prose, follow some story structure, develop satisfying character arcs, and deliver on promises made in your premise.

And for Pete’s sake, outline your book before writing it.

Resources on writing the book:

• Best Book Writing Software (Spoiler: it’s Atticus )
• Best Podcasts for Writers and Self-Publishers
• How to Write Faster

Yes, you need to edit the book yourself. No one should ever see your first draft besides you. Edit the book yourself at least once through, if not 3-4 times.

Resources for editing your book:

• Best Proofreading Software ( Grammarly vs. ProWritingAid )
• Scribe Media’s How to Edit a Book (Self-Editing Tips From a 4x Bestseller )
• Medium’s How many times should you edit your manuscript?

I’d recommend recruiting beta readers and consulting with them on their personal experience reading the book. Recruit at least 3-5 beta readers, or as many as 30.

Alternatively, you can enlist other authors to look at your work or join a critique circle, where you read their book, and they’ll read yours.

Don’t make massive changes because one beta reader took issue with a single detail. But if multiple beta readers speak up about the same thing, consider editing again.

After you’ve made your multiple self-edits, consider hiring a professional to look over your work. Editors can cost between $300 and $3,000, depending on the type of editor and the length of your manuscript.

One of the advantages of traditional publishing is that the publishing company provides professional editors at no cost to you — for their benefit more than yours.

However, if you’re trying to get the book deal for your first novel, you may want to hire a professional to make your manuscript as excellent as it can be.

An elevator pitch is a concise, attention-grabbing description for the book that hooks agents, publishers, and readers alike. You need to refine your elevator pitch before querying literary agents.

Your elevator pitch may include:

• Main character’s name and/or status
• Status quo and how the status quo is turned on its head
• Character motivation
• What is at stake
• Central themes
• A unique hook

Feel free to write multiple paragraphs and pare it down until you can express everything important about your book in 1-2 sentences. If you cannot get the main idea down to 2 sentences max , your book is likely too complicated and won’t sell.

Resources on refining your elevator pitch:

• Jericho Writers’ How to Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Novel (with Examples)
• TCK Publishing’s How to Create an Elevator Pitch That Sells Your Story

Step 2 : Find an Agent

After your book is as great as it’s going to get, you need an agent to act as a go-between with publishing companies. For the average writer, you stand a 1 in 1,000 chance of landing an agent. This is where luck comes in (or connections).

Important: You don’t need a literary agent if you’re writing non-fiction, poetry, cookbooks, or academic books. However, an agent may help negotiate a better deal for you.

Nowadays, traditional publishing companies don’t accept unsolicited, unagented authors. That means if they don’t ask you to send in a manuscript, they’re not going to consider any writer who isn’t represented by a literary agent.

A literary agent represents a writer when negotiating a book deal with a publisher. Agents often know publishing company editors personally. The agent may also help with the creative process, typically suggesting edits to the manuscript or book proposal.

Most publishers will not offer a book deal to a writer without an agent, for better or worse.

Pro tip: Authors should never pay upfront for a literary agent. As with many industries, agents only make money when you make money. Any agent who asks for money upfront is a scam artist, to put it bluntly.

To query a literary agent, you must do some digging. Research literary agents who are accepting unsolicited submissions in your genre. (Check out Manuscript Wishlist’s list of literary agents .) Don’t waste your time querying an agent who doesn’t represent the genre of your book.

A query letter is different from a book proposal, which is aimed at publishers.

Every agent has slightly different submission guidelines that you need to follow carefully. Otherwise, they will throw away your submission without a second thought.

Literary agent submission guidelines may include:

• Title of book
• Genre of book
• Brief author bio
• Query letter
• Number of followers on Instagram , Twitter, YouTube , etc.
• Link to author website
• Detailed synopsis
• First few pages of the book (5-50 pages)

I said there’s a 1 in 1,000 chance for the average writer to find a literary agent who is willing to take them on as a client. The possibilities are probably worse if you don’t have at least 25k followers on social media or 25k listeners on your podcast.

It’s worth noting that many literary agents are looking for authors from marginalized communities telling stories that represent their unique, underrepresented voices. For these agents, your chances of landing a book deal may be higher if you are a female and/or person of color, particularly if your book reflects themes unique to your community.

Resources on finding a literary agent:

• Jane Friedman’s How to Find a Literary Agent for Your Book
• NYBookEditors’ How to Write a Darn Good Query Letter
• Writers Digest’s 20 Literary Agents Actively Seeking Writers and Their Writing
• List of Literary Agents 2021

Step 3 : Submit to Publishing Companies

Once you’ve landed a literary agent, he or she will help you write a book proposal and submit your manuscript to publishing companies (usually, up to a dozen separate companies).

A book proposal is like a business plan for your book. A book proposal may contain:

• Concise, compelling summary of the book
• Brief author bio, including following
• Marketing plan
• Target audience
• Competition analysis
• Sample chapters

Book proposals are different from query letters, which are aimed at literary agents.

Because book proposals are such a vital part of landing a book deal, some writers pay a freelancer up to $15,000 to expertly craft a book proposal that will entice publishers to put in an offer.

Don’t be modest. Although arrogance is off-putting, publishers want to know that you are uniquely qualified to write and market this book. Include your expertise, accomplishments, honors, and awards.

Just as importantly: be realistic. Don’t pretend your book will be a global bestseller when that’s far from a sure thing. Carefully compare your book to bestselling titles without mentioning the biggest names in literature. It can come off as cliché and delusional.

Your literary agent should negotiate a good deal for you. With any luck, multiple publishers will put in offers. It’s time to choose.

Check out the Creative Independent’s nifty article on How to Write a Book Proposal .

Finding the Right Publishing Companies

One of the best ways to find successful publishing companies is to analyze the genre for your book and see what other companies are publishing books in that genre.

If you're doing this manually, this can take a very long time, and you'll end up finding a lot of other companies that aren't really great.

Thankfully, there's a tool that makes it easy to see all of the major publishers for the bestsellers of any genre.

That tool is Publisher Rocket .

With Rocket's category analysis tool, you can easily find a list of publishers for any genre by doing the following:

• Finding your desired category/genre through the Category Search
• Clicking on the “Insights” link
• Hover over the “i” icon under the Large Publisher tile
• Find a list of large publishers in that genre

A lot of these publishing companies will be traditional publishers, so you can reach out to them if you want a traditional publishing deal. Or you might find some hidden gems, like lesser known but successful small publishers.

Step 4 : Choose an Offer

If you only received one book deal offer, congratulations! You’re in the fortunate minority. Plus, you don’t have to choose between the greater of two goods.

If you received multiple book deal offers, you must select an offer. Money isn’t everything, but your agent can help you sort out the pros and cons of each offer.

Just because a publisher offers a smaller advance than another publisher doesn’t mean they’re less eager to publish your book. A smaller advance may simply indicate a smaller budget for that company. If your book sells well, your advance doesn’t matter in the long run anyway.

An advance is a lump sum payment that a traditional publisher gives to an author. This is not in addition to royalties. A publisher pays an author against his/her royalties. Authors need to “earn out” (sell enough books to justify their advance) before they start making royalties beyond their advance.

Most (non-celebrity) authors can expect to receive an advance between $10,000 and $100,000. However, modern publishers seldom take a risk on a book that won’t earn them six figures.

For first-time authors, marketing support is critical.

Some experts estimate that most book sales are 10% due to publisher marketing vs. 90% due to author marketing. But smaller publishers may give a smaller advance while offering better marketing support. Consider this when choosing an offer.

If you don’t get an offer, don’t fret. Publishers may reject you due to budget or book proposal errors. Feel free to try again in a few months, refine your book proposal, or have your agent look to different publishers.

If you have a regular built-in audience of 25k+ who want to hear more of what you have to say, go for a book deal. Otherwise, stick to self-publishing. Thanks to the Internet and Amazon, self-publishing is more profitable than ever!

With Amazon’s ebook marketplace booming (70% market share), self-publishing is easier and more lucrative than ever before. I’ve written some great resources on getting the most out of Amazon’s self-publishing marketplace:

• Find Profitable Amazon Ad Keywords
• The Art and Science to Amazon Editorial Reviews
• Amazon Super URLs: They Might be Killing Your Reviews
• Amazon International Markets Explained

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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2 thoughts on “ How to Get a Book Deal in 4 Steps + Why You Shouldn’t Bother ”

Hi Dave, I’d add one other consideration. If you’re writing your novel with a longterm aim of getting it picked up to be made into a TV movie by one of the streaming services, you’re better off pitching it to them with a publishing deal in hand (rather than self-published). A publishing deal gives you the “seal of approval” that other experts think the story is worth investing in. And there are small publishers that are willing to acquire novels for a minimal-or-no advance (without the author already having a follower base of 25K people).

That’s a good point.

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An Agent Explains the Ins and Outs of Book Deals

How do advances work? When do you get royalties? How long until you can quit your job? A pro demystifies the money part of writing

Everyone wants to write a book, or to say they have written a book. Publishing a book is still an honor, a point of pride—but like pretty much everything else, it’s also dependent upon a capitalist business model. And the financial side of publishing can be opaque, unfair, and downright contradictory. Combined with the distinctly American habit of not wanting to sully talk of artistry with talk of money, this means that many people who want to make writing their full-time career have no idea how the money part of writing actually works. In this TED talk I will answer some of the most common questions I get as a literary agent about the money side of things. I will try not to make it too depressing. 

Note: this information is based on the American traditional book market, and won’t necessarily apply to other countries, or to self-publishing. 

How much money am I going to get for my very, very good book?

This is the single most common question I get from my clients, and other people when they find out I’m a literary agent, and I respond with a very infuriating “$5,000 to $50,000.” Most times, though, I’m right! I have sold books for both more and less than those amounts, and to be fair, there are many genres where I can estimate a much smaller spread. But the total advance depends on so many things, including the quality of the work, the sales potential of the work (not the same thing!), the author’s platform and/or previous sales, the zeitgeist, the “market,” how many  other editors are interested (if any), how similar books have performed for the publisher and/or other publishers, and many, many other things. Because there are so many factors, there’s no “average” book advance. $1,000 is rare. $1,000,000 is also rare. 

What does it mean when you say “advance?”

Because there are so many factors, there’s no ‘average’ book advance.

A book deal is not patronage for your sheer talent, or even direct compensation for the hours you have toiled to create the book. It is an advance against what the publisher thinks your book will earn. The publisher takes a financial risk on your work. If your book doesn’t sell well, you don’t have to pay it back—the publisher assumes that risk. But you do have to sell that much in books to earn anything more on top of that. 

Oh, is that what royalties are?

Yes, royalties are what you get when you “earn out” your advance. You earn a percentage of each book sale, and that adds up against your total advance. When you earn more than that, you get royalties. Here’s how that works. (Math incoming.) 

A common royalty rate is 10% of the cover price of the book. If your book retails for $25, then you earn $2.50 a book. (There are different rates for different formats and you can negotiate higher royalty rates, to a point.) If you get a $10,000 advance, you have to sell 4,000 copies of the book to earn any more money (10000/2.5 = 4000). There are many books that do not sell 4,000 copies and plenty of books that do. 

When can I quit my job?

You probably can’t! You’ll see why soon.

When will I actually get money?

Your advance will be broken up into several payments, anywhere from two to four depending on how big your advance is, how you negotiate, etc. First, you’ll get a portion after you sign the contract. Having your agent review and vet your contract, signing it, getting it countersigned by the publisher and waiting for the publisher to send your check can take several months. Then you’ll likely get a portion when you are finished writing AND editing, editing again, and editing some more. This could also be months after your contractual delivery date, which could be six months to a year after you sign the contract. You may then get another portion when the book is published, which is almost always about a year after you deliver the manuscript. Even if you got an $100,000 advance, you might get $33,333 when you sign the contract, but after agent commissions and taxes (YMMV), you’ll probably net a little less than $20,000, and you might not get another check for a year.

Sooooo when do royalties checks come?

Royalties are calculated and paid out every six months, but according to a fixed schedule that differs from publisher to publisher. For example, one major publisher sends their royalties out in April and October. The April statement and money (if any) covers books sold from July to December of the previous year. The October statement and payment covers sales made from January to June. Yep! Statements are about 4 months old when you get them.

You have got to be kidding me.

Nope! It’s true! Publishing is a consignment business. That means a wonderful place like Books Are Magic can order, say, 1,000 copies of the fantastic novel The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (just to pick a random book with a great agent!), and if they only sell 955 of them, after a while, they can send the remaining 45 back to the publisher.  These are called “returns” (for obvious reasons), and publishers have to wait for them to come back before they pay the author royalties, or they’ll overpay everyone all the time and go bankrupt. 

