My Publishing Journey - Part 2: Submission and a Book Deal
Letting more drivers on your metaphorical publishing bus.
Hi everyone!
I hope you’re staying cool this summer. Last month, I shared the first part of my 3-part newsletter series on my publishing journey, about querying and signing with an agent. You can read it here!
This month, I’ll share a bit about how a book goes from being agented to landing a book deal, and a few tips for staying sane during the process, if you are a writer on submission!
Before I get into it, I want to give I also wanted to give a special shout out to my dear friend Mara Williams, whose debut novel, The Truth is in the Detours, comes out on August 12, 2025. I’ve already read it, and I LOVED it! It’s a gorgeously written story of family secrets, second chances, childhood best friends, and the road trip of a lifetime. Sounds amazing, right?! You can preorder it now at the link below! It’s available as a paperback, e-book, and audio, and I’ve heard that the audio is amazing. Perfect for a summer road trip!
Okay here we go!
I love an extended metaphor, so let’s continue with the Publishing Bus, shall we?
When I signed with my agent, my mom said, “So you send the book to the random house now, right?”
She was sort of right! Here’s a super quick overview of how going on submission to publishers works: (Please note that this applies to traditional publishing, and that indie publishing looks different!)
Agent sends pitch and/or manuscript to editors at publishers, sometimes cold, sometimes after soliciting interest
You wait for the editor to reply
Sometimes agents will “nudge” if you receive interest from another publisher (similar to querying)
Once an editor is interested, usually authors will have a call with the editor to have a mutual vibe check
If there’s an offer, a lot of complicated behind the scenes stuff will happen without you and then you, the author, will get a less complicated email about it!
In the absolute briefest of terms, that’s how submission might look for someone. Here’s what happened for me:
After signing with my literary agent, there were a number of revisions I made on my manuscript before we went on submission. I reworked the ending of the book, changed the title (again!) and clarified a number of character arcs. Once the book was in good shape, it was hands-off for me. It was like I’d been driving a bus for a long time, and suddenly, I was the person who checks under the bus to make sure no one is hiding, instead of the driver. Luckily, I trust my agent and felt okay handing over my metaphorical bus, but it was definitely a mental shift!
If you are a writer approaching being on submission, I highly recommend thinking about how you communicate best, and how you would prefer to receive updates. While on sub, I received weekly updates—and of course would receive an immediate update with good news. That meant that on Fridays, my anxiety spiked, sure, but that I wasn’t waiting on an email at any other time of the week. I have friends on sub who receive immediate updates with any type of news, and this works for them! It’s all dependent on you and how your brain works.
I also HIGHLY recommend connecting with other writers in similar situations, because having that sense of community is invaluable when you’re in the midst of such a drawn-out, sometimes really confusing process. Truly don’t know where I’d be without my ‘sub club.’ Probably still hiding under my blankets.
One day, sitting at my desk, I received an email from my agent with the subject line “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” In true Isabelle fashion, I did not look at it for several minutes, because I love to procrastinate, even with stuff like this (anyone else?). As the subject line suggests, it was good news. GREAT news. News that totally changed my life. I met with my future editor via Zoom later that week, answered some of her questions (Where did the inspiration for the book come from? Do you have any other projects you are working on? What’s your writing process like? How do you feel about XYZ edits?), and got to ask a few of my own. Her vision for the book was so closely aligned with mine that I knew we’d be a great fit. And I loved her ideas for edits. For example, she wanted to draw out the side characters even more, and since the side characters were some of my favorite parts of the book, I was all in! I knew she’d be an excellent co-driver on my bus.
Another piece of advice for writers on submission: Think about and/or write down the parts of your book that you LOVE. The things that are non-negotiables for you. Ideally, you will find an editor who will love those same things and want to draw them out even more, and you’ll probably have a sense right away if the suggested edits don’t match up with your vision.
And of course, for my last bit of advice: Ask your questions! (A modified bit of advice that my dad always gives me.) This might be asking questions of your agent, and not the editor, if you are pre-contract. But if there’s something you are confused about (even if you are convinced it’s a silly question), ask it! There is no such thing as a silly question in publishing and why not ask the people whose job it is to know the answers!
My book deal with St. Martin’s Griffin was announced about a month after we received the offer, and I have been truly overwhelmed by the amount of support and enthusiasm that Most Eligible has received! But it’s also come with a heck of a lot of imposter syndrome. Publishing takes hard work, dedication, and thick skin. I like to think that I do and have all of those things. But it also takes a lot of luck and looks VERY different for every person, which is one of the reasons I was hesitant to write this newsletter in the first place. Because it is easy to look at one person’s journey and compare it to your own, when the reality is that sometimes there is really no rhyme or reason for any of it.
I feel profoundly lucky to get to say that my debut novel comes out in a little less than six months. But sometimes I also feel like I blinked and here I am, and I have no idea how my metaphorical bus arrived in this glittering magical unicorn river. Anyone else?
If you have any questions about submission and/or anything publishing-related, don’t hesitate to reach out! I’d love to pass on any information I’ve learned along the way and offer support.
Also excited to say that Most Eligible is available on NetGalley! If you are a NetGalley user and like to read books early (and for free!) head on over there to get your copy while they’re still hot. (JK, they’ll always be hot!)
What I’m reading…
Love is a War Song by Danica Nava - out now!
I also just finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins-Reid and it was incredible! I have not cried so much reading a book since I read The Fault in Our Stars as a preteen.
Another book on my radar is August Lane by Regina Black, out July 29!
Until next time,
Isabelle
This was a great read and answered questions I was always curious about in regards to being on sub!
Finding an enthusiastic champion for your book is important at every. single. stage. :)