# Ask the guy with a book deal **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138 "2007-09-22T21:51:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/1 "2007-09-22T21:51:49Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/2 "2007-09-22T21:59:25Z")
Tell us about how you closed the deal. Did you have an agent? How did you go about finding one. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/3 "2007-09-22T21:59:34Z")
Title and author name? ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/4 "2007-09-22T22:01:01Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![IrreverentTone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@IrreverentTone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IrreverentTone)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/5 "2007-09-22T22:16:01Z")
Fiction or non-fiction? And congratulations. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/6 "2007-09-22T22:17:13Z")
Shoot…forgot to say: congrats! ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/7 "2007-09-22T22:25:10Z")
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.) ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/8 "2007-09-22T22:29:51Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![merrily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@merrily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrily)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/9 "2007-09-23T19:33:53Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/10 "2007-09-23T19:38:23Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/11 "2007-09-23T20:15:57Z")
[QUOTE=merrily] Congratulations!!! Wow. Just think how cool it will be to go in bookstores and see _your own book_! [/quote] 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. > [@](#): > > Did you send it around to other agents? 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. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/12 "2007-09-23T20:42:14Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/13 "2007-09-23T20:45:42Z")
- 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](http://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! ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/14 "2007-09-23T20:54:33Z")
Hey, very cool, congrats! Have you quit your day job? Have a lot of people asked if you’ve quit your day job? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/15 "2007-09-23T21:11:47Z")
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.” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/16 "2007-09-23T21:35:38Z")
Congratulations! Enjoy your day! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/17 "2007-09-23T21:54:33Z")
A _book_ deal? Do they still make those things anymore? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/18 "2007-09-23T22:04:05Z")
What genre? How long after finding an agent did a publisher take the manuscript? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/19 "2007-09-23T22:47:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138/20 "2007-09-23T23:13:51Z")
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? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-with-a-book-deal/420138.md?page=2)