Update on My Proposal

Most of you know I wrote a book proposal earlier in the summer and that my agent sent it "out there" into the publishing world. More specifically, she gave my proposal to one particular publisher as an "exclusive."

The term exclusive is new to me (as is most of this process into publication!). When an agent decides to give an exclusive it means she sends the book proposal to only one publisher at a time giving them a definitive time frame for deciding on the book. Although not frequently done, my agent decided to try an exclusive in a strategic effort to pair me with the best possible publisher for my books and for me as an author.

Last time I updated you, the editor liked my proposal and took it to the Editorial Committee. The Editorial Committee gave my proposal the thumbs up and passed it on to the Publishing Board. You may recall this is the group of people who brutally discuss proposals and ultimately decide whether to offer a writer a contract or pass on the project.

You may also remember that I shared some of the potential problems with my proposal having to do with the time periods and settings of my historicals. As a matter of fact, my agent, Rachelle Gardner, did a post not too long ago called Writing the Break-In Novel, and she alluded to my proposal. If you missed it, you can read it here.

In summary, I've learned that I need to rethink my strategy. As a first time author, trying to break in and build a readership, I have to understand what readers like the most and start with that. In other words I have to consciously consider what time periods and settings are most popular, and then work within those parameters to a degree.

Does that mean that I have to write something I don't like or that I'm not passionate about? Absolutely not. I love writing. I'll find another story that falls within the boundaries. In fact, I already have too many ideas and plots whirring through my head. And now I have the problem of trying to sort out which story to write next.

So what happened to my book proposal? Well, it finally made it to Pub Board. And after debating every possible angle of my proposal, the board was able to come to a decision. Will they offer me a contract or send me on my way?

Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to divulge any information just yet. But, let's just say, it's not all doom and gloom!

More in the next post about writing a break-in novel. For today, I'd love to hear your updates! What's happening in your writing world? Any completions? Queries? Requests? Rejections? Acceptances? Please share!