Oh, is that why I can’t find out how many books I sold hour by hour, like how you can see website traffic and stuff?

Yes! There isn’t a single book-tracking entity that reports all books sales from every retail outlet and makes that available to everyone. There is something called BookScan, but it’s imperfect at best and infuriating at worst (getting into why would be a whole other article). The publisher can see the sales of their own books, but they don’t (yet, fingers crossed) have robust and detailed author portals to share that kind of information. 

If I don’t earn out my advance, will I ever sell another book?

Earning out does not dictate whether you’ll sell another book, for better and worse. Publishers do look at that, and earning out, or getting respectably close to it, does factor into their decision-making, but it also matters if your book is good, has sales potential (not the same thing!), how your platform has improved (or not), the zeitgeist, the “market,” how similar books have performed, etc., you get the picture. Once you have a book and a sales track record publishers will consider that in making future decisions about your work, but it’s not earn out or GTFO .

Okay, but can’t I just write 16 books at the same time and then make a living wage?

You probably can’t. There are clauses in a book contract that prevent you from directly competing with your own work and something called an option clause that gives your publisher dibs on your next book, but only after you’re done with the first. It’s complicated. That’s why you probably want an agent (but of course I’m biased). There’s good reason for this, though. If you have a dedicated fanbase, they’ll only be willing or able to buy one of your books at a time. And your fanbase, such as it is, is your strongest market.

Publishing is not a meritocracy. ‘Good’ books don’t get the most money.

But what about that person over there? THEY got a huge advance and my book is way better than theirs.

I know, right? It sucks. But publishing is not a meritocracy. “Good” books don’t get the most money. Besides, what you think is great, someone else thinks is crap. There’s a book out there for every reader, and that’s how it should be, in my opinion. 

Shouldn’t I just write some crappy **~~*commercial**~~* book and cash in?

If you want to? But “cashing in” and “book publishing” don’t usually go hand in hand. If you’ve gotten this far, you can probably see why.

Why does anyone write anyway?

Because people, writers, readers, interior designers , love books. Books are the best. There should always be more books. You just aren’t going to get rich from them.

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How to Get a Book Deal: 11 Steps to Sign Your Publishing Deal

Imagine seeing your book on the shelves of bookstores and libraries everywhere, your name on the cover, and your words inspiring readers around the world. If you’re a writer, getting a book deal is likely one of your ultimate goals. And it’s a dream that can become a reality through the magical gateway known as a book deal. But how does one cross this threshold into the world of publishing?

The journey from writer to published author can be as daunting as it is rewarding. So, in this guide, we will unravel the mystery and complexity of the publishing world, revealing 11 essential steps that will guide you on your path to signing that coveted publishing deal.

What is a Book Deal?

A book deal is a contractual agreement between an author and a publishing company that outlines the terms and conditions under which the author’s work will be published, distributed, and sold to the public. It’s a critical step in the process of bringing a book from manuscript to the hands of readers.

Book deals can vary widely on their terms and conditions. Some common factors that are negotiated include:

• Advance: The advance is the amount of money that the publisher pays the author upfront, before the book is published. Advances can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the author’s experience and reputation, the genre of the book, and the publisher’s expectations for sales.
• Royalty Rate : The royalty rate is the percentage of the book’s retail price that the author earns on each copy sold. Royalty rates typically range from 10 percent to 15 percent, but can be higher for bestselling authors.
• Subsidiary Rights: Subsidiary rights are the rights to publish and distribute the book in other formats, such as audio, e-book, and foreign translation. The publisher may ask for the rights to all subsidiary rights, or they may be willing to negotiate with the author.
• Creative Control: Some publishers give authors a lot of creative control over aspects like cover page and formatting, while others may have more specific requirements.

In addition to the above terms, book deals may also include other provisions, such as marketing and publicity support, author tours, and book signing events.

While nonfiction authors can occasionally approach publishers directly, fiction authors typically secure book deals by working with literary agents. Literary agents are professionals who represent authors to publishers. They help authors develop their book proposals, submit their manuscripts to publishers, and negotiate book deals.

Benefits of a Book Deal

Obtaining a book deal can offer numerous benefits to an author. While the specific advantages can vary depending on the terms of the deal and the author’s individual goals, here are some of the key benefits:

• Financial Compensation: One of the most immediate benefits of a book deal is the advance payment offered by the publisher. This advance provides authors with an upfront sum of money, allowing them to dedicate more time to writing and supporting their writing career.
• Professional Editing and Production: Publishing houses provide editing, proofreading, cover design, and formatting services by trained professionals. This guarantees the book is of high quality and meets industry standards, which increases its overall attractiveness to readers.
• Distribution and Exposure: Books can more easily make it to bookstores, libraries, and online retailers thanks to publishers’ well-established distribution networks. This widespread dissemination of books may greatly expand the audience for each publication.
• Marketing and Promotion: Advertising, book tours, social media campaigns, and catalogue listings are all examples of marketing and promotional activities in which publishers may choose to invest. These activities help raise awareness about the book and reach a wider audience.
• Credibility and Prestige: Being published by a reputable publishing house can enhance your credibility and prestige in the literary world. It signifies that your work has been recognized and validated by professionals in the industry.
• Access to Resources: Authors with book deals gain access to the publisher’s resources, such as editorial expertise, cover design teams, and distribution channels, which may be otherwise challenging to access independently.
• Increased Sales Potential: Books published by established publishers are more likely to be stocked by bookstores and reviewed by literary critics, increasing their potential for sales and visibility.
• Long-Term Publishing Opportunities: A successful book deal can open the door to future publishing opportunities with the same publisher or others. Building a track record of published works can be advantageous for your career.
• Professional Development: The publishing process, including editing and feedback from professionals, can be a valuable learning experience, helping you improve your craft and storytelling skills.

Drawbacks of a Book Deal

While obtaining a book deal can be a significant achievement for an author, you must be aware of the potential drawbacks and challenges that can come with such an arrangement. Here are some of the disadvantages of a publishing deal:

• Advance: The advance that you receive when you sign a book deal is an advance on royalties. This means that you must earn back the advance from your book sales before you start earning royalties. If the book does not sell well, you may have to pay back the advance to the publisher.
• Low Royalty Rates: Compared with the 70 percent royalties of self-published authors, royalty rates for traditionally published authors are typically very low, ranging from 10 to 15 percent. This means that you may not earn a lot of money from your book sales, especially if the sales are low to average.
• Loss of Creative Control: When you sign a book deal, you may have to relinquish some degree of creative control. Publishers often have input on aspects like cover design, title, wordcount, and marketing strategies, which may not align with your vision.
• Contractual Obligations: Book contracts can be complex and may include specific obligations for the author, such as deadlines for manuscript delivery, word count requirements, and promotional activities. Failure to meet these obligations can have legal and financial consequences.
• Competitive Market: The publishing industry is highly competitive, and not all books receive the same level of marketing and promotion. Some authors may find themselves in a situation where their book doesn’t receive adequate attention or resources from the publisher.
• Long Publishing Timelines: Unless you’re an experienced author with an already-established agent, traditional publishing often involves lengthy publishing timelines, which can range from one to two years or more from manuscript submission to book release.
• Risk of Rejection: Before securing a book deal, you may face numerous rejection letters from literary agents and publishers. This process can be emotionally challenging and may require persistence and resilience.
• Loss of Rights: Book contracts often specify which rights the author retains and which are granted to the publisher. You may lose control over aspects like adaptation rights, foreign rights, or digital rights, limiting your potential income streams.
• Market Trends: Publishing trends can change rapidly, and certain genres or styles may become more or less popular over time. Authors with niche or unconventional work may struggle to find a publisher willing to take on their project.

Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing

Traditional publishing is the process of releasing a book through an established publisher that has a team of editors, designers, and marketers who work with authors to produce, distribute and promote their books.

Self-publishing is the process of publishing a book independently of a traditional publisher, unconstrained by a contract’s rules. Authors who self-publish are responsible for all aspects of the publishing process, including editing, designing, marketing, and distributing their books. The easiest and most common way to do this is through Amazon KDP, which distributes both eBooks and hardcopies.

The choice between traditional publishing and self-publishing depends on an author’s goals, preferences, and circumstances. Traditional publishing offers the benefits of prestige, professional support, and established distribution but can be competitive and may involve sacrificing some creative control. Self-publishing, on the other hand, provides complete control, higher royalties, and faster publication but requires authors to take on the responsibilities of production, marketing, and distribution themselves.

Authors should carefully consider their priorities and evaluate which publishing route aligns best with their objectives, skills, and resources.

Below you will find a table that compares and contrasts the key aspects of the two publishing routes.

How to Get a Book Deal: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting a book deal can be a complex and competitive process, but with determination, persistence, and the right strategy, it’s achievable. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get that elusive publishing deal.

Step 1: Ensure Your Book is Marketable

A marketable book is more likely to attract literary agents and publishers. Publishing houses won’t be keen to sign up authors for a book that doesn’t have a potential audience. They carry the financial risk, after all.

To make sure your book will be marketable, begin by identifying the genre or category of your book. Understand what types of books are currently popular and which topics resonate with your target audience. Choose a subject you are passionate about and knowledgeable in to increase its authenticity.

Then, develop a compelling idea. Your book should have a unique and engaging concept or premise. What makes your story or content stand out? Create a captivating idea that grabs readers’ attention from the start.

You should also identify the target audience. Which age, gender, income, education level, geographic location, and interests/hobbies will your book appeal to? For example, a young adult fantasy novel may target readers aged 12-18, while a personal finance book may target adults in their 30s-50s. This will help you tailor your writing and explain the potential market to agents and publishers.

Step 2: Write a Stellar Manuscript

Writing a fantastic manuscript is the foundation of your journey toward securing a book deal. This is a step that you must take seriously before you can start thinking of literary agents and book deals. Here are some ideas for how to do it effectively:

• Plan and Outline: Outline your book’s structure and chapters. A well-organized outline provides a roadmap for your writing process. It can help you maintain a coherent narrative or argument throughout the manuscript.
• Develop Characters and Content: If you’re writing fiction, ensure your characters are well-developed with distinct personalities, motivations, and arcs . In non-fiction, conduct thorough research to support your arguments and provide accurate information.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of telling readers what’s happening in fiction, show it through vivid descriptions, dialogue, and actions. Engage the reader’s senses to create a more immersive experience.
• Edit and Revise: After completing your first draft, take a break before revising. Editing involves checking for grammar, punctuation, and clarity. Revision involves refining the writing, improving dialogue , and strengthening the narrative or argument.
• Seek Feedback: Share your manuscript with beta readers, writing groups, or trusted individuals for feedback. They can provide valuable insights and help you identify blind spots in your work.
• Redo the Revision and Editing: Based on feedback, make additional revisions to enhance the manuscript’s quality. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the final result. Make sure to incorporate the suggestions made by multiple beta readers.

Step 3: Write an Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a concise, well-crafted, and attention-grabbing description of a book. It is so called because it should be short enough to deliver in the span of an elevator ride, typically 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The goal of this pitch is to capture the listener’s interest quickly and effectively, leaving them intrigued and wanting to know more.

Here’s how to write an elevator pitch for your book and what it should include:

• Main Character and Setting: Briefly introduce the main character or characters and the setting of your book. Provide enough information to set the stage for your story.
• Conflict or Challenge: Describe the central conflict , challenge, or problem that drives the narrative of your book. This should convey what’s at stake for the characters and why readers should care.
• Unique Element: Identify the unique and standout element of your book that makes it different from others in the same genre or category. It could be a twist, a theme, a setting, or a character trait that sets your story apart.
• Emotion or Theme: Communicate the emotional resonance or central theme of your book. What do readers stand to gain emotionally or intellectually from reading your book?
• A Captivating Hook : Include an engaging hook that grabs the listener’s attention. This should be a compelling statement or question related to your book’s core concept or conflict.
• Brevity and Clarity: Be clear, concise, and focused. Exclude unnecessary filler words. Avoid superfluous details or lengthy explanations. Aim to deliver it within one minute.
• Accuracy: Be as accurate as possible. If you misrepresent your slow-burn suspense novel as a fast-paced thriller, for example, the agent will be annoyed when they receive your book and will reject it, and you would thereby have destroyed a potential relationship.

