Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book
Author: Courtney Maum
Publisher: Catapult
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Cover Description
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.
TL;DR Review
Before and After the Book Deal is a helpful, conversational, informative breakdown of all the things that go into writing and publishing a book. As a book reviewer, I found it so interesting!
For you if: You are curious about what it’s like to write and publish a book, even if you don’t plan to do it for yourself.
Full Review
As a person who writes (long-form marketing content) for a living and reads a ton, of course I’ve always been curious about what it would be like to write a book someday. Recently, now that I’m active on bookstagram and interacting with authors and publishers all the time, I’ve become even more curious.
Before and After the Book Deal was exactly the right book to scratch that itch. Courtney Maum takes every aspect of the writing and publishing process and breaks them down from the writer’s perspective, from before you even have a draft to after the buzz about your new book has faded. It’s broken up into short, easy-to-digest subsections and organized very usefully and clearly.
Reading this book felt exactly like sitting down with Courtney for coffee (okay maybe not exactly, because I had to make my own coffee and such) and picking her brain about being a writer. She is conversational, candid, funny, and generous. She also really did her homework and spoke to I-don’t-even-know-how-many other writers, agents, and publishing professionals to get their perspectives, too. Like, SO MANY. And despite the chorus, it’s not a cacophony; it’s all threaded together naturally, cohesively, and helpfully. A true feat.
I recommend this book not only for those who think they may want to write a book, but also anyone who simply wants to know more about how the book sausage gets made. It’s that well written and easy to read.
I think I’ll be re-reading and referencing this book for years to come. Thank you, Courtney, for all you have done here. Truly.
Trigger Warnings
None
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