How to Handle an Offer of Publication

[@Katlyn_Duncan]

Another great video. Wish I had this 7 years ago when I entered publishing contracts on my own. 😆

[@ClintLoweTube]

How is your writing going now?

[@Supvia]

Does this also apply to small publishers? So if a nice and small publisher offers representation, should I get an agent and will a big agency even be interested in working with me?

[@CalebGriffinEsq]

@Michael The agent is a contract negotiator, editor, advocate, etc. Often they do more than a real estate agent.

[@jasonpowell1487]

I don't want to phrase this question the wrong way, so I'm hoping this doesn't come out wrong. We all know that this is a hard industry to get started in, and I'm sure we'd love all the help we can get. My question is, how do we go about letting an agent or editor know that we are a BIPOC? Is that information something that should go in the query letter? Or does that come out after we've already attracted your interest? Or is it your opinion that it doesn't ever need to be pointed out? Forgive me if this is an inappropriate question.

[@sktm6064]

The best way I can think of is, if your main character is BIPOC, then in your query mention you are also BIPOC by including #OWNVOICES somewhere in your query. Same thing for any other marginalized community (LGBTQ+, Women, Latinx, etc.) use #OWNVOICES

[@michaelneff2507]

Thank you; your "real estate agent / Book agent" comparison is interesting. An author getting nods from publishers must have done a lot of their own footwork here, what extra footwork value does agent bring to the author, like a real estate agent does?

[@pagejustin5572]

Michael Neff some other agents.... Especially guys compare themselves to sports agents.... Whereas I think the argument can be made if a group of literary, sports, real estate and insurance agents are all sitting in the same banquet hall.... It would make sense

[@Weirdmusicmashups]

They brought up a couple of possibilities in the video: the agent may shop it around to see if they can get a better offer and/or they can renegogiate the publisher's contract. This could mean getting the author a bigger advance or giving up fewer rights for the same amount of money.

[@shelleestories]

Can you discuss what makes a good deal? I know each person’s individual situation varies, but can you discuss a few red flags? For example, publishers that request you send money to be published. I’ve noticed a lot of questions surrounding this topic on writing forums. Thank you ☺️

[@bbcb1856]

Thank you!!

[@tonyaosier1678]

I got that offer, but they wanted me to pay them, I declined the offer. Can I resubmit the stories to others or possibly this agency?

[@BookEndsLiterary]

We're glad you didn't take that offer. Yes you can resubmit, and we'd be more than happy for you to send here! More info can be found at www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions.

[@tonyaosier1678]

@@BookEndsLiterary Thank you.

[@linus1703]

Maybe I'm looking at this from the wrong lense but isn't using a publishers recommended agent a risky move? Getting an advocate on the advice of the person you are negotiating with seems like a conflict.

[@ClintLoweTube]

What is your average response time after a manuscript request? I had a requeat in early February, and haven't heard back, except to say they haven't got to it yet. I'lll probably get rejected anyway😂😭😔

[@TunezCottage]

If you don't believe in your work... why should they?

[@andynordvall626]

I hadn't heard publishing house had opened to unagented BIPOC writers. Very cool move, but still, get an agent before signing a deal.

[@pagejustin5572]

3:57 what in the actual fukc though 🙄 as a writer you might eventually become numb to the reality other people live in.... You will realize that most types of people will never be able to comprehend what it means to spend month after month after month year after year after year of your life spent on thee most frustrating and grueling kind of mentally difficult work for maybe only 7 or 8 total projects in an entire decade to just take a quick 24 hours to process a rejection 394 times.....hmm yeah ok, it's like there's such a numbness to it you won't bother wasting 24 effing seconds on the reasons you're rejected because it won't actually matter (they're shuffling 5 or 16 projects at a time that they didn't create so they don't have.... And indeed can't have.... a clue, unless they themselves have produced several books) so it's like yeah they're going to bat for you but they're really not going to understand what it took to create what you've created, which won't actually matter if people like what they're reading. Always the stupid/difficult/crazy/necessary part, to convince 3 or 7 people that several thousand other people will like something.... But you might as well just shoot yourself in the head if you're not writing about the exact subject matter that their algorithms tell them have the best chance of possible success..... Yes self-publishing is shooting your book in the head but hey, you wrote it🤔 you can do whatever you want with it