Here is an example of an elevator pitch for “The Martian” by Andy Weir:

Astronaut Mark Watney is stranded alone on the desolate and unforgiving planet Mars. With limited supplies and no means of communication, he faces insurmountable odds for survival. But Mark isn’t giving up. Armed with his ingenuity, resourcefulness, and a stubborn determination to live, he battles the harsh Martian landscape, all while NASA races against time to bring him home. It’s a thrilling tale of human resilience, problem-solving, and the unbreakable will to survive in the face of seemingly impossible odds.”

Step 4: Compose a Query Letter

Very few publishers still accept query letters from writers directly. They insist that writers are represented by agents, since they believe that the agents save them the time of reading through thousands of obviously unsuitable letters and/or manuscripts. So, you will have to write a query letter to a literary agent to represent you with a publisher.

A query letter is a formal letter to a literary agent that introduces yourself and your book. It should be concise, professional, compelling, and no more than one page long. Here’s what it should include:

• Address the Agent: Begin your letter with a formal salutation, addressing the agent by name. Always double-check the agent’s name and ensure it is spelled correctly.
• Personalization: Mention why you’re querying this particular agent. This could be based on their specific interests, the authors they represent, or any recent sales or accolades related to books they’ve represented.
• Opening Paragraph: Start with a strong opening that immediately hooks the agent’s interest. This could be a brief description of your book’s core concept or a compelling question or statement related to your manuscript.
• Book Details: Provide essential details about your manuscript, including its title, word count, genre, and a brief one-sentence summary of the book’s plot or central theme.
• Elevator Pitch: Include the elevator pitch that you wrote in the previous step.
• Author Bio: Share a brief author bio that includes your writing credentials, relevant publications, writing awards, and any other qualifications that establish your credibility as a writer. If you don’t have prior publishing experience, you can mention your passion for writing or online following.
• Closing Paragraph: Conclude your letter by expressing your interest in working with the agent. Mention that you would be happy to provide additional materials upon request, such as a full manuscript, sample chapters, or a book proposal.
• Appreciation and Signature: Express your appreciation for the agent’s time and consideration. Sign the letter with a professional closing, such as “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” followed by your full name.

Step 5: Find Suitable Agents

Agents tend to specialize in different genres, which means that you must find one whose preferences and interests match the characteristics of your book. There are a few places where you can find and identify literary agents who may be a good fit for your work.

Utilize online directories that list literary agents. Websites like AgentQuery, QueryTracker, Duotrope, and Publishers Marketplace provide extensive databases of literary agents along with their profiles, submission guidelines, and genres of interest.

Check books like “Writer’s Market” and “Guide to Literary Agents.” These resources are updated often and provide detailed information about literary agents, including their preferences and contact details.

Visit the websites of literary agencies. Many agencies list their agents, their specific interests, and submission guidelines on their websites. Reviewing agency websites can help you identify agents who represent books in your genre.

Research authors whose work is similar to yours in terms of genre and style. Look in the acknowledgments section of their books where they often thank their literary agent. See if you can track them down on the internet and whether they’re taking new submissions.

Look at the websites of publishers that specialize in your genre. They often list the literary agents who represent their authors. If your book is a good fit for a particular publisher, the agent who represents their authors may also be interested in your work.

Once you have found appropriate agents, do some research on their work, personalize your query letter to include their details, and send your letter to five or six agents per week. If their submission guidelines specify a number of your book’s pages that you should include with the letter, do so too.

After sending them off, don’t annoy the agents for a response. Keep careful track of the dates on which you send the letters, and follow up with a polite inquiry after six to eight weeks.

Step 6: Network with Industry Professionals

The unfortunate reality is that agents are overwhelmed with query letters and book submissions, which will make it very hard for yours to stand out from the pile.

As a result, networking with industry professionals might help you to connect personally with literary agents and increase your chances of finding representation for your work.

Look for writing workshops, conferences, and seminars in your genre or area of interest. These events often feature literary agents as speakers, panelists, or participants. Attend sessions where agents are speaking to gain insights into the industry and their preferences.

Engage actively in workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions to catch attention. Ask questions, share your experiences, and connect with fellow writers.

Join writer’s groups in your local area or online. Those specifically related to your genre, like the Mystery Writers of America or Romance Writers of America, might have resources for finding agents and may provide networking opportunities with other writers who can advise you.

Follow literary agents, authors, and writing organizations on social media platforms like X, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Engage in conversations, comment on their posts, and share your experiences.

Step 7: Build an Author Platform

While publishers do offer marketing services, they tend to spend most of their resources on authors with a track record of publishing successful books. If you lack such a record, you will probably still be responsible for much of your book’s marketing.

For this reason, building an author platform is essential for establishing your presence as a writer, for connecting with your target audience, and for convincing your agent and publisher that you have an already-established and enthusiastic audience.

Here are some steps to take to build an author platform:

• Create an Author Website: Build a professional author website that includes an author bio, a blog or news section for updates, information about your books, and contact details. Your website is your online hub and should represent your brand.
• Start Blogging: Maintain a blog on your website where you regularly publish content related to your writing, interests, or expertise. Blogging helps showcase your writing skills, engage readers, and drive traffic to your site.
• Email Newsletter: Start an email newsletter to connect directly with your readers. Collect their email addresses through your website and social media. Share exclusive content, book updates, and personal insights with your subscribers.
• Active Social Media Presence: Establish and maintain active profiles on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Share writing updates, engage with readers, and connect with other authors and industry professionals.
• Engage in Content Marketing: Create valuable content, such as articles, essays, or videos, and share it on platforms like Medium or YouTube. Content marketing can help you reach a broader audience and demonstrate your expertise.
• Author Interviews and Guest Posts: Participate in author interviews and write guest posts for blogs, websites, or podcasts related to your genre or interests. This can help you reach new audiences and establish authority in your niche.
• Book Reviews and Recommendations: Write reviews and recommendations for books you’ve enjoyed on platforms like Goodreads, LibraryThing, Book Riot, Bookish, and Booklist. This can help you connect with authors and readers in your genre and demonstrate your passion for literature.

You can find a step-by-step guide on how to build an author platform in our Book Launch Checklist .

Step 8: Be Persistent and Open to Feedback

The publishing industry can be highly competitive and challenging to break into. Many successful authors faced numerous rejection letters before finding the right agent or publisher. Persistence is what keeps you going in the face of rejection and setbacks.

J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was rejected by 12 publishers, Stephen King’s “Carrie” by 30. Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Harper Lee, Ray Bradbury, and Neil Gaiman all continued to write after dozens or hundreds of rejection slips.

Accordingly, if you want that publishing deal, you will have to persevere. Don’t let rejection deter you. Continue to submit your query letter to different literary agents or even small publishers who may be a better fit for your work. Remember that rejection is a common part of the process.

If a literary agent provides feedback with a rejection, view it as a valuable opportunity for improvement. Agents may offer insights into what didn’t work in your query or manuscript.

You can also join writing communities or workshops where you can exchange feedback with other writers. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement.

Best of all, surround yourself with a supportive writing community, whether online or in person. Share your experiences, celebrate your successes, and draw inspiration from fellow writers.

Step 9: Negotiate the Agent’s Contract

A literary agent contract, also known as an agency agreement, is a legal document that outlines the terms and conditions of the professional relationship between an author and a literary agent.

While specific details may vary from one contract to another, if usually includes the duration/terms of representation, the agent’s duties, the author’s obligations, the agent’s commission (usually 15 percent), and dispute resolution mechanisms.

If there’s anything in the contract that you don’t understand, you can obtain some legal advice.

One important scam to avoid is an agreement to pay an agent upfront, since their commission typically comes from your profit.

Step 10: Refine Your Book

Before your agent submits a manuscript to a publisher, they will have suggestions on how you can refine and improve it. Incorporate these suggestions or negotiate if they don’t match your vision for the book.

Step 11: Sign the Publishing Deal

Once the agent comes back to you with an offer from a publisher, you will be offered a contract that includes elements like the rights being granted to the publisher, your advance payment, your royalties, an estimated publication date, the editorial and production process, marketing and promotion duties, and so forth.

Never back yourself into a do-or-die corner when a publisher offers you a deal. Continue to remind yourself that you can always walk away. Self-publishing remains an option if you cannot get a deal that protects your interests.

Your agent can help you navigate the complexities of the contract, as their commission hinges on your earnings from the book.

One common scam to avoid is an agreement that expects you to sign away the copyright of your book. Another fraudulent practice is when shady organizations expect you to fit the bill for publishing services upfront.

Common Pitfalls & Things to Avoid

The path to a book deal is filled with common pitfalls and errors that might trip up aspiring authors. To increase your chances of success in this potentially treacherous landscape, avoid making these frequent mistakes:

• Rushing the Query Letter: Take your time to craft a compelling and error-free query letter. A poorly written or hastily prepared query can lead to rejections.
• Ignoring Submission Guidelines: Agents and publishers often have specific requirements for queries and manuscripts. Failure to adhere to these guidelines can result in automatic rejections.
• Sending Unpolished Manuscripts: Your manuscript should be in the best possible shape before submission. Consider getting feedback from beta readers or a professional editor.
• Being Impersonal: Sending generic, one-size-fits-all query letters is a mistake. Tailor your query to each literary agent or publisher, addressing them by name and demonstrating that you’ve done your research on their preferences and interests.
• Lack of Persistence: Rejections are common in the publishing industry. Be persistent and continue submitting your work to multiple agents or publishers.
• Lack of Platform Building: Publishers often look for authors with a strong online presence and author platform. Neglecting to build your platform can hinder your chances of securing a book deal. Start building your author platform early through blogging, social media, and other means.
• Neglecting Legal Aspects: Not fully understanding the legal aspects of contracts and agreements is a mistake. Consider consulting with a literary attorney or legal professional when reviewing publishing contracts.

Is a Book Deal Right for You?

If you are still undecided on whether to go for a traditional book deal or whether to self-publish on online platforms like Amazon KDP, consider the advantages and disadvantages of both.

A Book Deal Is Right for You if You:

• Seek Wider Distribution: Traditional publishing often provides access to broader distribution channels, increasing the chances of reaching a larger readership and gaining recognition in the literary world.
• Look for Professional Support: Traditional publishers typically offer editorial, design, marketing, and promotional support, which can be beneficial for authors who want expert guidance throughout the publishing process.
• Lack Self-Publishing Skills: Self-publishing requires skills in formatting, cover design, marketing, and distribution. Authors who lack these skills may find traditional publishing a more suitable option.
• Need an upfront payment: Some traditional publishing deals come with advances, providing you with an upfront payment before royalties start coming in. This can be advantageous if you need an immediate income.

A Book Deal May Not Be Right for You if You:

• Seek Full Creative Control: Traditional publishing often involves relinquishing some creative control, such as cover design and marketing decisions. Self-publishing allows for greater autonomy in these areas.
• Look for Faster Publication: Traditional publishing timelines can be lengthy, often taking a year or more from acceptance to publication.
• Have non-commercial Work: Traditional publishers may be hesitant to take on niche or unconventional works that may not have mass-market appeal.
• Have High Royalty Expectations: Traditional publishing royalty rates are often lower than those in self-publishing. If you prioritize higher royalty earnings, you may opt for self-publishing.

Frequently Asked Questions

To help shed light on some of the common queries and uncertainties that arise in the process of obtaining a book deal, review the answers below.

How Much Do You Get Paid for a Book Deal?

The payment for a book deal can vary widely depending on factors such as the author’s experience, the publisher, and the genre of the book. Authors tend to receive an advance against future royalties, typically ranging from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars for established authors. They then receive 10-15 percent royalties once their book sales have paid off the advance.

Should I Send My Book to a Publisher?

Whether or not you should send your book to a publisher depends on your goals, circumstances, and the nature of your work. If you seek wider distribution, professional support, validation, and an immediate income, traditional publishing may be a suitable choice. However, if you value creative control, want faster publication, higher royalties, or have a niche or unconventional work, self-publishing might be a better fit.

Do Publishers Own Your Book?

In traditional publishing, publishers typically acquire certain rights to publish and distribute your book, but they don’t own the copyright to your work. You, as the author, retain the copyright, but the publisher holds specific rights related to the edition they produce. The exact terms can vary and should be detailed in the publishing contract.

Do Publishers Ask for Money?

Reputable traditional publishers do not ask authors for money upfront to publish their work. Instead, they typically provide advances against future royalties and cover the production and distribution costs of the book. Be cautious of vanity presses or publishing scams that require authors to pay for publishing services, as these are not standard practices in the legitimate publishing industry.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Book Deal?

