My First Book Deal – Part 2

If you’ve not read Part 1 yet, you probably should or this will be high-octane level confusing.

*RECAP* My book has gone out on submission. Responses are positive. A date of Tuesday 14th June is set for deadline of expressions of interest.

By THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY I am at PEAK sweat. PEAK SWEAT.

By 5pm on Tuesday 14th June, 2022 we have EOIs from three publishers, which are then followed over the next few days by three first offers of a BOOK DEAL.

The fact that I had three Editors wanting to buy Mrs Wood, also meant … AUCTION!

Regardless of IT ALL, though, whatever happened next, I HAD A BOOK DEAL.

Best & Final offers were due in the following Friday, and in the meantime Lucy set up Pitches with the Editors for the following week.

WHAT’S A PITCH?

Pitches are bloody lovely things after you’ve spent three years in the quagmire of ‘everything I write is TERRIBLE.’ Pitches are where an Editor and key members of her team has the opportunity to tell you:

1. Why they love your book.
2. Why they should publish it.
3. How they would publish it.
4. Why they think you’re the best thing since sliced bread.

However many offers you receive, an editor should pitch all of this to you when you meet them. Of course, we’re all blathering messes by then, but do try and keep in the tiniest little recess of your mind that YOU have what they want. They have plenty of hopefuls to choose from – they’re not doing you a favour – YOU have written something they LOVE!

My pitches were all via Zoom/Teams, but I know of some authors who had in person ones – though that was pre-pandemic – which sounds exhausting and stressful. Especially as it’s impossible to add a filter that will transform sweaty old face IRL.

Anyway, the pitches happened and they were both nerve-wracking and brilliant experiences. They were also all really different experiences. The one common thread was that it was universally mind-blowing to have people talk so generously and enthusiastically about the world I had created.

Then, best and final bids were due by FRIDAY 24 JUNE by which time I was beyond PEAK SWEAT. I had reached some kind of INTERSTELLAR SWEAT level.

FRIDAY 24 JUNE

I already had plans that Friday to travel to Leeds for a night away with one of my best friends. So when the first best & final offer came in I was sitting on a train alone and had no one to scream at. I genuinely bobbed up out of my seat to see if there was anyone who looked amenable. There was not. I still had a little squeal on my own, though. 

THIS WAS HAPPENING. No, it wasn’t that. It was THIS WAS HAPPENING … TO ME. This thing I had imagined since the age of 6, this thing I had been working towards since then. It. Was. Happening.

The second and third best & finals came in later that afternoon when I was (thank God) with my friend in our hotel – although, by that point I had gone into some strange alternative universe where I literally read the email and then carried on the conversation with my friend. 

When everything had settled, I spoke with Lucy who helped me make sense of what was on offer. At first I felt like I could make a decision at once, but then we all agreed that my mind was so splintered, that I needed to take the weekend. 

Thank God I was with this particular gorgeous friend – she’s incredibly sensible where I am ruled by emotion, and has always been the best kind of cheerleader through some of my life’s toughest moments. I also spoke with Lucy on Sunday who had all kinds of stuff going on in her own life, but made herself available to me to listen to me saying the same things over and over and over again.

MONDAY 27 JUNE 2022

So on Monday, I confirmed my decision.

I cannot tell you how hard this was. It was like Blind Date and the three men I had to choose from on the other side of the screen were Ryan Gosling, Ryan Reynolds and Michael Fassbender. EXACTLY like that, actually – all three editors were brilliant: smart, professional and talented. All three demonstrated so well that they really got Mrs Wood and what she needed and I would’ve loved working with any one of them. I actually cried when I made my decision because I was so sad that I couldn’t have them all.

What a terrible dilemma, right? Bet you really feel sorry for me, right?

Anyway, after loads of navel gazing and privileged angst, the decision was made and shared.

And I, Lucy Barker, had a two book deal with 4th Estate. 

And then, as predicted by Lucy, the day after, we had interest from the US. Which is another story

Incidentally, I don’t have any other translation deals as I write – am still waiting on that iconic German pre-empt!