Let me be clear: Traditional book deals are a thing of the past.<\/strong> If you do not actively reach 25,000+ people regularly before<\/em> a deal, no reputable publishing company or literary agent will take a risk on your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2022, don\u2019t bother trying to get a book deal without an existing, sizable audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a relative or friend who works for an agency, you have a much better chance of your book proposal falling in the right hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the rest of us: Self-publishing<\/a> is a legitimate way to earn a living as a writer.<\/strong> Publishing your own book may not come with the prestige of earning a book deal. However, publishing prestige is an outdated concept, and readers certainly don\u2019t care. Many self-publishers make more money than their traditionally published counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re reading this article, I\u2019m guessing you\u2019re not a celebrity. If you don\u2019t have a regular audience of 25,000 or more (and you don\u2019t have close connections at a press or agency), just self-publish. My website and email list are great resources to walk you through the process step-by-step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re still wondering how to get a book deal, I\u2019ll gladly tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article\u2019s links may earn me a small commission if you use any to purchase a product or service. There\u2019s no extra cost to you! And it helps me keep writing this awesome content that you\u2019ll never have to pay for.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A book deal is a contract between an author and a publisher. Sometimes called a traditional book deal, this is when the gatekeepers of the legacy publishing industry offer you an advance on book profits in return for several benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How much do you get for a book deal?<\/strong> You can get an advance between $5,000 and $100,000 if you land a book deal. However, it is both difficult to get a book deal and unlikely that a first-time author will receive such a significant advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the benefits of a book deal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the disadvantages of a book deal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s face facts: Traditional media is on its way out, including traditional book publishers. Readers don\u2019t care if something was self-published or traditionally published (as long as it looks professional). Book contracts often require you to sign away your rights for an advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-publishing is more viable than ever \u2014 and more profitable, thanks to Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I recommend seeking a traditional book deal only if:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional publishing is the industry in which a publishing house publishes a book. This usually requires a literary agent as an in-between for the author and publishing house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How hard is it to get a publishing deal?<\/strong> It is tough <\/em>to get a traditional publishing deal. The chances of landing an agent, then a traditional publishing book deal, are about 1 in 1,000 \u2014 and even worse if you don\u2019t have a massive online following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional publishers typically cover the cost<\/a> of a professional editor, book cover<\/a> artist, back cover blurb<\/a>, ISBN number<\/a>, printing costs, final proofreaders<\/a>, and more. But they also take a sizable chunk out of your royalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They offer authors an advance, usually in the form of a five- or six-figure lump sum. This is not in addition to royalties. Instead, you won\u2019t make any royalties until you would have made as much as your advance (called \u201cearning out\u201d). If you don\u2019t earn out, you do not have to pay back the advance. It\u2019s a risk the publisher takes by fronting cash before they\u2019ve made a profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How much of a book price goes to the author? <\/strong>After a publisher has earned out their advance, about 5-15% of the book price is paid to the author in royalties. Not only will the publisher take a huge chunk, but you\u2019ll also need to give your literary agent the standard 15% commission of what you make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know many writers want a book deal so they don\u2019t have to market their own book. Unfortunately, traditional publishers provide little marketing support for their authors. They reserve most of their marketing budgets for their top bestsellers (a tiny fraction of books written).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditionally published authors still have to do their own marketing<\/a>, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may have heard of the Big 5. They\u2019re the biggest publishing houses in America, primarily housed in New York City. The Big 5 traditional publishers are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-publishing is when an author publishes their own book. This is a legitimate publishing route that many authors of all shapes and sizes have chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-publishing can be more lucrative than traditional publishing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Although you will not<\/em> receive an advance on your self-published book, you keep a lot more of the profits. Amazon KDP might take 35-70% of self-published ebook profits, whereas traditional publishers and literary agents would take 80-95% of the royalties and <\/em>retain printing rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But to be a real <\/em>author, you have to go through a traditional publisher\u2026 right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n No! <\/strong>This is an outdated, offensive way of thinking. \u201cSelf-published\u201d is not a dirty word. But if you like, you can say \u201cindependently published\u201d or simply \u201cpublished\u201d to your friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Amazon does take a portion of your profits, they command 70% of the market share for selling eBooks. And Amazon gives little to no advantage to eBooks that are traditionally published.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can always seek a book deal after you\u2019ve successfully self-published. Make sure your first book is a great book that earns rave reviews<\/a>. Your second book should do even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve gained tens of thousands under your banner, perhaps it\u2019s time to look into traditional book publishing for your new book. (I expect you will have fallen in love with self-publishing by this point.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know many writers don\u2019t want to deal with marketing their book, but don\u2019t be fooled. Traditional publishers hardly lift a finger to sell your book unless you\u2019re an author superstar. When you traditionally publish, you still need to market your own book at signings and on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out my article on the Best Self-Publishing Companies<\/a> (retailers and aggregators).