The timeline for securing a book deal can vary widely depending on factors like the genre of the book, the quality of the manuscript, and the current market conditions. It can take several months to several years, from the initial submission of queries to the final contract signing, and it’s not uncommon for the process to involve multiple rounds of revisions and rejections before finding the right fit with a literary agent or publisher.

How Many Followers Do You Need to Get a Book Deal?

The number of followers you need to secure a book deal can vary, and it’s not solely based on social media numbers. While a strong author platform with at least 25,000 followers can be an asset, publishers also consider the quality of your engagement, the relevance of your content to your book’s topic, and the uniqueness of your voice. Having a substantial and engaged online presence can certainly be a factor, but it’s just one of many that publishers evaluate when considering book deals.

What Happens if You Get a Book Deal?

If you secure a book deal with a traditional publisher, the publisher will typically handle various aspects of publishing, including editing, cover design, distribution, and marketing. You’ll work closely with your publisher throughout the publication process, and once your book is released, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in book promotion and connect with readers. Your earnings will come from royalties based on book sales, with the possibility of additional income from subsidiary rights, such as film or foreign rights sales.

How Long Do Book Deals Last?

The duration of a book deal can vary based on the terms negotiated with the publisher. Typically, the initial contract may cover a set number of years or until certain conditions are met, such as the book going out of print. Some book deals are for a single book, while others may include multiple books or a series. The specifics of the contract’s duration should be outlined in the publishing agreement.

Final Thoughts

Securing a book deal is a significant milestone in any author’s journey, but the path to publication is as unique as your writing itself. The steps outlined in this guide provide a structured framework to guide you, but each step may require patience, persistence, and adaptation to your individual circumstances.

Whether you choose traditional publishing or self-publishing, what truly matters is your dedication to your craft, your passion for your story, and your unwavering commitment to sharing your words with the world. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the successes, and never stop writing, for it’s the journey itself that makes the destination all the more rewarding.

Yves Lummer

As the founder of BookBird, Yves Lummer has pioneered a thriving community for authors, leading more than 100,000 of them towards their dreams of self-publishing. His expertise in book marketing has become a catalyst for multiple best-sellers, establishing his reputation as an influential figure in the publishing world.

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What is a Good Book Publishing Deal?

Author: Natalie Harris-Spencer Updated: December 9, 2022

Getting a good book publishing deal can seem like a unicorn. Yes, you’ve made it over the hurdle of finding a literary agent , and your novel has been polished and preened into a ready state to go out on submission to publishers , but now you actually have to fret over selling the damned thing ? And worry about getting a good book publishing deal, i.e. an appropriate amount of money for it? Are you kidding?

Luckily, that why we writers have literary agents : to negotiate the terms of the deal. And just like a job offer, you should never say yes to the first thing that’s offered (unless you’ve exhausted all angles, and/or your negotiation position is precarious).

The advance

Book deals are based on the premise of advances: the amount of money that the publisher is willing to spend up-front. Not only do advances show a publisher’s good faith that your book is good enough to sell, but also you are usually not obliged to pay back the full advance amount. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, not quite.

How much is a good book publishing deal worth?

Let’s look at the breakdown of publishing deals, and what a “good” deal actually looks like:

Nice deal:             $1 to $49,000

Very nice deal:    $50,000 to $99,000

Good deal:           $100,000 to $250,000

Significant deal:  $251,000 to $499,000

Major deal:          $500,000+

You might have seen announcements or publishing reports stating that books are sold in “nice” deals, or “major” deals. This is what they mean. They are indicating the value of a signed contract between the author and the publisher. If we take these ranges at face value, then a good book publishing deal means that the author is granted an advance of between $100,000 and $250,000, in other words, that elusive, six-figure deal that all your writer friends have been talking about.

The six-figure deal

Let’s break this down.

Say you get $100,000

15% of that goes to your agent. So you’re now at $85,000.

Put aside 40%ish of that for tax. That leaves you with approximately $50,000 – half of where you started.

Most publishing contracts state that the advance will be paid in multiple parts: on signing, on turning in your completed work (providing it meets the standards laid out in your publishing contract), and again on publication.

So realistically, you won’t see those six figures in your bank. And while advances can be healthy chunks of change, they are usually not life changing, and require you to deliver at least one, if not more books in order to receive your advance (multi-book deals are pretty common for debuts).

Earning out your advance

Here’s another kicker: you don’t start earning commission on any of your book sales until you “earn out” your advance. Many authors never sell enough books to hit that $100,000. And while you won’t owe the difference to the publisher, the fact that you didn’t earn out can leave a black mark against your name when your agent comes around to selling your next one.

See how a good book publishing deal looks much better than it really is?

When a nice deal is still a good deal

Of course, there are many advantages to getting a six-figure advance, like the fact that the publisher clearly has faith in you, like those three big fat checks, and the fact that you’ll likely get assigned a bigger marketing team and potentially more advertising spend and promotion .

Just don’t knock a nice deal, especially as a debut author. You’re more likely to earn out sooner and start raking in that commission. The vast majority of debut novels sell for less than $50,000, with most going for under $25,000. That’s pretty far from a good book publishing deal by industry standards, but it could be good for you.

A good book publishing deal is about more than money

Your author career is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t get too besotted with the money (and besides, you’re a writer, you’re surely not in it for the Benjamins!). Remember, a Big Five publishing house is much more likely to pay a bigger advance than an indie publisher. Some smaller presses may not pay an advance at all. That’s right $0 for your baby, *ahem*, book. But this could also be a good publishing deal, since you will start earning on any book sales right away. It’s not healthy to compare book deals, and nor should you. You will know once you get the paperwork whether the deal is good publishing deal or not, depending on what you want for your book and the stage of your career you’re at.

A good publishing deal looks different to different people. Just be sure that your literary agent is in your corner fighting for the best possible deal that’s right for you.

Recommended reading

Here at Aspiring Author , we love recommending bestsellers and fawning over hot new releases. On this real time recommended reading list, you will find a list of top rated books on the publishing industry, craft, and other books to help you elevate your writing career.

How to Self-Publish on Amazon: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide to Publishing Success

The Elements of Style (4th Edition)

Galaxy Wars

Algernon, Charlie, and I: A Writer's Journey

Lily in Paris

About the author.

Natalie Harris-Spencer

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Have you ever wondered how to get a book deal or if you need an agent to secure one? These are important questions to consider as you start your writing journey. Whether you are in the process of writing your first book or have an entire series you want to publish, knowing how to get a book deal is an integral part of your publishing process.

However, depending on what type of publishing journey you take, how to get a book publishing deal can take myriad forms. In this article we will discuss: if you should even get a book deal, how to get a book deal, three things to look for, and what to avoid when learning how to get a publishing deal.

This how to get a book deal blog will cover:

Should you get a book deal.

The first question to answer when learning how to get a book deal is if you should even be considering one. Let’s start by laying the groundwork. If you want to focus strictly on writing and building your platform (and leave creative liberties to someone else), you should pursue securing a book deal. In traditional publishing, receiving an offer usually follows the following process:

• Draft your novel *
• Edit your novel
• Create a compelling book proposal
• Query agents
• Sign with an agent
• Let your agent shop your manuscript to publishers
• Receive rejections
• Receive an offer from a publisher
• Negotiate the contract
• Sign the contract

*Nonfiction follows a very similar path, but usually, you only need to write the first three chapters to secure a literary agent or a book deal.

Learning how to get a book deal is quite a process, and your deal can take months, if not years to secure. There are stories of writers who break the mold, obtain a book deal quickly, and reach success – but this is not the norm.

If you are prepared to put this kind of time and effort into traditional publication, then yes, you should pursue getting a traditional book deal.

If you want to learn how to get a book publishing deal, read on.

How to get a book deal: Three things to look for

Several critical questions must be considered when learning how to get a book deal. Obtaining a book deal is quite an accomplishment and can often make or break the start of your career. Finding the right publisher and allowing your agent to negotiate your contract are two factors, but there are other steps you can take on your way.

#1 – Decide what size publisher is right for you

Some authors are prepared to take any offer to get their book out there. A small publisher can help your first book do very well, as can a more prominent, well-known publisher. Either way, it’s important to understand what type of marketing reach the publisher has prior to signing when learning how to get a book publishing deal.

#2 – Consider past sales and branding

Before signing a contract, look at how well previous books did with this publisher. Also, look at book covers to make sure your book’s branding aligns with your author brand. Look for the big picture, and see where your book fits.

#3 – Look at the contract

While your agent should handle the negotiations for you, taking control of your publishing journey and understanding what you are signing is important. Look through your rights, what the publisher will take control of, and all other relevant details.

One of the major things to look for in traditional publishing deals is the rights to ebooks and audiobooks. The most experienced, highest caliber authors take the ebook and audiobook out of the contract and publish those separately or even independently.

Now that you know what to look for, avoiding the wrong options is important when learning how to get a book deal.

How to get a book deal: What to avoid

Writers are passionate about putting their work out into the world, and with this passion driving them forward, sometimes it can be simple to make a mistake early on when learning how to get a book deal.

Be leery of any publisher who asks you to pay to publish with their company without offering any services, coaching, or support in return. In traditional publishing, publishers pay you, the author, for the privilege of publishing your book. How much you make as an author and how you get paid varies, but two primary payments are your advance and your royalties.

It’s also important to avoid ambiguity from publishers when learning how to get a book deal. Seek clarity and hard facts when deciding whether or not to publish with a particular house.

Again, your agent should know which publishers are credible and what will likely produce the best for your career, but be aware of what’s happening and what you’re getting into. Any traditional publisher who asks you for money should be avoided.

• Related: Traditional vs. Self-Publishing
• Related: How to Self-Publish a Book

Why self-publishing may be the better option

If you have a solid grasp on marketing, can hire a professional editor, and want full creative liberties with your book, self-publishing may be a better alternative for you than learning how to get a publishing deal. Additionally, while self-publishing a book can be a long process, you do not need to wait on a publisher to offer you a book deal.

Turnaround time and creative liberties

Self-publishing is also a great option for those who want a faster turnaround time from rough draft to publication. When you self-publish, you can take matters into your own hands a bit more proactively.

• You decide the speed you publish
• You choose your editor
• You choose your book design
• You create and execute your marketing plan

Of course, the privilege of full creative liberties comes with more responsibility, but if you have the capacity for it, self-publishing can be a fantastic option compared to learning how to get a publishing deal.

On-brand book and specific marketing plan

Let’s say you are an entrepreneur who is fully self-employed and making waves in the small business world. You had an incredible journey to where you are today—highs and lows—and want to share your story.

Due to building your business, you have a large email list, a strong brand people resonate with, and speak on branding and business at conferences around the nation.

Now you have the itch to publish a book that aligns with your brand and you can point your audiences to it after you present. Self-publishing may be the better option for you because you:

• Know how to market yourself
• Have a strong online presence
• Built a strong brand
• Can receive higher royalties
• Could have a fast turnaround time from book idea to publication date

If you chose to publish traditionally, you would need to follow the steps listed earlier – and presenting your book to your audience would likely take quite a bit longer.

Options for more books, faster

If you choose to self-publish, you can also write more books on-demand. For instance, if your first book does well and you sell thousands of copies in the first several months, you may want to put a follow-up book out.

When you choose to self-publish, you can use the existing buzz of your first book to create expectations and readership for your next book. Self-publishing allows you the option to put books into your readers’ hands at your own pace.

What’s right for you?

The answer to this question is subjective and depends on your personal writing and career goals. If you are not a confident marketer and are still working to build your platform, or perhaps don’t have the means right now to hire a professional editor , consider learning how to get a book deal with a traditional publishing house.

That said, if you already have a built-in audience, are building a solid brand, and are pretty comfortable with marketing, you may want to consider self-publishing. While it will take investment up front, and you will not receive an advance, your royalty rates will be higher and you will keep all your book rights.

Remember, the fun of being a writer is that you get to make the right choice for your book! Do your research and then move forward boldly with your work.

FAQs on how to get a book deal

How much money do you get for a book deal.

Your advance can range anywhere between $5,000 and $100,000 if you land a book deal.

What are the chances of getting a book deal?

Right now, the odds of getting a book publishing deal are between 1% and 2%, which is why so many authors are turning to self-publishing.

Do publishers pay for your book?

Yes, a reputable publisher will pay you an advance and cover all publishing costs. You shouldn't work with a publisher who asks you for money to publish your book.

