First time at "Step 3" with publisher

Susan B · May 11, 2007

I'm almost afraid to post this in case I jinx it.

For the first time, I've reached that third step with a publisher. You query, they ask to see something. They read it--and then they want to see still more!

Up till now, it's been encouraging rejections (passed on by my agent) after editors read the proposal.

The process with this one has been a little different. A smaller independent publisher I learned about, and (with agent's blessing) approached on my own, kind of a "pre-query" letter. They said send a formal query, with sample chapters. I sent a couple. Got a message back one morning saying they'd received it, warning me the review process took time, I'd need to be patient. Then, later in the day, I got another message: thanks, send more of the book. So I' m getting ready to send the proposal and several more chapters, having my agent step in at this point.

Maybe it's just that it's taken an extra step before they've gotten around to the proposal, but I'm hoping this is a good omen.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Susan

Calla Lily · May 11, 2007

Woo-Hoo!

Fingers and toes crossed for you!

maddythemad · May 11, 2007

No, Susan, that's awesome!! Getting to this step is a sure sign your book is going to be published soon!

JAlpha · May 11, 2007

Definitely good

All good! Fingers crossed. Keep us posted.

joyce · May 11, 2007

Congratulations! I'm presently at the third phase myself except with an agent. I'm jumping for joy just to be there! I'll jump for joy and keep my fingers crossed for you too.

CaroGirl · May 11, 2007

Oh my, Susan, this is exciting! I really hope it goes well for you. Good luck!

Susan B · May 11, 2007

Thanks, everyone! I'll be keeping fingers and toes crossed for all of you, too!

I had to go to Office Max yesterday, so figured what the heck...I picked up some of those manuscript mailer boxes. Just in case somebody wants to see a bigger chunk of the book--I know it won't fit in those handy "priority mail" cardboard mailers I've been using up till now.

(This is nonfiction, a memoir, so the most I've sent out at one time was the first 100 pages to a few agents who got past the proposal stage.)

I'll keep you all posted

Susan

Toothpaste · May 11, 2007

Ooh, fingers crossed for you! This is a great sign!

David McAfee · May 11, 2007

Woohooo! Looks good, Susan.

I used up all the dandelions in my yard yesterday for maddythemadd and maprilynne, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, anyway.

Soccer Mom · May 11, 2007

atthebeach · May 11, 2007

That is great! Congrats Susan, and best wishes as you wait for the good news!

Susie · May 11, 2007

Hope it works out great for you Susan!

janetbellinger · May 11, 2007

I'm happy for you, Susan.

LloydBrown · May 11, 2007

So you made it to 3rd base with a publisher? Pst pix plz k thx.

Pike · May 12, 2007

This is wonderful news. Whether or not it's accepted, you know that your story was compelling enough to capture their attention. That's what we all hope to do; capture our readers. To nab an editors attention is just fan-flippin'-tastic! Congrats.

Pike

Susan B · May 12, 2007

LloydBrown said:
So you made it to 3rd base with a publisher? Pst pix plz k thx.

Hmm, 3rd base? Does that mean what I think it does?

And what's the translation of what follows

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes! I'll certainly give you all an update!

Susan

Sury · May 13, 2007

Great news, Susan! I will be watching for your update. GOOD LUCK!

Sury

Saundra Julian · May 13, 2007

That's wonderful. I wish you the very best!

Susan B · May 17, 2007

Update

Here's an update: publisher now wants to see the full manuscript.

Not sure what this means, since what he wrote (after getting the the proposal with a few more sample chapters) is that he'd rather read the full manuscript than look at a partial. So please send that.

So hopefully he at least glanced at the proposal part, enough to know he was still interested?

Hoping my agent will step in at this point.

So good thing I bought those manuscript boxes! Now I'm doing some final polishing and proofing. Have never even printed the full manuscript before, much less sent it out. (This is nonfiction, and so far everything has been based on the proposal and sample chapters, though I've indicated the book is in the final revisions stage.)

Wish me luck--again!

Susan

MelodyO · May 17, 2007

Good luck -- again! ::gets all excited on your behalf::

Penguin Queen · May 17, 2007

Ooh, this is very exciting! Best of luck & fingers, toes and eyes crossed for you! It sounds very encouraging so far!!

Prevostprincess · May 19, 2007

A big, fat DITTO!
(On all the well wishing, not the 3rd base stuff

formlit · May 19, 2007

Susan B said:
I'm almost afraid to post this in case I jinx it.

For the first time, I've reached that third step with a publisher. You query, they ask to see something. They read it--and then they want to see still more!

Up till now, it's been encouraging rejections (passed on by my agent) after editors read the proposal.

The process with this one has been a little different. A smaller independent publisher I learned about, and (with agent's blessing) approached on my own, kind of a "pre-query" letter. They said send a formal query, with sample chapters. I sent a couple. Got a message back one morning saying they'd received it, warning me the review process took time, I'd need to be patient. Then, later in the day, I got another message: thanks, send more of the book. So I' m getting ready to send the proposal and several more chapters, having my agent step in at this point.

Maybe it's just that it's taken an extra step before they've gotten around to the proposal, but I'm hoping this is a good omen.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Susan

I don't know you . . . but good luck. It sounds good!

Susan B · May 22, 2007

Thanks to eveyone for the good thoughts!

I just heard from my agent, now have a second publisher (editor at a university press) who wants the full, after having read the proposal.

So I am heading out of town for 5 days, with my laptop, doing some editing, so I can send this out to both of them next week.

Wish me more good luck!

Susan

aliajohnson · May 22, 2007

Congratulations! :hooray:

And best of luck!

First time at "Step 3" with publisher

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