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could even Start Your Own Publishing Company<\/a> for the tax benefits, legal protection, and other benefits. It\u2019s easier than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a third option: indie publishing<\/strong>, sometimes called hybrid publishing <\/strong>or independent publishing<\/strong>. Different people mean different things when using these terms, but typically an indie publisher or hybrid publisher tries to combine the benefits of self-publishing and traditional marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main advantage of an indie publisher is that you usually <\/em>don\u2019t need an agent, but you can still tell your friends you landed a book deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out these 30 Publishers that Accept Unagented Submissions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They may offer small advances but still take a large chunk of the royalties. They may provide minimal design and formatting services but could ask for the copyright (a big<\/em> no-no; never<\/em> hand over the copyright for your book). They will still offer little to no marketing while expecting the author to market their own book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feel free to look into indie publishers with a critical eye. However, many of you reading this will benefit from simply self-publishing, utilizing professional freelancers along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Avoid vanity presses. A vanity press is a type of publishing company that charges you upfront<\/em> for publishing, usually resulting in a net loss for the author. Vanity presses prey on writers desperate to get their book published. Never<\/em> pay upfront to distribute your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be clear, self-publishers should pay<\/em> for a professional editor and a book cover designer, at least, on top of other self-publishing costs. But never <\/em>pay a publishing company. While we\u2019re on the topic, never <\/em>pay a literary agent to represent you. (Same as in real estate, acting, etc.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n So\u2026 if you\u2019re still interested in how to get a book deal for yourself, here are my 4 steps to getting it done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step for getting a book deal is to ensure your book is fit for the market. This is a big<\/em> step that entails a lot of hard work, but I\u2019ll sum it up as concisely as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make sure you\u2019re ready to find an agent and a publisher, first, you need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Important:<\/strong> Non-fiction authors can get away with shopping a book proposal for a non-fiction book that has yet to be written. Fiction writers usually need a finished manuscript to land an agent and a book deal. Non-fiction writers may be able to find an agent and land a book deal before writing the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First off, before writing a book, you must maximize the marketability of your book idea. This means looking at Amazon and New York Times<\/em> bestselling books in your genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not copy someone else\u2019s idea.<\/em> Instead, be inspired by the bestsellers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask yourself, what do readers want? How are you going to give it to them? Agents and publishers will all want to know how marketable your book idea is, maybe more <\/em>than the actual quality of your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out Publisher Rocket<\/a>, which takes the hard work out of researching your book\u2019s marketability. Read my in-depth Publisher Rocket<\/a> review for more details.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\r\n See the Publisher Rocket effect, when you use the right keywords and categories to help get your book seen more on Amazon.<\/p>\n Get Publisher Rocket Now!<\/a> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Writing a book is a behemoth of a topic. Check out my article on How to Write a Book<\/a> for more info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suffice it to say, a fiction book should not only look professional (error-free), it should display riveting prose, follow some story structure, develop satisfying character arcs, and deliver on promises made in your premise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And for Pete\u2019s sake, outline your book<\/a> before writing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resources on writing the book:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, you need to edit the book yourself. No one should ever see your first draft besides you. Edit the book yourself at least once through, if not 3-4 times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resources for editing your book:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d recommend recruiting beta readers and consulting with them on their personal experience reading the book. Recruit at least 3-5 beta readers, or as many as 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, you can enlist other authors<\/a> to look at your work or join a critique circle, where you read their book, and they\u2019ll read yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t make massive changes because one beta reader took issue with a single detail. But if multiple beta readers speak up about the same thing, consider editing again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you\u2019ve made your multiple self-edits, consider hiring a professional to look over your work. Editors can cost<\/a> between $300 and $3,000, depending on the type of editor and the length of your manuscript.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the advantages of traditional publishing is that the publishing company provides professional editors at no cost to you \u2014 for their <\/em>benefit more than yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you\u2019re trying to get the book deal for your first novel, you may want to hire a professional to make your manuscript as excellent as it can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An elevator pitch is a concise, attention-grabbing description for the book that hooks agents, publishers, and readers alike. You need to refine your elevator pitch before querying literary agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your elevator pitch may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feel free to write multiple paragraphs and pare it down until you can express everything important about your book in 1-2 sentences. If you cannot get the main idea down to 2 sentences max<\/em>, your book is likely too complicated and won\u2019t sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resources on refining your elevator pitch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After your book is as great as it\u2019s going to get, you need an agent to act as a go-between with publishing companies. For the average writer, you stand a 1 in 1,000 chance of landing an agent. This is where luck comes in (or connections).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Important:<\/strong> You don\u2019t need<\/em> a literary agent if you\u2019re writing non-fiction, poetry, cookbooks, or academic books. However, an agent may help negotiate a better deal for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays, traditional publishing companies don\u2019t accept unsolicited, unagented authors. That means if they don\u2019t ask you to send in a manuscript, they\u2019re not going to consider any writer who isn\u2019t represented by a literary agent.