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10 of the Biggest Book Deals in History

Namera Tanjeem

Namera is currently an English student at the University of Cambridge who loves romance novels, Harry Potter, true crime stories, and cats. You can find her over at her blog, The Literary Invertebrate . She can be contacted by email at [email protected].

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Publishers often keep extremely tight-lipped about just how much cash they’ve parted with when paying authors their advances. Pan Macmillan, for instance, merely said they’d signed a ‘seven figure’ book deal with Cassandra Clare in 2017 for her new adult series  The Sword Catcher , publishing next year. From there we can extrapolate that she’s scooped up at least a million pounds.

Massive as that sum already is, here are ten book deals which dwarf that. I’ve ranked the ten biggest payouts I could find, in descending order, and found only one author of colour who succeeded in meeting the parameters of receiving an advance of $7 million (the lowest figure in the top ten) or more. My main source was this article from the  Guardian , as well as an appendix in Nathan Joyce’s recently published compendium of Michelle Obama facts .

10 Biggest Book Deals

#1. 17 Books by James Patterson

In 2009, Patterson signed a deal with Hachette to write 11 adult books and 6 for young adults by the end of 2012. There was a jaw-dropping $150 million price tag attached – the biggest book deal in history – though Hachette has more than made that back: Patterson is one of the best-selling authors in the world, and is at the top of a sort of literary food chain with less-established writers using his name to market their own works. ‘James Patterson presents’, anyone?

#2. Becoming   by Michelle Obama + Unnamed Memoir by Barack Obama

Published on 13 November 2018, the former First Lady’s memoirs immediately catapulted to the top of every bestseller list. It’s the most popular book of 2018 in the U.S. and had sold 10 million copies by March 2019. The mammoth advance reflects that figure. Penguin Random House shelled out at least $65 million in 2017 in a joint deal for books by both Barack Obama and Michelle, though the release of the former president’s memoirs has yet to be announced.

#3. Century Trilogy by Ken Follett

In 2008, Penguin agreed to pay Follett a total of $50 million for his  Century  trilogy, consisting of  Fall of Giants, Winter of the World  and  Edge of Eternity . Inflation in the intervening decade means that the deal is now worth $57.5 million. Quite the hefty sum.

#4. My Life by Bill Clinton

Another presidential autobiography! In 2004, Knopf promised Clinton $15 million for this thousand-page tome. That figure is now worth closer to $20 million in modern money. At the time, it was a record-breaking sum: in comparison, George W. Bush netted only $7 million for his own memoir Decision Points .

#5. Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton

You won’t be surprised to find another Clinton offering on this list. In 2014, Simon & Schuster offered her $14 million for her memoirs, which according to the  Wall Street Journal  people stop reading at roughly 1.9% of the way through the book. (See here for my article on other bestsellers nobody apparently finishes).

#6. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Two years later, Simon & Schuster once again engaged themselves in another eight-figure book deal. Springsteen received an advance of $10 million for his autobiography, the largest ever handed out for a musician’s memoir.

#7. The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

This came as something of a surprise to me: a comedian I’ve barely heard of (though I’m admittedly not that great on comedy-culture references) did indeed receive a larger advance for her 2016 essay collection than J.K. Rowling did for The Casual Vacancy.  Schumer was signed for $9 million, again by Simon & Schuster, who seem to have a real taste for these megabucks deals. Whether they made back their advance on her, though, is a different question.

#8. Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II

In 1994, Knopf invested $8.5 million into buying the Pope’s memoirs. That’s now worth $21 million, but it was a good investment: the book has been translated into 40 languages and sold over a million copies in Italy alone.

#9. Life by Keith Richards

Richards, a guitarist for the Rolling Stones, co-wrote his autobiography with the journalist James Fox. Little, Brown bought the rights for $7.3 million in 2010 (now worth $8.8 million) reportedly after seeing a ten-page excerpt.

#10. The Downing Street Years and The Path to Power by Margaret Thatcher

HarperCollins signed a two-book deal with Thatcher for her memoirs, which were published in 1993 and 1995. The $4.6 million sum seems modest, especially since her son Mark hoped to get over $9 million; however, the deal is now worth $11.3 million. Not bad at all.

Bonus #11. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

And finally, we come to the name on this list that you probably expected to see closer to the start. I know I did. It’s uncertain how much Little, Brown actually parted with in 2012 to secure Rowling’s first adult novel, but it’s anywhere from $2 million to $8 million.

These publishers all gave up millions for the books they wanted…but you don’t have to! Check out Book Riot’s Deals of the Day to see what’s discounted today. 

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I finally landed a 6-figure book deal after 20 years of trying to become an author. Here's how I did it.

• Melissa Petro is a freelance writer, writing instructor, and author in New York City.
• She tried to sell her memoir for years before selling it at auction in November for six figures.
• To fine-tune it, she became an avid reader, wrote as much as she could, and found the right agent.

Scoring a book deal is always an accomplishment, but after I dreamed of becoming an author for more than 20 years, selling a nonfiction project for six figures to a Big Five publisher felt both astonishing and hard-earned.

Like a lot of people, I'd always secretly harbored ambitions of becoming a writer, but I didn't start taking my craft seriously until my mid-20s when I invested in a Master of Fine Arts. Even then, writing remained a hobby for another few years.

In 2010, I lost my job in elementary education when an essay I wrote was publicized by the New York Post and the whole world — including my then-employer, the NYC Department of Education — was made aware that I had worked as a stripper and prostitute before becoming a schoolteacher.

I turned a humiliating experience into a flourishing freelance career , and I got serious about my ambitions to become an author.

In November, I sold my book, "Shame on You: How to be a Woman in the Age of Mortification," to an editor at Putnam Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Here's how I did it.

First, I accepted there are no shortcuts

Some people think that having a scandalous story means a book deal is in the bag, but that's not always the case.

Days after my story was publicized, my writer friends and other industry folks begrudgingly congratulated me on my presumably imminent book deal . People who'd never even read my writing assumed I'd have advantages because of its steamy subject matter.

But having an interesting story isn't enough. If you're writing a memoir, you need to have a handle on what actually happened, a clear understanding of what it all meant, and an answer to the question: So what? At the time, I could recall the events of my life with vivid clarity, but it would take years of inner work to turn that lived experience into wisdom.

Beyond knowing what your personal experiences meant to you, and how they changed you as a person, a story needs to feel relevant to its readers — otherwise, it belongs in a diary, not a bookstore.

To learn what readers care about, I became an avid one

Before I called myself a writer, I was a reader. Other people's writing shows us how it's done. I read a lot of memoirs, self-help books, and cultural criticism, as my book is a blend of these three genres.

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I also joined writing workshops, where you'll not only learn about craft but also read mentor texts and other aspiring writers' work. When I couldn't afford classes, I traded pages with my peers.

As a writing instructor now, I've critiqued thousands of manuscripts. Not that my students' writing is all bad, but even reading bad writing will make you better at the craft.

I wrote — a lot 

Besides therapy, writing and publishing mostly personal essays is how I made sense of my situation. I've worked as a full-time freelance writer for the past decade, which has helped me clarify my thinking on issues important to me. I've gained skills, and I've built experience working with editors.

I also developed an audience. Amassing hundreds of bylines made me desirable to agents and, eventually, the editor who bought my book.

It took about two years to write the book proposal, and I wrote the book in about nine months.

I found a top-notch agent

Even after my unpublished manuscript was a finalist for a PEN award , I struggled to find a literary agent interested in selling my book. My first agent was lukewarm on the project, but she put it in front of editors anyway. In retrospect, it's no surprise that book didn't sell.

After that, I cycled through a handful of even-worse agents: the agent who suggested I shelve my memoir and write about something else entirely; the agent who was too busy, he said, to meet in person "a second time" (we had never met in person); and the agent who offered me a glass of Champagne (I'm sober — and if she'd read my manuscript, she'd have known that).

The right agent is the one who's in love with you and your writing. They'll make sure your idea is good and that the writing they present to editors is your very best. It took five years to sign with my current agent. She was a Facebook friend of mine whom I saw left her job as a book editor to become a literary agent, so I reached out to her.

After working with her to craft my book proposal that ultimately sold, it was a different book — a better one.

I stopped comparing myself 

My book was sold at auction, and there were two rounds of bids. All the bidders went up the second round, but the winning editor was the highest bid. I also liked the direction she wanted to take the book, so she was the clear winner.

I have friends who scored book deals straight out of grad school based on a single viral essay. Good for them — I mean that sincerely — but that's not how it usually works. Folks think "sex sells" and that exposure equals opportunity. For women, in particular, our talent and tenacity are frequently dismissed. But nothing about the journey has been easy.

That makes success even sweeter.

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The company formally completed their “rights offering,” with existing shareholders buying about 642 million of the 900 million shares of stock offered, at 5 cents a share. That leaves the “backstop” buyers — primarily Immersion Corporation/Toro 18, plus Outerbridge Capital Management and the Selz Family 2011 Trust — on the hook for only $12.9 million to buy up the remaining shares. The company expects to issue the new shares on June 10. Separately, Greenhaven Capital, which had built a 9.9 percent position in the company and flirted with putting together a competing buyout offer, took advantage of the weird interest …

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Book News & Features

Tiktok is driving book sales. here are some titles #booktok recommends.

Jim Zarroli

People are buying a lot more books these days, in part because the pandemic has trapped everyone indoors with little to do. But among younger readers, another factor is driving sales up: The social-media site TikTok, where users post short videos they create themselves. Michele Abercrombie/NPR hide caption

People are buying a lot more books these days, in part because the pandemic has trapped everyone indoors with little to do. But among younger readers, another factor is driving sales up: The social-media site TikTok, where users post short videos they create themselves.

Colleen Hoover was thrilled when her novel It Ends With Us suddenly shot to the top of The New York Times bestseller list late last year – and also a little bewildered. The book had come out four years before.

"You know at first, I didn't really know what was going on and even my publishers were like, why are we seeing an uptick in sales?" she recalls.

Hoover soon discovered that young readers were talking about her book on TiktTok, using the hashtag #BookTok , and Hoover had become a BookTok sensation.

People are buying a lot more books these days, in part because the pandemic has trapped everyone indoors with little to do. But among younger readers, another factor is driving sales up: The social media site TikTok, where users post short videos they create themselves.

It's hard to quantify how big BookTok is, because TikTok doesn't release a lot of analytics. But publishers say it has become a major force, especially in the market for young adult and contemporary romance books.

Scroll through BookTok and you'll find countless videos of readers talking about their favorite reads.

@bookishmelody Hoping for a good book month so I can add more to the list!!! #booktok #booktoker #bookish #bookclub #bookworm #bookrecommendations #books #bookstan ♬ Calming and healing Lofi Hiphop(899982)-Oren

BookTok fans are mostly young women and they are ardent readers.

@laurens1ibrary I will never stop trying to convince people to read this book #booktok #books #bookrecommendations #bookworm #bookclub #yabooks #fantasy ♬ Downton Abbey-Brooklyn Duo

They prefer books that are passionate and emotional — and they like a good cry.

@bs.bookshelf popular booktok book review:) #booktok #bookworm #yabooktok #yabook #reading #bookrecommendations #fyp #foryoupage #bookreview ♬ original sound-speblack

Not surprisingly, book publishers are more than a little excited about BookTok.

Word of mouth has always had a big effect on what books people read, and BookTok can turbocharge that process.

"It just warms my heart as a book publisher. Because that's what we always strive for, is that word of mouth. And we know that that's what takes a book from one level to the stratosphere," says Libby McGuire, who heads Simon and Schuster's Atria division.

BookTok comes along at a time when the pandemic has closed off many of the traditional ways of reaching readers, such as book signings, says Nellie Kurtzman, a vice president at HarperCollins, which published another surprise TikTok bestseller, They Both Die At The End , by Adam Silvera.

"There were a lot of book festivals where fans would gather and just celebrate reading and now not being able to do that, at least they're able to do that virtually," Kurtzman notes.

Publishers have even started reaching out to the most influential BookTok video creators, sending them free books or even paying them to recommend titles.

Chloe Gong, whose debut novel, These Violent Delights , was a bestseller last year, has a big TikTok following and often produces videos about her work and her life.

@thechloegong ✨Immortal Longings✨summer 2023✨ ##booktok ##nafantasy ##newadult ##authorsoftiktok ##genzauthors ##publishing ##bookclub ##bookstan ##bookworm ##bookrecs ##books ♬ original sound-Angie Cox

But she doubts these videos increase her sales much.

