Publishing Timeline?

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Star

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Greetings Esteemed Members,

My agent says I won't be seeing/signing my book contract for another two whooping months. I've heard that seeing your book in print takes up to 18 months, but I didn't know the contract alone can take up to two months.

Any published writers wanna volunteer their timelines? I'm just curious! :)
 

maestrowork

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I signed my contract within a month -- just to go over all the details. The book came out 14 months later.
 

Star

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Thanks Maestro...wow.
Did you have an agent look over your contract? Do you know why it took a whole month? Was the contract THAT long? I'm so green, aren't I? By the way, why are newbies called "green" - what's green got to do with it? hmmm
 

Will Lavender

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I received and signed my contract three months after there was a verbal agreement with the publisher. Got my first check four months after the verbal.

My book will come out exactly one year from our agreement on the telephone.

This is a question that varies WILDLY from writer to writer, obviously. I've heard of "direct-to-market" situations where the book will go right on the shelves. (Our own John Robison is an example of this.) And I was told in New York City at a conference that there were some cases where it took 10 years for the book to come out. (Yes, you heard that right. A decade.) I've heard that the authors of The Rule of Four had to wait quite some time for some reason, maybe because their pub was waiting on The Da Vinci Code.
 

Star

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Awww gee Will...I guess I have to put away my credit card. No summer shopping spree for me. :(

Thanks for the info.
 

Star

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Thanks Rugcat.

I just spoke to my agent (going over more details) and he explained that two months is STANDARD for contracts. In other words, I need to slow my roll. :)
 

Claudia Gray

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Mine was about two and a half months, I think, and I have heard similar stories from friends. I sold my book in August 2006, just now saw the copyedits and will not have an actual copy for almost another year! So yeah, it takes forever.
 

Star

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I guess I better start my Highlights for Children quest!

Thanks guys!

p.s. How do you do that whole "WIP" thingie? For example, at the bottom of some of your posts I see: one full out, one rejection - in some sort of template format. Help!
 
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Stew21

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Thanks Maestro...wow.
Did you have an agent look over your contract? Do you know why it took a whole month? Was the contract THAT long? I'm so green, aren't I? By the way, why are newbies called "green" - what's green got to do with it? hmmm

Regarding green:
a lot of things begin green. fruit for example, before it's ripe or in season it is green. New.
And spring vs. fall. What is green in spring isn't after it has gone through its growing season.
 

Star

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Fruit. Ohhhhh Wow. That was simple.
*slapping forehead* D'oh.
 

badducky

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This is also why you don't see very many authors under the age of 25. Not because people under 25 can't write really, really well, but because it takes years and years to get through the query-go-round all the way to the bookshelf.
 

Star

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Well I'm past the 25 mark. I'm ready to shine rat now. :)
 
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