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A literary agent represents a writer when negotiating a book deal with a publisher. Agents often know publishing company editors personally. The agent may also help with the creative process, typically suggesting edits to the manuscript or book proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most publishers will not offer a book deal to a writer without an agent, for better or worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro tip: Authors should never<\/em> pay upfront for a literary agent. As with many industries, agents only make money when you make money. Any agent who asks for money upfront is a scam artist, to put it bluntly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To query a literary agent, you must do some digging. Research literary agents who are accepting unsolicited submissions in your genre. (Check out Manuscript Wishlist\u2019s list of literary agents<\/a>.) Don\u2019t waste your time querying an agent who doesn\u2019t represent the genre of your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A query letter is different from a book proposal, which is aimed at publishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every agent has slightly different submission guidelines that you need to follow carefully. Otherwise, they will throw away your submission without a second thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Literary agent submission guidelines may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I said there\u2019s a 1 in 1,000 chance for the average writer to find a literary agent who is willing to take them on as a client. The possibilities are probably worse if you don\u2019t have at least 25k followers on social media<\/a> or 25k listeners on your podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s worth noting that many literary agents are looking for authors from marginalized communities telling stories that represent their unique, underrepresented voices. For these agents, your chances of landing a book deal may be higher if you are a female and\/or person of color, particularly if your book reflects themes unique to your community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resources on finding a literary agent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve landed a literary agent, he or she will help you write a book proposal<\/a> and submit your manuscript to publishing companies (usually, up to a dozen separate companies).<\/p>\n\n\n\n A book proposal is like a business plan for your book. A book proposal may contain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Book proposals are different from query letters, which are aimed at literary agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because book proposals are such a vital part of landing a book deal, some writers pay a freelancer<\/a> up to $15,000 to expertly craft a book proposal that will entice publishers to put in an offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t be modest. <\/strong>Although arrogance is off-putting, publishers want to know that you are uniquely qualified to write and market this book. Include your expertise, accomplishments, honors, and awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as importantly: be realistic. Don\u2019t pretend your book will be a global bestseller when that\u2019s far from a sure thing. Carefully compare your book to bestselling titles without mentioning the biggest names in literature. It can come off as clich\u00e9 and delusional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your literary agent should negotiate a good deal for you. With any luck, multiple publishers will put in offers. It\u2019s time to choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out the Creative Independent\u2019s nifty article on How to Write a Book Proposal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways to find successful publishing companies is to analyze the genre for your book and see what other companies are publishing books in that genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you're doing this manually, this can take a very long time, and you'll end up finding a lot of other companies that aren't really great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully, there's a tool that makes it easy to see all of the major publishers for the bestsellers of any genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That tool is Publisher Rocket<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Rocket's category analysis tool, you can easily find a list of publishers for any genre by doing the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of these publishing companies will be traditional publishers, so you can reach out to them if you want a traditional publishing deal. Or you might find some hidden gems, like lesser known but successful small publishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you only received one book deal offer, congratulations! You\u2019re in the fortunate minority. Plus, you don\u2019t have to choose between the greater of two goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you received multiple book deal offers, you must select an offer. Money isn\u2019t everything, but your agent can help you sort out the pros and cons of each offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just because a publisher offers a smaller advance than another publisher doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re less eager to publish your book. A smaller advance may simply indicate a smaller budget for that company. If your book sells well, your advance doesn\u2019t matter in the long run anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An advance is a lump sum payment that a traditional publisher gives to an author. This is not in addition to royalties. A publisher pays an author against his\/her royalties. Authors need to \u201cearn out\u201d (sell enough books to justify their advance) before they start making royalties beyond their advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most (non-celebrity) authors can expect to receive an advance between $10,000 and $100,000. However, modern publishers seldom take a risk on a book that won\u2019t earn them six figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For first-time authors, marketing support is critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Table of contents<\/h2>
What is a book deal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n
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Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing vs. Indie Publishing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Traditional Publishing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Self-Publishing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Indie Publishing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 1<\/span>: Ensure Your Book Is Fit For Market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Maximize the Marketability of Your Book Idea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Increase Your Book Marketing<\/h3>\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n
![\"Publisher](\"https:\/\/kindlepreneur.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/graph-sml.png\")
\r\n \r\n <\/a> <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n\n\n\nWrite the Book<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Edit the Book Yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Recruit Beta Readers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Consider Hiring a Professional<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Refine Your Elevator Pitch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Step 2<\/span>: Find an Agent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Step 3<\/span>: Submit to Publishing Companies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Finding the Right Publishing Companies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Publisher](\"https:\/\/kindlepreneur.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/publisher-list-in-rocket-1024x634.png\")
Step 4<\/span>: Choose an Offer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n