"A lot of the reason why book sales are moving so fast is not because of the authors themselves. It's because the readers are so passionate," Gong says.

McGuire agrees. The magic that turns books into hits on BookTok is something that can really only happen from the ground up, she says.

"I don't think you can manufacture it, I think it's happening organically, and that's great."

What is #BookTok reading?

We were liars by e. lockhart.

A tale of secrets and lies in a super-wealthy family that summers on an island off Martha's Vineyard. A best-seller when first published in 2014, it went on to Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction and is a perennial BookTok favorite.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

An aging movie star (think Elizabeth Taylor or Ava Gardner) recounts her career, scandals and all, for a magazine writer. Published in 2017, it's spent much of 2021 on the New York Times bestseller list, thanks to BookTok.

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

Two strangers are told they're going to die before the day is out and decide to spend their last few hours together. Perhaps the quintessential BookTok success story. Published in 2017, it saw a sudden surge in sales in 2020 and has spent much of this year on the bestsellers list.

These Violent Delights By Chloe Gong

Gong was barely out of college when she struck gold with her debut novel. It's a Romeo-and-Juliet tale set in 1920's Shanghai during a gang war, and it became an instant New York Times bestseller. It's also helped turn the author into a BookTok favorite.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

An imaginative retelling of The Iliad from the point of view of one of its minor characters, it won the Women's Prize for Fiction (formerly known as the Orange Prize for Fiction). Thanks to BookTok, it's also spent much of the year on the bestsellers list, which is not bad for a book that came out a decade ago.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

A young woman whose childhood was blighted by domestic abuse struggles to stop the cycle of violence in her own life. Originally published in 2016, it suddenly shot back onto the New York Times bestseller list last year, where it remains. This book and Hoover's later novel Verity have made her a bonafide BookTok sensation.

The Love Hypothesis By Ali Hazelwood

Love and romance in a university laboratory. It came out just this past fall, and was an instant bestseller, as well as a BookTok hit.

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Blog • Understanding Publishing

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

How to Get a Book Published: Your Guide to Success in 2024

If you’re a first-time author, we'd completely understand you not knowing how to get a book published. After all, there are now more publishing options than ever. Every author has to decide for themselves how to publish, taking into account the relative benefits and what they really want from of the experience — fame and fortune, literary repute, or simply being able to say they've done it.

In this post, we’re going to walk you through the traditional publishing route, which is what most writers will think of when they talk about "getting published." And if self-publishing sounds more up your alley, click here to read our guide to self-publishing . (We’re also not going to discuss vanity presses in this article, for reasons explained here .)

Here's the simple 5-step process to get a book published:

1. Start with genre research in the publishing industry  

2. finish your book and get feedback from editors, 3. submit query letters to literary agents , 4. submit your manuscript to publishers , 5. sign a book deal to publish the book.

Wondering which path is the best fit for your skills, ambitions, and book? Take this 1-minute quiz to find out whether you're better-suited for self-publishing or traditional publishing.

Is self-publishing or traditional publishing right for you?

Takes one minute!

Ask a hundred writing coaches, authors, and editors for advice on getting published, and 95 of them will tell you to read widely in your genre. The other five will probably assume that you’re already doing it.

Which genre (or subgenre) am I writing?

Find out which genre your book belongs to. It only takes a minute!

As an author, you should not only learn from your contemporaries (and the all-time greats), but also know what kinds of books people are buying. That will give you an idea of the books publishers are looking to acquire and how YOUR book will fit into that space.

A note on trends: it might sound like a good idea to write a book that capitalizes on a current trend (sexy vampires, hardened female heroines, etc.). But by the time that your book finally hits the shelves (it can take years,  even after you sign a deal), that trend might be over — something that acquiring editors are acutely aware of.

That said, there are definitely certain genres for which readers seem to have endless appetites. These are the trends to be aware of, rather than trends related to specific subject matter or character types. (We'll talk more about these genre trends, and about why Big 5 publishers love them, in step 5.)

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This entire article relies on your book actually being good. It doesn’t need to be the finest novel ever written, but it must be something its target audience will enjoy . Therefore, an agent mustn’t be the first person (other than you) to read your manuscript.

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Before you start looking for representation, consider working with beta readers : people with an interest in your genre who can offer you feedback from a third-party perspective. And try to get someone professional! Your cousin or college roommate might be happy to help, but they may not be your best choice, for two reasons:

• As your friend, they’re inherently biased; and
• They might not belong to your target readership.

Pay attention to what they say, and self-edit based on their feedback. You might also consider working with professional developmental and copy editors. A pro edit can be a crucial step in ensuring your manuscript reads well , for when an agent finally requests it.

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Should you go to writers' conferences?

Not all authors are lucky enough to live near cities with writers' conferences. But if you can afford to attend one, then you definitely should. It’s a great way to watch panels by published authors and industry insiders (editor and agents). In most cases, there will even be a chance to network directly with those people at the conference’s social events.

It’s also pretty common for there to be sessions where you can practice your pitch and get one-on-one feedback from attending agents or editors and (if you really, really hit it off) you might find that they’ll refer you to agents.

An inexpensive alternative to writing conferences are online writing communities , where you can get great advice, feedback, and case studies from people who have written and published books. Though you're unlikely to find any former Big 5 acquisition editors casually trolling the forums, these communities are a great place to start for first-time authors, and may even lead to you becoming a lifelong member.

Additional resources: What to Expect From Beta Readers (and Where to Find Them) (blog), What are Sensitivity Readers (and Should Authors Use Them?) , and How to Edit a Book  (blog)

At this point, your manuscript is looking sharp, and you clearly understand whom it’s aimed at. With that in your back pocket, it’s time to get yourself an agent. This is where you can turn to our thoroughly vetted literary agents directory , which lists over 600 agents in every genre and category for you to peruse!

Start browsing our directory to find your dream literary agent today.

Do you need an agent?

While some indie presses accept “unagented submissions,” you’ll find that your best bet to scoring a traditional publishing deal will be to first secure an agent. Not only do they have the right connections at publishing companies, but they will also know how best to sell it to acquiring editors.

In addition, pitching your book is just one of the many tasks that falls to an agent. They are also advisors and editors, who will give you objective advice on your manuscript and act as a buffer between you and the publisher. They’ll handle a lot of the business side of things, leaving you free to write. Most importantly, they are deeply familiar with the industry and should know how to negotiate the best price for your book ( and avoid potential scams ). For that reason alone, they are worth their commission.

Query Submissions Tracker

Stay organized on your journey to find the right agent or publisher.

What are you looking for in an agent?

First of all, you are not just looking for any   literary agent who’s willing take you on. You want one that’s right for you and your manuscript. They should be passionate about your book, as they’ll be the one responsible for selling it! For that reason, you need to do your research and draw up a shortlist of candidates who represent books and authors within your specific genre.

Fortunately, our literary agents directory allows you save agents to your shortlist and email the list to yourself, so you won't lose track of who you want to query. For more information on how to find the perfect agent for you and your book, check out the resource below.

Additional resource: How to Find a Literary Agent (guide)

What do agents look for in an author?

It's important to remember that everyone’s goal in this business is to make money . Agents work purely on commission, so they’re looking for books they have a high chance of selling to a Big 5 publisher (Big 6, if you're including Amazon Publishing imprints) — and that will sell enough copies to justify their investment of time.

Agents are also looking for long-term working relationships. This means they'll put more stock in writers who not only have the potential to write lots of great books, but who also seem like nice people to work with. No matter how awesome your manuscript, if you come across like a delusional nightmare, people will think twice about signing you.

Do you need publishing experience or personal connections to land an agent?

A common misconception is that unsolicited queries are almost never successful. This, however, is largely untrue. Former agent Rachel Stout polled over twenty New York -based agents from a range of backgrounds and found that almost all of them are open to unsolicited queries (or “slush,” as they call it).

“I know that authors don't think most agents read their queries. Almost everybody reads them,” Stout suggests. “35% of the agents I asked — some with two decades of experience and others with two years — said that more than half of their current list comes directly from the slush pile.”

Unless you get a personal introduction, this is the usual procedure for successfully landing an agent for the first time:

• You send the agent a "query letter" that quickly pitches yourself and your novel.
• The agent is intrigued. They request and read your manuscript.
• They love your manuscript and you enter discussions re: your book and career.
• You sign an agreement that allows the agent to represent your book.

Of course, this is the best-case scenario. Most writers find themselves querying multiple agents. It’s a common myth that you should only speak to one agent at a time: nobody, especially the agent, expects this to be the case.

Additional resource: How to Write a Query Letter (guide and checklist)

Bear in mind that most agents get a mountain of queries every month. The good news is that most of the queries they get are terrible, boilerplate messages that are copied-and-pasted indiscriminately for each agent.

Yes, each agency will have their own submission guidelines (which you should follow to the letter) — but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go the extra mile by further personalizing the query. Make sure you:

• Address it directly to a specific agent;
• Get their name right (a common pitfall); and
• Let them know why you want them , specifically, to represent your book.

Sometimes, just showing an agent that you’ve done your research will give them confidence that you’re a hard-working writer who understands how the game works and doesn't cut corners.

Additional resource: Personalizing Your Query Letter (webinar and transcript)

You can expect to work with your agent to further develop your manuscript. In many cases, they’ll see potential in your book and will act as your first editor of sorts. Ideally, you will discuss how to make your book more sellable before signing with them.

Now, some writers might not love this idea. Why did they sign my book if all they want to do is change it? However, it’s wise to listen to their suggestions. They’ve been in the game longer than you, and if they’re good at their job, then their recommendations will help you reach more of your desired audience.

And once you’re both happy with the state of your manuscript, it’s then up to your agent to go out in the wilderness, pitch your book to publishers , and negotiate the best possible book deal !

Can you query/submit a book that you’ve already self-published?

There are some cases, like with Andy Weir’s The Martian and 50 Shades of Grey , where a publisher has reissued a self-published book. But these cases are pretty rare. Most of the time, if your book has already been on the market, industry folks will wonder if it's already exhausted its market. After all, the 10,000 people who bought your self-pub book usually won’t buy it again just because Simon & Schuster has it now.

However, if you’ve self-published a book that has sold very well, you can bet that agents will be lining up to request your next manuscript.

How do you get a publishing deal with the Big 5?

If you’re an author currently trying to get traditionally published, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the Big 5 Publishers:  Penguin Random House, Hachette Livre, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster. All of these publishers have been around for decades, and getting your book published by one of them is a golden ticket to prestige and recognition.

However, keep in mind that these publishers are pretty selective, especially when it comes to novels. If you want to vie for one of them, you’ll have better luck if you write in certain genres. As you can probably surmise from the current market, the biggest genre trends in fiction lately are:

• Thrillers and suspense novels (e.g. Gone Girl and The Woman in the Window )
• Retellings and/or novels based on actual events (e.g. Circe and Room )
• “Own voices” novels (e.g. The Hate U Give and There There )

That said, you still need to have some kind of original take or twist in order to capture a Big 5 publisher’s attention. Your book can't just be a poor man’s  Gone Girl; you have to take the most innovative and intriguing elements of your chosen genre, and make them even better. You have to truly make the story your own.

Additional resource:  The Largest Book Publishers in 2024  (directory) and What is Upmarket Fiction? (blog)

And there you have it. Remember: if you have a strong manuscript and a desire to put in the work, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to secure a publishing deal of your very own. We can't wait to see your name on the shelves!

Want to know all the details of what really goes on behind the scenes at a big publishing house? Check out our free course: Inside a Traditional "Big 5" Publisher !

6 responses

Harvey Stanbrough says:

26/01/2019 – 10:47

I wish, just one time, articles that tout traditional publishing would warn authors that most traditional publishers today will acquire ownership of your copyright for the life of the copyright. When you go traditional in this day and age, you truly are "selling" your work outright for whatever pittance of an advance you get, if any. Today building their portfolio of IP is more valueable to publishers than publishing books. YOUR intellectual property becomes THEIR intellectual property and is vaulted to add value to the company. Please stop sending young writers to tradpub without warning them to very carefully read the contract.

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

25/06/2019 – 12:46

I think you're right there, Harvey — when they're looking at trad. publishers, authors can easily forget to do their background research. We're working on a few pieces that should help authors understand their publishing rights — especially when it comes to rights reversion. At Reedsy, we're big proponents of self-publishing but we understand that it's hard work. There will always be a good chunk of authors who would prefer not to do any of the publishing or marketing elements and for them... traditional publishing is pretty much the only option. Thanks for your feedback!

