After signing a contract??

[avid-dreamer]

Hey everyone. I am curious about the what happens after a writer signs a contract with a publisher. Do they get a certain amount of time to produce another novel? And how long is that time?
Another question: If it's a 3-book deal is the time frame about the same?
Thanks for the help!!

[grrrrrshon]

particulars would be stipulated in the contract.

[Mumut]

It depends on the publisher. My contracts have been for one book at a time. Zeus covers hard-copy books in Australia only. Lachesis is for books and e-publishing in the rest of the world but in English only. Both are for three years.

In the contract you have to look at film rights etc., so it is necessary to read a contract very carefully.

[timewaster]

It depends, but usually you wouldn't be expected to write more than one book a year and as the lead times between delivery and publication can be quite long - a three book is a good few years of work.

[johnzakour]

It all depends on the publisher, your agent and your schedule. I like to write one book a year for each publisher but that's just me.

[Joe Moore]

As others have pointed out, it depends. But here’s a typical scenario. If it’s your first publishing contract, chances are you’ve already written the book since most publishers won’t sign a new author on a proposal (non-fiction is different). You’ll probably receive an advance against royalties. The manuscript goes through the production cycle of copy editing, cover design, title finalization, galley printing and distribution to reviewers, etc. That can take from 6-18 months depending on the size of the publisher and their enthusiasm for your book. And hopefully, it will wind up on a shelf in a bookstore somewhere for readers to buy in about a year. I know authors whose books were canceled after they went to the printer so nothing is for certain.

That’s it for book one. If you have an idea for another novel, this time you can submit a proposal to the publisher, sometimes with sample chapters, that they will consider. Since you’ve already proven you can finish at least one book, you get a slight break on the next.

If they accept and issue a contract, this time you will only receive a portion of your advance. Usually half upon signing and the other half upon D&A (delivery and acceptance). That’s because you still have to prove you can complete another book. It can get easier after that--I've sold books on a one-page proposal.

Your contract will stipulate the deadline date for turning in the finished manuscript. Most publishers work on a 12-month publication cycle. So they want to schedule your second (and subsequent books) to be released within a year of each other.

Some genres require authors to produce more than one book a year. There are extremely rare instances such as the upcoming Jordan Dane novels in which she signed a 6-book contract and her first 3 books will be published back-to-back over the next three months. But that is not the norm. I hope this helps. Good luck.

[ClaudiaGray]

It depends, but usually you wouldn't be expected to write more than one book a year and as the lead times between delivery and publication can be quite long - a three book is a good few years of work.

Not necessarily -- I signed a four-book deal with HC, and I have about two and a half years to write them all. Luckily, I'm keeping up with it so far. But they were YA books, and therefore shorter, and all set in the same universe, so I didn't have to do new worldbuilding each time around. So the time frame depends a LOT on what kind of books they're looking for from you.

[funidream]

I agree that it depends.

In my case I signed a 2-book deal. The my debut novel was complete. The second book (not a sequel) was bought based on a very spartan outline. I was asked to suggest the amount of time that I would need to complete the manuscript, and that was the timeframe stipulated in the contract.

I was very surprised when they bought book 2, but as my agent explained to me, a publisher invests a lot of time and $ building an audience for an author, and the second book benefits greatly from that initial investment, and they definitely do not want another publisher reaping that reward.

[Gillhoughly]

Read your contract and note down the delivery date for each book. Pin them up on the wall.

They're serious about that date.

Publishers run on a schedule. If you don't turn the book in on time, then they will grab another writer's title and put it in that slot and move yours back by several more months. That's happened to me and it is baaaad for your career to get a reputation for being late.

Your editor will edit for content and a copyeditor will edit for spelling/grammar/continuity. You will get your original MS pages back. They will be covered with blue or red pencil marks with suggestions & corrections. (Not always--I had a publisher that by-passed that and it pi&&&d me off. I had to correct the galley, which limited the amount of correction I was allowed to do.)

Or you will get an e-copy covered with comments, notes, corrections.

You have to correct and/or agree to the stuff. Rewrites are not written in stone. If they put in an exclamation point and you want a period, you can change it back. Double check with a beta reader, especially if you don't understand why a change was made. Sometimes 3rd party feedback can explain the mystery.

Read carefully, as mistakes can be inserted. I've heard the story of a copyeditor who "corrected" a Shakespeare quotation!

You send back the final MS with your corrections. You may have to re-print a few pages if they're especially messy or you had a lot of rewriting. Number the extra pages like this: P. 105, 105-A, 105-B.

Use a different color paper. I use a light color like buff or pale yellow and put a Post-it note on the page so my editor can pick it out easily. She will have to re-read and re-edit that page to the house style.

DO NOT reprint the whole book to make it look pretty or the copyeditor will have to put in printer notations all over again. They hate that.

The next time you see the book it will be a galley copy. You can only correct about 10% of it. Once it's in galley form major rewrites are frowned upon as it means resetting the type. If you must rewrite, try to use the same amount of space so you don't throw off the page count.

Galleys are a preview of what the book will look like in print. Read it carefully for typos and formatting errors.

When done, send it back. The next time you see the book will be when it's on the rack. For some reason I don't get my author copies until after it's been released. Don't take it personally; they're dealing with a LOT of other writers.

This process from turn-in to release takes 12-24 months. Publishers schedule their releases that far in advance. The "new" book on the rack is 1-2 years old and what they were buying back then. That's why it's important to turn in things on time.

While the publisher is busy with book one, you will be busy finishing book two. Don't be surprised if your writing improves! Being on a schedule focuses your mind. I used to rewrite 98% of my output, now I rewrite about 2-5%.

A couple months prior to your book's confirmed release, check local bookstores to set up a signing. (You don't have to sign the very DAY it is released!)

See if you can do yours on the same date as another writer(s) in the area. You're the new kid on the block, and if no one shows at your event (this happened to me) it'll be easier to be part of a crowd! See my posting on signings here. (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2164383#post2164383) If you're the shy type, then being in a group takes off the pressure.

Check for local cable shows to see if they have a "book beat." Much of the time they're starved for guests! Wear something nice, but not shiny (and no squeaky leather), hold your body still (so the mic doesn't pick up strange sounds), but be animated in the face, smile a lot, and look at the interviewer not the camera. Hold the book so it faces the camera and assume the interviewer did not read it. Make sure to set up the recorder at home if it's live. Arrive 30 minutes early.

Anticipate questions and answer them in front of a mirror at home so you're not making "uhhhh" pauses. Face time on TV should not be wasted on uhhs and ummms.

Again on dress--don't be scary even if you've written a scary book. Mundanes are skittish. Showing up looking like you wandered off the set of a zombie movie is not going to go over well. If you have strong religious/political convictions only bring those out if you have a non-fiction piece where they figure. You're there to promote the book, not soapbox.

Call the local paper and have a press packet ready. (Look that up, I don't have time to post about 'em.)

Don't let it go to your head. You are one of thousands with a first book; however great the reviews, you do not know all there is to know about writing. I've been at this for 18 years and still don't have it yet!

When you turn in the second book, take a breather and start the third. The above process starts all over again. Rinse, repeat.