Second-Book-Dealers, Please come in...

You'll get those answers when your agent gets the contract from the publisher. Your agent works for you, so don't feel like a pest asking questions. Giving you answers is part of his/her job.

Star - Congratulations!

ChaosTitan has it right--all this will be spelled out in your contract, but you can help your agent negotiate that contract by letting him know what you want and are willing to agree to. How much time do you need to write the book (allowing for revisions)? Let him know what a reasonable deadline will be.

As to advances, I've had half up front plus half when an acceptable ms is submitted. Turns out my publisher considers the ms. is acceptable AFTER the copy editing is finished, not at the point when I submit it. I've also, for a more complex project (where I wanted to make sure the publisher was happy with the way it was shaping up before the point of no return), I've had 40% on signing, 30% upon approval of "progress materials," and 30% on receipt of the acceptable ms.

Let your agent know what you want - it's his job to get it for you if he possibly can.

Congratulations! I don't have any useful advice - just wanted to share the excitement!

Congratulations! and don't worry.

It's variable for the writer and the pub. My first was on spec, my third paid on half proposal. Simpler contracts are halfsies, half on signing, half on delivery--and I think most pubs mean delivery of acceptable ms, which means not until they deem it accaeptable which is pretty darn close to sending it for printing. A worse option is thirds, signing, acceptance and pub. Icky. But asking here what your contract will say maketh no sense. I dunno the pub, the material, the writer, etc. It's individual and your ag works for ya, so express your preference to le agent.

CGs! Now get to work, and don't forget to worry about your third novel in your off-moments.