↪️ Luis Petrizzo replied:

25/06/2019 – 16:13

That sounds good but...is there at least some who would respect the author's IP? Just wondering.

Carl Dean says:

29/05/2019 – 04:53

Very helpful article. I believe I have something good and I am finally ready to share the story.

Marianne Calkins says:

15/12/2019 – 21:31

I have just finished a short children’s story. I have had it edited and illustrated. It haas been printed by a local printer. I originally wrote this for my grandchildren but I am interested in trying to get it published. I have 2 more short stories in the works also. The illustrator and editor would like to keep working with me. I was just going to send out copies to several different publishers to see what would happen. Is this too naive of me? Would appreciate any feedback.

18/12/2019 – 09:56

Most of the time, children's books publishers prefer to deal with literary agents. You could query an agent with your new book ideas and see if there's any interest. The fact that you've written and self-published a book already won't hurt your chances!

Comments are currently closed.

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How to Get Published: A Book’s Journey From ‘Very Messy’ Draft to Best Seller

The mainstream publishing industry is intimidating. How does a writer break in? Follow Jessamine Chan’s “The School for Good Mothers” through the roller coaster of its creation.

Credit... Kathleen Fu

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By Kate Dwyer

• Aug. 25, 2022

Jessamine Chan spent five years drafting her book. It was her first — a novel about a mother who loses custody of her toddler after one “very bad day,” and then, in a surreal twist, is sent to an experimental “school for good mothers.”

Like most new authors hoping to break into the industry, Chan had much working against her.

The publishing world can be opaque and intimidating to outsiders. Although Chan had published a few short stories and had worked at Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine that gave her some insight into the process, she had few connections. And she had no platform: She was not a celebrity, had no personal brand and was not on social media. She lived a quiet life in Philadelphia with her husband and her child, whose birth made her recast the book — again.

And yet Chan’s “The School for Good Mothers” was published in January 2022 — and soared to the best-seller list, catapulting her to literary stardom. Last month, former President Barack Obama featured it on his summer reading list.

How does a debut novel go from a “very messy” draft on a writer’s desk to a published book, on display in bookstores around the country?

Here, we take you behind the scenes to see how a book is born — the winding path it takes, the many hands that touch it, the near-misses and the lucky breaks that help determine its fate.

Finding an agent: “I just couldn’t look away.”

Finding a good agent is the first step on the road to publication. Often, it’s the hardest part of the journey.

The talent managers of the book world, literary agents help authors navigate the complexities of the publishing business. They broker book deals with publishing houses, negotiate the legalese of contracts, fight for authors’ best interests and help clients develop their long-term careers.

Many agents ask for a pitch letter, known in the industry as a query, plus a few sample pages to get a feel for the writer’s style. Most reputable agents receive hundreds, if not thousands, of unsolicited pitch letters a year — the part of their inbox known as the “slush pile.”

How to stand out? Appeal to an agent’s sensibilities, which are usually described on their website; on Publishers Marketplace, a platform for publishing professionals; or on social media, using the “manuscript wish list” hashtag #MSWL.

Following the advice of friends and the Poets & Writers directory , Chan researched which agents represented authors whose books shared elements of her own — novels of ideas that explored modern motherhood and the dystopian edge of the female experience.

A mutual acquaintance recommended she email Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, who represents Leni Zumas, the author of “ Red Clocks ,” a speculative novel about a near-future in which abortion is illegal in the United States. Connecting with Kaffel Simonoff was a “pie in the sky” dream, Chan said, but she sent a query to her, along with 11 other agents.

Kaffel Simonoff replied immediately, requesting the full draft. Chan sent it and held her breath. (Several other agents also requested the manuscript — seven ultimately passed.)

Halfway through reading, Kaffel Simonoff wrote back: She was hooked.

“Jessamine had a razor-sharp sense of her own writerly intentionality and a fluency in her novel’s ‘aboutness’ from the start,” Kaffel Simonoff said. “She asked, ‘Is there one right way to mother?’ I just couldn’t look away from that clarity of vision.”

Many agents effectively serve as an author’s first editor. After Chan signed with Kaffel Simonoff in July 2019, the two began several rounds of revisions to further develop the speculative elements of the plot along with the characters’ emotional arcs.

By November 2019, Chan’s manuscript was ready to be shopped to publishers.

Finding a publisher: “It was going to be competitive.”

Well before a book is released, the manuscript meets its first, and toughest, audience: the acquiring editors at publishing houses.

The most discerning of readers, these editors are the ones who select the books that a publisher will invest in. For months, over lunch and in emails with editors, Kaffel Simonoff seeded her enthusiasm for “The School for Good Mothers” with this audience.

The day of the manuscript’s submission, Chan said, she was “operating almost entirely on adrenaline.” Her husband took her out for a huge lunch at their favorite Chinese restaurant, where she waited for updates. “I was bouncing off the walls,” she said.

The news was good. Editors wanted to talk to Chan. They were interested — enough for Kaffel Simonoff to organize an auction.

Some auctions are blind: Publishers are asked to submit their single highest bid without knowing what their competitors are offering. Others have multiple rounds where publishers try to outbid each other, though there is a twist. The winner may not be the highest bidder, but the one whose vision best matches the author’s.

“Your role as an acquiring editor is to work quickly,” said Dawn Davis, the former Simon & Schuster editor who ultimately won the auction. She first phoned Chan from the waiting room of her dog’s veterinarian. “I knew it was going to be competitive.”

Even as she was bidding on the manuscript, Davis had to pitch it internally. She had to convince her boss — the chief executive of Simon & Schuster, Jonathan Karp — to release the money for Chan’s advance against royalties by the time her bid was due to Kaffel Simonoff, just one week after receiving the submission.

There were two other editors inside Simon & Schuster alone who wanted it, Davis said, not to mention others at publishing houses across town. She believed the book had the potential to “break through as both literary and accessible. Those books are few and far between, and you have to pay appropriately,” she said.

“There’s something you call a sleeper, where you can get it for a relatively small advance and it’s a breakaway hit,” Davis added. “This was not going to be a sleeper.”

Losing, and finding, an editor: “I’m in it to win it!”

From their very first phone call in November 2019, Chan knew that she and Davis were a match. Davis had a vision for the book, to make it “leaner and meaner,” and Chan was on board. In 2020, during the terrifying first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, they embarked on round after round of edits.

Everything seemed to be falling into place. “I loved that she saw the book as a novel of ideas,” Chan said, “and that it was speaking to urgent issues in our country.” The cherry on top: Grace Han, a freelance designer working with Simon & Schuster’s art director, Jackie Seow, zeroed in on the book’s elements of the unknown to produce what Chan called “the ominous pink cover of my dreams.”

Then, Chan said, Davis left Simon & Schuster to become the editor in chief of the magazine Bon Appétit.

After a book is edited, the acquiring editor becomes its cheerleader at the publishing house and beyond. As a result, losing that editor — the person who believed in the manuscript, who pushed for its purchase and who shared the author’s vision — can be a fatal blow to a book’s chances of success.

But Chan was fortunate. The project was reassigned to Marysue Rucci, a Simon & Schuster editor who had read the book alongside Davis and shared her passion for it. Rucci personally mailed galleys to independent booksellers and journalists with notes saying, “‘I think this will appeal to you,’” she said.

When BookExpo America, an annual trade show, went online for the second year in spring 2021, Rucci and Chan appeared on a virtual panel.

“Marysue had a wall of my galleys behind her,” Chan said. “She said, ‘I’m in it to win it!’”

Reaching the reader: Luck that can “change your life.”

Because there are hundreds of new books competing for readers in any given month, it can be hard for a title to break through the noise.

But celebrity book clubs still have the power to move books en masse. In 2021, 10 of the 15 debut novels on The Times’s best-seller list were book club selections by Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Jenna Bush Hager or Good Morning America.

Chan’s publicist, Anne Tate Pearce, had given the book to one of Bush Hager’s producers at the “Today” show in March 2021. Bush Hager devoured it on vacation.

“I was so engrossed in this world, which felt like nothing I’d ever read before,” Bush Hager said. “And as a mom, I could totally relate with many of the feelings.”

Chan was negotiating bedtime with her toddler one night in April when Kaffel Simonoff called to tell her that “The School for Good Mothers” would be Bush Hager’s January 2022 book club pick.

“I screamed,” Chan said. “And then I had to hang up — my daughter needed me — so I had to call Meredith hours later to ask if it actually happened.”

Chan’s book was already a LibraryReads and Indie Next selection — lists of upcoming books to watch chosen by librarians and by independent book store owners. With the “Today” show boost, the best-seller list suddenly seemed “within the realm of possibility,” Chan said. “A book club selection is something that can actually change your life as an author.”

Meanwhile, the team at Simon & Schuster was still waiting on the early reviews in trade publications: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist and Library Journal. Getting top billing there — being “starred” — can impact reviews and coverage at glossy magazines and newspapers.

All four reviews came back starred.

Publication: “My book really does have so many moms.”

Almost seven years after Chan opened a blank Word document and started typing, “The School for Good Mothers” was published.

Holding your book for the first time is “kind of an indescribable feeling,” Chan said. “It’s both a physical culmination of a lifelong dream, but also just so exciting and wild and surreal.”

But it was January 2022; the latest and most infectious version of the coronavirus to date was spreading, and forcing some last-minute changes to plans to promote the book. Photo shoots moved from studios to snowy yards. Instead of traveling to New York for her appearance on the “Today” show, Chan filmed the segment remotely. Her husband, a documentary filmmaker, rigged a lighting setup to tape it at home.

“When my daughter’s older,” she said, “I will show her the clip of the time that I beamed into live TV from our living room.”

Chan’s trip to promote her book was also derailed.

“As Omicron surged, the events moved to Zoom or were postponed, one by one,” Chan said. “We were in pretty intense isolation.”

Still, TV commercials, print ads, and influencer content placed by Simon & Schuster’s marketing department ran as scheduled, and the book made headlines when Jessica Chastain’s production company announced plans to adapt it.

Chan got on social media, where she engaged with readers and fellow authors who connected with the novel. On Twitter, she learned from an English professor at the College of William & Mary that her book inspired a course on “bad mothers in literature.”

The book’s timing also dovetailed with reinvigorated conversations about women, pregnancy and motherhood as the Supreme Court weighed the constitutional right to abortion.

“Seeing my book included in a larger, very necessary, conversation about women’s rights and women’s stories — both in the media and in conversations with readers — has been one of the most remarkable parts of this experience,” Chan said.

But long before her novel found its audience, it found its champions, the women who along with Chan would make it soar, the author said. “My book really does have so many moms.”

She added: “I’d like people to know that it’s possible for a debut author in her 40s, a woman of color, a mom, who led a quiet life offline with no brand building whatsoever to have this experience.”

An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of the publicist who worked on Jessamine Chan’s book. She is Anne Tate Pearce, not Anne Pierce Tate.

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Rights Roundup: Bologna Hosts Book Fair Directors

In Feature Articles by Porter Anderson June 7, 2024

Our Rights Roundup features work from both English- and French-language Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic.

By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson

BolognaFiere Hosts a Biennial Meeting

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday June 10, 11, and 12), the group will meet at BolognaFiere, where the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (March 31 to April 3) director Elena Pasoli will host the group to discuss issues expected to include political aspects of hosting the fairs; developments in literature sectors such as YA; bookstores; publishing’s production costs; “the balance between creating new and valuable offerings and maintaining a solid identity; the selection of guest-of-honor markets; technological developments; and B2B and B2C integration where book fairs are public-facing but with professional programs.

Expected to participate are representatives of

• Bologna Children’s Book Fair
• Frankfurter Buchmesse
• Guadalajara International Book Fair
• China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair
• New Delhi World Book Fair
• Istanbul Book Fair
• Book World Prague
• Taipei International Book Exhibition
• Leipziger Buchmesse
• Warsaw International Book Fair

And by the way, our listings today include new sales on two very widely selling rights successes. Watch below for the work of Henrik Fexeus and Salla Siimukka.

As in each roundup, we use some of the sales copy supplied to us by agents and rights directors, editing that copy to give you an idea about a book’s nature and tone, but limiting the promotional elements. If you’d like to submit a deal to Publishing Perspectives, see the instructions at the end of this article.

By George Bumann

• Publisher: Greystone Books, Vancouver
• Rights contact: Andrea Damiani, Greystone Books
• Book info: Read more here

This title is scheduled to release on October 15.

