I achieved a major life goal I’ve had since I was about 8 years old in May when I sold a book. It’s a pretty big house, the real deal, coming not-soon-enough to a Barnes and Noble near you. At least I hope so.
Ask away. I’m feeling self-absorbed today.
Tell us about how you closed the deal. Did you have an agent? How did you go about finding one.
Title and author name?
Congrats! That’s a huge dream of mine as well! Will you eventually be able to let us know the title? Are you working on another one? Will you now be able to support yourself solely as a writer? I’m so happy for you!
Fiction or non-fiction? And congratulations.
Shoot…forgot to say: congrats!
I did have an agent, and I now think getting an agent is the only way to go. It actually maddens me that she only gets 15% and the government gets 30%. I would rather flip those numbers.
How did I go about finding one? I have a friend who has the same agent; she referred me. I learned later that she’s referred 10 people to her agent, and only 2 have signed.
It’s a novel, entitled “Mudville.” If you google that and “Knopf” my anonymity is blown (but oh well.)
I have already written the next novel, and since the publisher has an option, I have to wait for the final ms. of the first to be accepted to show it to them, and they have to reject it before I show it to anyone else.
I can’t support myself on my writing. That’s my dream now, but I know many published writers, some with dozens of novels, and the only ones who support themselves usually make LOTS of appearances and travel a lot, far more than I want to, and/or live in abject poverty, and/or have spouses with good salaries.
Congratulations!!!
Wow. Just think how cool it will be to go in bookstores and see your own book!
Did you send it around to other agents?
Congratulations!
It’s what I’ve lived for since I was a little kid. It may transcend cool and go into the realm of surreal. Of course there’s also a chance nobody has it in stock and I’ll be driving fruitlessly around the city in increasing despair/disappointment.
Yes. I sent the ms. to about 8 agents with 2 offers. The one I finally signed with asked for a pretty serious overhaul before she would commit. That was how I knew she was good.
Congratulations! Wonderful news, and I hope the book sells well, and your next one is picked up, too.
Did you send queries to all the agents before you sent your mss, or just the mss and cover letter? Did you have a history of other publications beforehand? Or is this your first?
I queried first. Some were queries with about 3 chapters; others were just letters – depended on what the agent wanted re: their website or WritersDigest.com
I sold a couple short stories. At the time, neither was actually published yet, just bought (one still hasn’t been published).
Oh, and thanks everyone for the congratulations!
Hey, very cool, congrats!
Have you quit your day job? Have a lot of people asked if you’ve quit your day job?
Nope. I can’t imagine the kind of lucre that would not only support me but make up for the health insurance and retirement fund I get at my day job (gov’t job, the bennies are good.) Maybe if they make this bad boy into a movie.
Surprisingly, few people ask me about the money. One old college professor of mine asked (with the polite, “if you don’t mind my asking”). Maybe it’s because with a lot of people I just tell them upfront, “the advance is nice but not life-changing.”
Congratulations! Enjoy your day! 
A book deal? Do they still make those things anymore?
What genre? How long after finding an agent did a publisher take the manuscript?
Genre: MG (ages 8-12) sports fiction.
Timelime: I had to work a while with my agent to get the ms. in shape. After she thought it was ready, I was stunned how quickly things went–a few weeks, maybe? A month at most. Every time I sent a ms. directly to a publisher, I waited six months or more. Now I am totally sold on the idea of getting an agent.
How inspiring! Congrats, might I ask how long it took to write the novel / how much blood sweat and tears were involved reaching your dream?