The stages inbetween submission and offer?

TrixieLox said:

I'm currently on agented submission and, naturally, as neurotic as hell.

Anyway. In a lot of the 'journey to publication' stories I've read, the middle bit is left out. So there's not much between 'I went on submission to editors' to 'I got an offer'.

But from what I know of friends' experiences, there's the bits in-between too. Like an editor loving the MS but then having to pass it around for 'second reads' (I'm at this stage right now two weeks after going on sub), then if it gets past those extra reads, acquisitions. Then often, the editor likes to talk to the author on the phone or face2face to get a sense of who they are. So you kinda get a sense of momentum if it's gonna be a good outcome, right? It's rarely a bolt out of the blue?

Or is it?

What are your experiences and / or your friends' experiences of the stages in-between (initial interest, second reads, acquisitions, phone calls, revisions - and the timelines of these).

Thanks, Trix

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What you described is pretty much how my process went! And you're right - it's rarely ever sudden. You know when it happens thanks to your agent!

For me, it was submission on june 4th - got a second reads note on june 29th - got a offer to talk over the phone with editor on august 9th - the offer came august 21st.

A lot of people have it quicker, or slower. Summer is 'technically' supposed to be slower?

Regardless, good luck! It's amazing you're on to second reads in the second week! ^^

Every house works differently, and even different level editors within a house/imprint have different process.

Some publishers don't even have acquisitions or marketing boards that have a say pre-acquisition. In those houses, an editor usually only needs the go ahead from one or more more senior editors (or, if they are a more senior editor, maybe no go ahead at all). What will likely get others involved is the what they will pay and the negotiations.

Other publishers have acquisition boards that have to approve any acquisitions, beyond an editor's desire to acquire. Sometimes there are several stages - ie, editor loves it and takes it to her boss, who also loves it and it goes to an editorial meeting where the collective editors say okay, and then it heads to acquisitions...

Some editors are so experienced/senior/powerful they can pretty much acquire what they want. Others are so junior they need their boss to agree, and then their boss's boss to agree, even before it can go to an acquisitions board.

So, the experiences can be all over the map. It can come out of the blue - ie, an editor calls the agent and says we want to make an offer, or a pre-empt even, where they want to offer enough to prevent an auction. In many cases the agent will get a call from an editor saying I'm having my boss read, or we're taking this to acquisitions, or I'm really enjoying and plan to reread, etc., so the agent has some idea an offer might come. Sometimes the agent might even get a call that an offer will be coming, after some numbers are crunched.

So, I think the experiences can be all over the map.

It's also important to discuss with your agent what they will tell you and when, so that you know what to expect. Some agents don't actually forward on to theur clients all information as it comes in. That's why it's important to discuss with them ahead of time what you would like and agree to what will work for both of you.

~suki

You should talk to your agent about how things are going to work: much depends on how she works.

1. The book is sent to the agent.
2. The agent starts to shop it around.
3. The writer starts eating too much and gains 20 pounds.
4. The editor likes it and shows it to other editors.
5. The writer starts drinking too much and loses $1,200 to the judge.
6. The editor shows it to the marketing people.
7. The writer starts taking too many barbiturates.
8. The editor accepts the book but asks for revisions.
9. The agent tries to contact the writer, but he's not allowed phone calls in rehab.
10. The writer gets out of rehab and the agent sends the manuscript for the revisions.
11. The writer does the revisions and sends the book back.
12. The editor rejects them because they're written in crayon.
13. The agent gives up on the writer because the new home of the writer only lets them use crayons so they don't poke holes in the padded walls...

Jeff

Oh Trixie, I'm right there with you! I wish I could give you my experience, but I'm pretty much in the same stage of the process, except I haven't received a second-read letter. Congratulations, by the way! We've been out on sub since Aug 7th, and I'm trying very hard not to pull out each and every strand of my hair.

I've got my fingers crossed for you!
Beth

It can definitely happen out of the blue sometimes, though I do think it's less common than the "having someone ease read it, now it's going to acquisitions" kind of updates. At least, the latter seem to be my friends' experiences.