Reported rights sales:

• World Hungarian: Corvina Kiado
• Spain: Carbrame

“Humans once relied on the calls of wild animals to understand the natural world and their place in it. This guide reveals what our ancestors knew long ago—that tuning in to the owl in the tree or the deer in the gully can tell us important information and help us feel connected to our wild community.

“Animals have lots to tell us, if we listen. In his debut, Yellowstone-based wildlife guide and ecologist George Bumann explains how to train your eyes and ears to pick up the secret animal conversations all around—from those of squirrels to songbirds, butterflies and more.

“Listening to and observing creatures in your own backyard, on nearby trails, and in local parks, at seashores, in fields and forests, can lead to extraordinary experiences and a profound sense of belonging.”

By Geneviève Després

• Publisher: Les 400 coups, Montreal
• Rights contact: Simon de Jocas, Les 400 coups

No rights sales reported as yet.

“Animals sometimes want too much. If I had known …  presents a series of portraits of animals who get into trouble after forgetting to think about the consequences.

“But are animals the only ones this can happen to?

“For her first album as an author-illustrator, Geneviève Després offers us a series of funny and crazy, sometimes shocking situations reminding us that we have to be careful with our actions because we don’t always know what awaits us.”

By Magda N. Garguláková Illustrated by Marie Urbankova

• Publisher: Albatros Media, Prague
• Rights contact: Tomáš Jodas, Albatros Media
• Newest – Vietnamese: Coral Books
• Slovene: Hisa knjig
• Simplified Chinese: Ginkgo
• Catalan: Bindi Books
• Spanish: Bindi Books
• Hungarian: Scolar

“A journey into dental health, this book has “sturdy pages,” dentist-approved content, and visuals.

“Teeth: You Only Get Two Sets takes young readers on an journey through the world of dental health.

“This nonfiction children’s book explores the origins of teeth and their internal structure. Children reading it discover the reasons behind toothaches, the uniqueness of growing only two sets of teeth, and the importance of early dental care.

“The narrative unfolds with a touch of whimsy, inviting readers to envision themselves with the teeth of a bat, adding a playful element to the educational adventure.”

As Red as Blood

By Salla Simukka

• Publisher: Tammi, Helsinki
• Rights contact: Anna Kappauf, Elina Ahlbäck Literary Agency
• Newest – Finnish Karelian: Karjalan Sivistysseura
• Alabania: Muza
• World Arabic: Arab Scientific
• Argentina: Nuevo Extremo
• Azerbaijan: Qanun
• Belgium: Clavis
• Bosnia & Herzegovina: BTC Sahinpasic
• Portuguese/Brazil: Novo Conceito
• Bulgaria: Egmont
• French/Canada: Hachette Livre
• Spain/Catalan and Spanish: La Galera
• China: Modern Press
• Croatia: Znanje
• Czech Republic: Egmont
• Denmark: Gyldendal
• Estonia: Pegasus
• Faroe Islands: Bókadeildin
• French/France: Hachette Livre
• Georgia: Bakur Sulakauri
• Germany: Arena
• Greece: Metaixmio
• Hungary: Athenaeum
• Iceland: Forlagid
• Iceland/audio and ebooks: Storyside
• Indonesia: Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer
• Israel: Yedioth
• Italy: Mondadori
• Japan: Nishimura
• South Korea: Gimm Young
• Latvia: Zvaigzne
• Lithuania: Alma Littera
• Macedonia: Bata Press
• Malaysia: Buku Fixi
• Montenetro: BTC Sahinpasic
• Netherlands: Clavis
• Norway: Gyldendal
• Poland: Foksal/WAB
• Portuguese/Portugal: Presença
• Romania: Trei
• Russia: Eksmo
• Serbia: Vulkan
• Slovakia: Verbarium
• Slovenia: Mladinska
• Sweden: Rabén & Sjögren
• Taiwan: Emily Publishing
• Thailand: Nanmee Books
• Turkey: Altin Kitaplar
• United Kingdom and Commonwealth / English: Hot Key Books
• United States and Canada / English: Penguin Random House/Crown
• Vietnam: Alpha Books
• Film and television: Zerogravity Managem

In this 2013 release, part of the ‘Snow White Trilogy,’ the “17-year-old Lumikki Andersson goes to a high school of performing arts.

“She has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. However, the rule is put to the test on leap day when she finds 500 laundered euro notes hung out to dry in her school’s darkroom.

“It turns out that three students from Lumikki’s high school have in their possession plastic bags containing bloody notes, and soon Lumikki finds herself caught in a tangled web of international drug trading.”

By Henrik Fexeus

• Publisher: Bookmark Förlag, Stockholm
• Rights contact: Signe Bedinger, Nordin Agency
• Newest – Spanish: Planeta
• Arabic:  Al Arabi Publishing and Distributing, Egypt
• Bulgarian: Colibri
• Czech: Metafora
• Danish: People’s
• Dutch: Uitgeverij De Geus
• Catalan: Columna
• Estonian: Pegasus
• Greek: Metaixmio
• Icelandic: Sogur Publishing
• Italian: Marsilio Editore \
• Latvian: UAB Alma Littera
• Norwegian: Aschehoug
• Portuguese: Porto Editora
• Romanian: Editura Trei

“When David receives an email from an unknown woman claiming to have information about his childhood, he doesn’t know how to react. Ideally, he wants to ignore the message and instead sort out his feelings for the beautiful star lawyer Florence. However, David has no memories of the first 12 years of his life, so curiosity wins out and he answers the email.

“The woman who contacted him suddenly disappears without a trace and David becomes the prime suspect.

“Meanwhile, someone seems to be targeting him and everyone he cares about. With Florence’s help, he must now find out who is behind everything and how it is connected to his own missing memories. In the shadows lies a decades-old secret and players who have everything to gain from the truth not being revealed.

“The Sacrifice is the first installment in the ‘David Lund and Florence Tapper’ series. In this psychological suspense novel, a mystery unravels in two timelines in which the truth is both bigger and more devastating than some will expect.”

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About the Author

Porter anderson.

Porter Anderson has been named International Trade Press Journalist of the Year in London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards. He is Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives. He formerly was Associate Editor for The FutureBook at London's The Bookseller. Anderson was for more than a decade a senior producer and anchor with CNN.com, CNN International, and CNN USA. As an arts critic (Fellow, National Critics Institute), he was with The Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald, and the Tampa Tribune, now the Tampa Bay Times. He co-founded The Hot Sheet, a newsletter for authors, which now is owned and operated by Jane Friedman.

US Supreme Court Justices Report Hundreds in Thousands in Book Deals

Friends Read Free

Several U.S. Supreme Court justices reported hundreds of thousands in book payments, according to disclosure forms that were made public on Friday.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson received concert tickets from singer Beyoncé and a nearly $900,000 advance payment for a forthcoming book, according to a disclosure form that was made public on Friday.

Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Sonia Sotomayor also reported income from books they have published or will publish.

Justice Kavanaugh reported being paid $340,000 by Regnery Publishing, while the court confirmed Friday that the justice is writing a legal memoir. Justices Gorsuch and Sotomayor reported royalty income of $250,000 and nearly $90,000, respectively.

Justice Jackson signed her book contract soon after taking her seat in 2022. The book, “Lovely One,” is slated to be published in September.

Thomas Amends Disclosure

A lawyer for Justice Thomas had said in 2023 that critics were wrong when they asserted the justice had failed to report all the gifts he received on his disclosures. Justice Thomas reported only one gift for 2023. He said he received two photo albums worth about $2,000.

Justice Samuel Alito is the only justice whose report was not available Friday after he received an extension for up to 90 days, as he does most years. The justice has separately been under scrutiny over flags that flew outside homes he owns.

Previously, some critics of the U.S. Supreme Court have called for stricter reporting requirements from the justices. Some have said that they shouldn’t be able to accept gifts at all.

In November 2023, the Supreme Court announced its first code of conduct governing the ethical behavior of the justices amid outside pressure after it was revealed that they took undisclosed vacations and trips.

The code was adopted after several reports stated that Justice Thomas went on trips paid for by a billionaire whom the justice said was a personal friend.

The nine-page code stipulates that the justices’ outside relationships should not influence their court rulings or conduct, adding that they should also not use judicial resources or staff for nonofficial activities “to any substantial degree.”

“To dispel this misunderstanding, we are issuing this code, which largely represents a codification of principles that we have long regarded as governing our conduct,” the court’s statement said at the time.

Separately, some Democrat senators have suggested in recent weeks that Justice Alito recuse himself from several upcoming cases for a different reason, noting reports that an upside down U.S. flag and an “Appeal to Heaven” flag were flown at his home in 2021. The justice has said that his wife flew those flags over a distressing incident with his neighbors.

Justice Alito, in response, has said that he will not recuse himself from from a pair of upcoming Supreme Court decisions.

McConnell Weighs In

The issue matters, he said, “because at least two of these colleagues of ours, the junior senator from Rhode Island and the senior senator from Connecticut, seem to be members of the Supreme Court Bar. If so, they are, therefore, potentially engaged in unethical professional conduct before the Court.”

He said that because those senators are lawyers, they “are officers of the court and bound by a different set of rules than a mere senator.”

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Book Deals: Week of November 13, 2023

Jack reacher lives on at delacorte.

Lee Child and younger brother  Andrew Child (who also writes under the name Andrew Grant) have struck a deal with Ballantine group president Kara Welsh and editor-in-chief Kara Cesare for North American rights to four new Jack Reacher thrillers, to be published by Delacorte Press. The deal was handled by Richard Pine and Kim Witherspoon at InkWell Management. Delacorte said the first, as-yet-untitled book in the new deal will publish sometime in 2024 and will be the 29th in the series, which has more than 100 million copies in print worldwide.

Dey Street ‘Opens Wide’ for Blanco

Record producer, songwriter, artist, actor, and food personality benny blanco has sold world rights to Open Wide to Stuart Roberts at Dey Street Books. The deal was struck by Sarah Passick at Park Fine. Dey Street said the book is “a cookbook and entertainment guide” about throwing “the greatest dinner party of all time.” It will feature more than 100 “accessible, elevated recipes”; menus from blanco’s “legendary dinner parties”; and contributions from an array of stars and personalities, including Hailey Bieber, Lil Dicky, Matty Matheson, and Billie Eilish’s mom. The book is set for an April 2024 publication.

Lin-Liu and FSG Reach ‘Formidable’ Deal

Jenna Johnson at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired North American rights to Jen Lin-Liu ’s The Formidable Mrs. Chao: One Trailblazing Woman’s Quests from Imperial China to 1980s America for Food, Home, and Family . The deal was negotiated by William Clark at William Clark Associates. According to FSG, the book will chronicle the extraordinary life and culinary pursuits of Buwei Yang Chao, who “irrevocably changed America’s understanding of Chinese cuisine” with her groundbreaking 1945 book How to Cook and Eat in Chinese . A fall 2026 pub date is expected.

Algonquin Casts Yeon’s ‘Pottery’

In a preempt, Madeline Jones at Algonquin has secured North American rights to South Korean screenwriter and novelist Yeon Somin ’s English-language debut, The Healing Season of Pottery . The deal was handled by Lisette Verhagen at Peters Fraser + Dunlop on behalf of Mojosa in South Korea. Algonquin said the novel is about a 30-year-old woman “who finds solace in the art of pottery after an intense period of burnout from her all-consuming job.” The book is set for a fall 2024 publication.

Enríquez, Hogarth Strike ‘Shady’ Deal

International Booker Prize finalist Mariana Enríquez has sold North American rights to two books to David Ebershoff at Hogarth. The first is a collection of stories titled A Sunny Place for Shady People , which the publisher said features “achingly human characters whose lives intertwine with ghosts, the occult, and the macabre.” The second book, Somebody Is Walking on Your Grave , is a collection of essays centered on some of the world’s most “iconic” cemeteries. A Sunny Place will be published in September 2024; no pub date has been set for the second book. The deal was negotiated by María Lynch of Casanovas & Lynch.

Flatiron Signs Stewart’s ‘Broken Heart’

Nadxieli Nieto at Flatiron Books has acquired North American rights to What a Broken Heart Can Do , by journalist, theologian, and Shoutin’ in the Fire: An American Epistle author Danté Stewart . Hafizah Geter at Janklow & Nesbit represented Stewart in the deal. Flatiron said the nonfiction book is a reminder of what heartbreak can teach us “if we have the courage to face it.” What a Broken Heart Can Do is tentatively planned for fall 2025.

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