Going On Sub

No, this is not related to a sandwich. But now I want a sandwich.

As many of you guys know, I recently went “on sub” for the first time in ELEVEN years. Actually, let’s back up a little more. What does “on sub” even mean? Well, in the traditional publishing sphere (i.e. publishing a book through a traditional publishing house in the hopes that it ends up on your shelf), it means going ON SUBMISSION.

Now, going ON SUBMISSION is an exciting, nerve-racking process, that looks different for most authors depending on where they are in their career (i.e. are you a debut?) and how your agent runs the sub. One thing is always the same - your agent is submitting your work to editors at publishing imprints with the hope to sell that work. Usually your agent compiles a list, based on what editors they know edit similar manuscripts and would be good homes for a particular story, paired with the ability of their imprints to launch successful books.

I know my sub experience in 2013 was wildly different than my experience in 2024, though I was with the same agent for both. Shout out to my sword and shield, Suzie Townsend. In 2013, I was a 22 year-old debut author with a completed manuscript intended to launch a series. In 2024, I am a 33 year-old bestselling author with eight books behind me, a large social media platform, a good sales record, and a proven ability to write books on time and promote said books. In short, I have a lot more going for me in 2024 - but I was also not submitting a full, finished manuscript. More on that in a second.

In 2013, after I signed with Suzie (based on my draft of RED QUEEN), we underwent an edit together. When Suzie felt the MS was ready to submit, she compiled a list of 10 editors at 10 different young adult imprints. We received five rejections in the first two weeks of sub, followed by a pre-empt offer for three books from HarperTeen at HarperCollins. A pre-empt is usually an offer that comes with a ticking clock - in this case, two hours. The deal looked wonderful to me, but I deferred to Suzie, and it looked wonderful to her too. So after two weeks of rejections, I printed out the deal memo and put it on the kitchen table to wait for my parents to come home. My mom cried when she saw it. My dad thought it was a scam. Eleven years later, I can safely say he was wrong.

In 2024, with that decade plus of experience behind me, it came time to go on submission again. Now, I’ve received a lot of questions as to WHY I went on sub. Didn’t I have a publisher already? Why didn’t I go on sub after I finished the RED QUEEN series and began REALM BREAKER? The answer is pretty simple - my next manuscript is also my adult debut. And while I loved my time publishing with HarperTeen, they do not publish adult manuscripts. So no matter the history, I would always have to find a new home for the new book.

Now why didn’t I submit a full manuscript? Short answer: it isn’t written yet. But again, I’m in a position where I’ve proven myself enough that my agent felt I didn’t need to write an entire MS on spec. We decided to compile a proposal packet instead, including an in-depth synopsis and sample chapters. I modeled my packet structure off Brigid Kemmerer’s proposal for her own adult fantasy, which she so graciously allowed me to use. Highly recommend following Brigid on her platforms, by the way. She has excellent writing/publishing/life advice, and is just an all-around wonderful person.

Along with the synopsis and first 60ish pages of the manuscript, the proposal packet included an overview of the story world, a pitch document (similar to what a query letter might look like), a map of the world (because it’s me), and visual inspiration. Basically, I put together a private pin board that my agency team used to beautify the proposal packet, similar to a visual deck.

Of course, I edited all pieces of the packet alongside my agent, who gave lovely notes and tweaks where needed. It did come together more quickly than I anticipated, especially once I started writing the sample chapters. I was honestly surprised at how well the new story seemed to flow out of me, which is always a good sign. Like most writers, I am all but drowning in self-doubt, so having even that small piece of validation feels nice. Yes, this was the right story and the right choice. Keep going.

Suzie and her team were another lovely burst of validation, who assured me the packet was ready to take out on sub. Now I can’t be specific with names as I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, so bear with me. But we ended up submitting to 13 editors on June 4th. Luckily I was on vacation/a research trip in the Bahamas, so I had a good amount of distraction. Okay, let’s be real, I was refreshing my email like crazy anyways, just from a nice beach instead of the floor of my office.

The editors were given a heads up that my proposal was coming, so many of them were ready to read when the email came in from Suzie. I know the following whirlwind of a sub is not the usual experience, so please don’t take my sub journey as gospel and please don’t get discouraged if your journey is different. ESPECIALLY if you’re a debut.

Over the next few days, 13 editors read and responded. 5 rejected, 8 were interested. This means we were looking at an auction, another first for me. I’m really grateful Suzie prioritized getting me time to meet with the 8 interested editors and their teams, so that I could make as informed a decision as possible when the auction started. All of these meetings were over Zoom, scheduled around my wisdom teeth removal of all things. Thankfully I only had a few meetings while still swollen, and no one could really tell onscreen anyways.

Again, I can’t be specific with names and numbers, but after meeting everyone and comparing notes with Suzie, we were prepared to start an auction for My New Book. This process differs depending on author and agent, but Suzie ran a 24 hour show, with 3 rounds of bidding. I don’t know how she kept all the plates spinning, going back and forth with all the imprints. It boggles my mind even now. As for me, I spent the day refreshing a diligently updated Google Doc where Suzie would input new deal terms as they came in. I was extremely square-eyed by the end of the day, to say the least.

By the last round of bids, the auction picture was in sharp focus. I went into the sale pleasantly surprised by all the imprints, and a little annoyed because they were ALL wonderful, and it would be incredibly difficult to choose between them. It’s a massive decision and not to be taken lightly. We balanced every piece of the equation, from deal terms to advance numbers to editorial style to imprint structure. Which books did this person edit? Which bestsellers has this imprint launched? Who could be a long-term home for the next decade of my career? And how will my choice affect my backlist, the eight books I’ve already published?

Sometimes it felt like my head was spinning, but it was a good problem to have, with the best team to support me. I leaned hard on Suzie and her advice, and thankfully, by the end of the auction, the best path was clearly illuminated. I can’t tell you where it leads yet, but rest assured, I certainly will when I can!!

When all was said and done, with the auction wrapped up and our choice made, my husband surprised me with beautiful flowers. And more importantly, my wisdom teeth were healing well enough so that we could celebrate at our favorite restaurant.

During the auction, I felt like a princess for a day. Now I transform back into a writer troll, and happily return to my cave. I’ll continue to update you on my progress, as usual, and will certainly scream from the roof tops when I can announce the new ok fully.

For now, I leave you with this.

May the sea always sing for you.  🏴‍☠️