Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book

Having just finished revisions on a novel, I was eager for the latest/best advice on how to query agents and move closer to publication. I heard about Courtney Maum’s book BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL on a recent podcast and found it super helpful and for way more than just landing an agent. In addition to her own wealth of experience as a published author, Ms. Maum did a tremendous amount of research and reporting. She spoke with dozens of agents, editors, publicists and other published authors about their experience and distilled their advice into a hugely informative and fun-to-read text. Among the surprises was a few pages addressing the question of “what happens if I die before publication?” and a list of “what to bring on book tour that you might not think of otherwise.” Ms. Maum often breaches the “fourth wall” and speaks right at us wanna-be authors with great insight and no-holds-barred, tighten-yer-boots realism. A page-turner in its own right and invaluable information for anyone contemplating getting a book published through any channel, or maybe having already done so and wondering how to make the experience of publishing their next book a bit less stressful. My copy is now heavily dog-eared and underlined, and I look forward to consulting it many times.

If you are an aspiring author, know this: publishing is a seriously awful industry to navigate. Especially if, like me, your passion/interest/strength is the actual work of WRITING, and not necessarily the work of getting published. This book gave me the foundation to understand what the hell I was getting myself into. There is a lot of terrible, conflicting, discouraging, and amateur information on the internet... It seems like a lot of the advice about publishing floating around is from a) aspiring writers themselves who are better at writing blog posts than finishing their own big projects or b) vultures who see writers seeking some kind of magic key to publication as a lucrative market full of suckers. My recommendation is to start with this book, THEN dive into whatever other research you have in mind. This has given me MUCH stronger context as I try to navigate my own publishing journey.

I started reading this book as I was finishing the first draft of my own first novel, and preparing to step out into the trembling, terrifying great unknown of What Comes Next. So many questions! So many industry buzz words that I didn't actually understand! So many people and steps to the process that I wasn't even aware I needed in my life! Fear not - Courtney came to my rescue, and she can come to yours, aspiring author. I learned SO MUCH - at a holistic, full-circle, macro AND micro level - about the publishing world and all its players, and what it *really* takes to get your book into the hands of readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Courtney, for this invaluable, wise, accessible and refreshingly humorous guide. It has absolutely changed and fortified my life going forward as a writer.

I bought this because like so many fellow writers, I am in the process of writing a book. The best way to gain knowledge on the current state of publishing is to go through the process, but a lot of authors don't share the tips and tricks and many roadblocks writers discover on the way to becoming a successful author. Much like "Writer's Market" revolutionized how non-fiction magazine authors query and land writing gigs, Maum's book is a witty, honest and clear representation of the "end" of the process. If you have been struggling over those last few chapters and have started considering getting published, this book will provide you with a huge amount of information and help you realize that you are, really, just at the beginning of your journey as an author. Maum shares all of her struggles openly, which not only makes for an entertaining read, but she shows you firsthand what not to do while providing a LOT of information on what you should do. For example, she talks clearly about the challenge of wrangling a good agent while understanding that a good agent is a coach who wants to help focus your talent and manuscript rather than one who simply believes there's one product that sells and your writing should conform to that one style or genre. Maum's book is near-perfect. The "finishing" in "A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting and Surviving Your First Book" is a bit lackluster and probably should be. Writers have composed thousands of volumes on the writing process alone, so it should be a standalone book. I felt those "finishing" entries were cursory at best, and then we move directly into getting involved in the writing world, which is key for book promotion. So perhaps what I am longing for here is another book on just the process of getting to and through those last chapters that really goes in-depth..

As a writer, I’m always seeking out the details and experiences of others. I must have 15 to 20 books on the craft of writing alone. And 10 on the varieties of publishing writing. This book encapsulates so much of the Writer’s struggle dealing with all that stuff that doesn’t put words on the page. “Before and After the Book Deal” is filled with insider knowledge (and inspiration), and great (useful) suggestions to ease and reduce the necessary forays away from writing. You will be forever glad you bought this book — it’ll be a reference I’ll be referring back to repeatedly.

I recently took an online seminar with the author on time management for writers. It was very helpful, so I was confident this book would be too, and I wasn't disappointed. It is full of not only practical, how-to advice (as if that wouldn't be great enough on its own!), but also encouragement, reminders about self-care, and words of wisdom about how not to be a jerk in the industry- the types of things only sisters or spinach-in-your-teeth friends might tell you. I know I will be referring to it over and over as my writing career (hopefully!) develops.

So often while reading Maum's Before and After the Book Deal, I felt like I was this weary, disappointed writer on the verge of giving up and a fiery, compassionate friend had just showed up at my door, made us both a cup of tea, and sat me down on my couch to talk me through what was bugging me. She made me laugh, she made me see sense but most of all this book gave me back my sense of agency in the process. As an MFA-er on the verge of graduating after three solid years of peer-reviews and workshops, I laughed out so loud at the workshop section, my cat leaped off my lap and now refuses to come anywhere near the book or me. This book felt like the best of friendships. Honest, funny and full of acceptance.

Didn't find it to be all that helpful, but that doesn't mean other people won't get use out of it.

I pre-ordered this book and it didn't disappoint. I'll be referring to it for years to come. I had many questions that this book covers like, "Is this the standard rejection email or a nice version of it?" or "How can I infiltrate myself into a literary community without a writer's degree?" Courtney's humour and to-the-point advice make this read enjoyable and useful. I laughed out loud and found myself in every chapter.

An outstanding resource for debut authors - get it early in your debut career. Before querying if possible, but at whatever stage it's excellent.