My Editor Loves It!
I’m delighted to be a published author. It’s everything I imagined, and more.
But there are challenges I did not expect.
My First Book: To Catch a Spy
My debut novel, To Catch a Spy, did very well for a first-time novel.
I’ve been told that my book is in the top 2% of debut novels. And my research revealed that the average debut sells 500 copies in its first year, and up to 3,000 copies in its lifetime. That’s an average.
When I read this, I grinned from ear to ear; I crossed those thresholds a long time ago.
Looking back on it all, I was thrilled. I established myself as a strong new author and knew that if I turned out great stories, I’d make this a career.
Feeling pretty good, I reviewed my publishing contract and reread where the publisher had ‘first view’ rights on any future manuscripts. They have confidence in me!
The stars had aligned for me. My first novel was a success, the publisher was happy, I’d created a social media presence (Twitter and Instagram, both @johnrobieisback), had a website, had strong reviews, did presentations and book signings, and over time, I’d developed a social media following -- over a thousand people I could communicate with.
And don’t forget, my writing was pretty good.
I’d done everything right.
Didn’t I?
The Publisher’s Perspective
Whether in business, or any field, it’s always good to do a post mortem after a big event. I’ve always been that way, and when it came to writing, I asked myself what else could I have done? In hindsight, I would have hired a publicist earlier than I did, and probably run ads to raise awareness of my book.
You get the point!
The reason behind that is simple -- I discovered that publishers today look at a very specific number -- debut authors who reach it are considered a true runaway success, and the number differs by publisher. But it’s important; it means the author wrote a breakout hit. It’s their magic number!
Trust me when I say this -- there’s very little money in being an author. If a writer becomes established, has a few books in market, and a likeable profile, there’s money to be made.
But not before.
Not this bad, but I’m lucky…
And here’s a secret I came across: if an author hits the magic number, it guarantees a publisher will license their future manuscripts.
This shocked me, so I did some research, and it was eye-opening. Only a fraction of 1% of debut authors hit the magic number. A fraction!
And I’m not in that fraction; got close, but not quite there.
The Good News
I’ve already written my second novel, To Catch a Traitor (working title) and my editor really, really liked it. Several of my previous posts discuss the research I did.
But they weren’t ready to publish it. They want to see sales tick a little higher. In other words, they want me to hit that magic number.
So what did I do? I quickly finished my 3rd novel, which is unrelated to my first; it’s not in the ‘To Catch a Thief’ family.
I can’t provide details yet, but I’m really excited about it. It features a real-life character who was faced with a devil’s choice, one that few people realize. It has strong appeal and is very marketable.
Anyway, I had a discussion with my editor about it, and she requested the manuscript.
That’s where the good news kicks in!
Sums Up Her Reaction
In her words, she ‘LOVED it,’ and she started the acquisition process. That involves getting other editors to weigh in, creating a P & L statement (profit & loss, which is an income projection for the book), and submitting it to an internal committee to see if they’re on board.
The book is in the middle of that process right now, and I have high hopes. I’m not worried if they pass; it’s so strong that I’m certain it will be licensed by another publisher. Having said that, I love the folks I’ve worked with, my editor in particular, and I want to work with them again.
My Chances of Success
Here’s something dumb I did; I researched my odds of success for my 3rd book. And I did it AFTER sending it to my editor.
You can do it, too -- Google it, ask an AI platform, whatever you’re comfortable with. Query the percentage of books an editor passes on or how many they acquire, something like that. Your numbers might be different from mine, but they should be close.
I know, I know. I should have researched this before I start writing. But here’s my own little secret -- I’m gonna write anyway. I can’t help myself. So the results won’t factor into what I do.
Here’s what I found:
Acquisition editors at traditional publishing houses dismiss about 98% of submissions -- including manuscripts they get from top-tier agents
Editors at a Big Five publisher read dozens of manuscripts every month, but their annual publishing budget might only allow them to buy 6 to 12 books per year. Thus, the rejection rate remains overwhelmingly high (~95% to 98%)
That’s wildly intimidating. But I have so much faith in my 3rd book that it doesn’t alarm me at all.
I’m Confident!
Here’s what else I’ve discovered…if things go well, the publisher will likely bring the 3rd book to market before my 2nd book. I can live with that.
So that’s where I stand. I’ll keep you posted on what happens.
I love to write, and I’m nearly done with my 4th novel, which is a sequel to my 3rd. And once again, I know -- I shouldn’t have started it if I hadn’t already sold my 3rd book.
Hey, I never said I was the smartest guy…but I do have confidence in my abilities.
Fingers crossed!
I may not be the smartest guy, but…