How a Book Gets Made (Part 6)
(The one where your agent tells you what she thinks)
One of the main differences in my author life now versus when I started out is that now I have a fabulous literary agent. If you are one of my non-writing friends reading this, you might be curious about what an agent does. The short answer is that they are your manager, editor (especially before you sell a book to a publishing house), and they negotiate your contracts.
After a HUGE revision from the notes I received from Mara and
, I turned in my manuscript to Joanna on October 9, 2024, and then impatiently waited for her feedback. Because she is amazing, I didn’t have to wait long…I got her edit letter on October 24, 2024.She had two big-picture notes:
Lily, the female main character, needed more Veronica Mars energy. Part of the reason Joanna is such a great fit for me is because I knew exactly what she meant by this.
More FRANCE! The novel mostly takes place at the Cannes Film Festival, and she wanted more of the sights, smells, and feelings that France evokes. Basically, it needed to become a character in the book, not just an afterthought. It’s almost like she could tell I haven’t visited Cannes since I was twenty-one?? LOL.
The excellent news is that there weren’t big structural issues with the book. The plot worked, but layering and deepening were needed. I used her feedback as an excuse to binge several episodes of Veronica Mars, watch the Season Two episode of Emily in Paris that takes place in St. Tropez, and the Cannes Festival-centric episode of the French language show Call My Agent!
Watching Emily in Paris and Call My Agent! was especially important because the characters speak in colloquial French, which helped me change some of the French dialogue in the book. Yes, I was a French and Government double major and lived in Paris for several months during college, but written, informal French is a little tricky for me after two decades. (Unfortunately, jetting off to Southern France to soak up those sights and sounds was also out of reach for the time being).
I made my revision plan and got to work. Luckily, I had a solo cross-country flight to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and my new nephew in CT. I worked the entire flight and also did some additional edits while they had the baby at appointments or when he napped.
I finished draft five and sent it to
and Jessica Banks (no relation, just an amazing friend) on November 3, 2024.Joanna wants me to send the polished manuscript to her by the end of the year, and then we will see if it’s ready for submission. More on that in the next installment!
If you have an agent, how has your process for revision changed?
What I’m Reading
If you haven't already discovered the brilliance of Tarah DeWitt's writing, please let The Co-Op be your gateway book and then you can thank me when you devour her entire catalog (and pre-order Left of Forever).
Told in dual timelines, The Co-Op follows the love story of law school dropout LaRynn and contractor Deacon who are forced back into each other's lives when their beloved grandmothers bequeath their beautiful (but dilapidated) Santa Cruz house to them. It's been years since they had one HOT summer, but the hurt feelings haven't faded, and now they're expected to live in a construction zone and scrap by to get the house ready for sale?! It's a recipe for disaster, only made more tense when they have to marry in order for LaRynn to get her inheritance and pay for her half of the renovations.
What I’m Eating
Marcella Hazan’s bolognese recipe is the rare meal that my entire family loves. Be warned that the key to a good sauce is to cook it low and slow over three hours. It’s the perfect recipe for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
I love that you're documenting this whole process, it's so insightful for others, and I'm sure you'll be glad to look back on it someday (like when your book is flying off the shelves!).
Hoping Joanna loves it!🤞💕✨️