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Fletcher Agency
Melissa Chinchillo
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English
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BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL

Courtney Maum

A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting and Surviving Your First Book

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask is right here in this funny, candid guide by acclaimed author Courtney Maum.

Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book has over 150 contributors from all walks of the industry, including international bestselling authors Anthony Doerr, Roxane Gay, Garth Greenwell, Lisa Ko, R. O. Kwon, Rebecca Makkai, and Ottessa Moshfegh, alongside cult favorites Sarah Gerard, Melissa Febos, Mitchell S. Jackson, and Mira Jacob. Agents, film scouts, film producers, translators, disability and minority activists, and power agents and editors also weigh in, offering advice and sharing intimate anecdotes about even the most taboo topics in the industry. Their wisdom will help aspiring authors find a foothold in the publishing world and navigate the challenges of life before and after publication with sanity and grace.


Are MFA programs worth the time and money? How do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Did you get a good advance? What do you do when you feel envious of other writers? And why the heck aren’t your friends saying anything about your book? Covering questions ranging from the logistical to the existential (and everything in between), Before and After the Book Deal is the definitive guide for anyone who has ever wanted to know what it’s really like to be an author.


About the Author

Courtney Maum is the author of the novels Costalegre, Touch, and I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You and the chapbook Notes from Mexico. Her writing and essays have been widely published in such outlets as BuzzFeed, The New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Interview, and Modern Loss. She is the founder of the learning collaborative The Cabins, and she also works as a product namer and publishing consultant from her home in Connecticut. Find out more at courtneymaum.com.
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Published 2020-01-01 by Catapult

Comments

One of Poets & Writers's Best Books for Writers 


An American Booksellers Association Indie Next Selection


Forbes, 1 of the 10 Most Anticipated Books of the Year According to Independent Bookstores

Noteworthy

"A sensible and brightly encouraging guide to publishing. Maum covers just about everything a first-time author needs to know . . . A valuable companion for aspiring writers." ―Kirkus Reviews



"In this nuts-and-bolts guide, accomplished author Maum (Costalegre, 2019) explains the journey of publishing from the Word-document manuscript to the remainder pile . . . Her style is infectious, too―the reader gets an insight on what it’s like to be a real-life working writer, while also feeling close to the author and laughing along with her. This book is invaluable for the serious writer who is dedicated to publication, the rare title that’s both a reference manual and a page-turner . . . A logical next step for budding writers who have consumed Stephen King’s On Writing (2000), Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird (1995), and Chuck Wendig’s Damn Fine Story (2017)." ―Booklist (starred review)



"This witty, quirky guide to writing books as a profession, from novelist Maum (Touch), manages to be both funny and informative. Loaded with anecdotes and advice from her own career and from writer friends and acquaintances of hers, it provides a comprehensive guide to writing and selling books . . . Maum’s book should prove invaluable to new writers seeking advice and support in navigating their first publication." ―Publishers Weekly



"For most writers (a broad category of aspirational self-identification that warms my heart!) getting an actual book deal is the be all and end all, the final trophy at the end of a thankless, grueling marathon . . . But wait! There’s more, a lot more. If any of this gives you anxiety―the before or the after―Courtney Maum is here to help, along with the 150 literary stars she’s called on for advice. The key word in the book’s subtitle―'A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book'―is that last one in the series, and Maum should know: a great exemplar of what it takes to make a life in literature, Maum is a tireless advocate of her fellow writers, while also finding the time to publish five books (thus far), and run an annual writers’ retreat, The Cabins. This is the how-to book for a new era of publishing." ––Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Year



"Written with the insider know-how of a published author and industry insider . . . An indelible resource for any writer looking to get published." ―Elena Nicolaou, Refinery29



"The chapters presented here are some of the most comprehensive and helpful pieces of advice on how to be a working writer that I’ve ever read." ―Amy Brady, Chicago Review of Books

Reviews

One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Year, Literary Hub

Noteworthy