What Happens When an Author Completes Their Book Contract? - Kara Isaac

Earlier this week I sent my agent my latest book proposal.

I've had a few people surprised at this news, thinking that because I've had two books traditionally published that another book contract was a done deal. Oh how I wish that was true!

And while I'm sure that is the case for bestselling authors, it's certainly not for the rest of us. So I thought I would chat today about what happens from here :)

The agent call: Later this week I'll be chatting to my agent about the proposal and getting his thoughts. The possibilities there run the entire continuum from "this is terrible and there's no way I'm going to be able to sell it" through to "this is perfect and I'm ready to hit send".

The RFR: As with most traditionally published authors my publisher has what is known as a Right of First Refusal (or RFR). This means that they get the first opportunity to exclusively review my next proposal for a specified period of time. If they reject it or we aren't able to come to mutually agreeable terms, then once that time has passed my agent can...

Pitch it: This is where he speaks to other contacts he has at other publishers and talks to them about the proposal, in the hope that they will request to see it. From some he will get a flat no (we're not acquiring any more romance this year, we've recently done a book that sounds too similar etc.), from others he may get a "sure, we'll take a look at it".

In both my current publisher, and any other ones, even if they love the books ideas (and that's a big if!) they'll also be considering a heap of other information. How many copies have my previous books sold? Were they well reviewed in major trade publications? Have they finaled in or won any major awards? How big is my platform?  Where would they see the stories fitting in their current planned releases over the next couple of years? A combination of all of those things will determine whether they want to move forward with the project.

Over the last few years a number of publishers have either closed their Christian fiction lines (Harvest House, B&H, Abingdon, Heartsong Presents, Summerside Press, Love Inspired Historical to name a few) or reduced the number of titles they are releasing. Many midlist authors have had contracts either cancelled or not been offered new ones. The result? Many talented authors competing for an ever-shrinking pool of available release spots. Fortunately, many of those authors have gone on to well-deserved success releasing their books independently.

The Wait and Hope/Pray part: The publishing process takes time and it will probably be 2018 before I know whether they have a traditional publishing home. Whether they do or they take another journey I know that I can trust God with the outcome. Especially when I look back on my ten year journey to publication and see how perfectly he ordered those steps, even though I couldn't see it at the time!

In the meantime, if you have an author that you love do whatever you can within your resources to support them. The need every sale and piece of encouragement they an get :)

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She is the author of Close to You, a RITA Award Double Finalist, and Can't Help Falling, an RT Review Top Pick. Her latest book Then There Was You released in June. When she's not chasing three adorable but spirited little people, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connect on her website, on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Author and Twitter @KaraIsaac

Which Writing Hill Are You Going To Die On?

In December last year I got the news that every writer dreams of. After years (and a few more years) of experiencing every high and low that comes with being an aspiring author my agent had received that call from Beth Adams at Howard Books. Since I found out via email as I was about to start a meeting for my “real” job I also had to try and be present there for an hour when all I wanted to do was scream, hug everyone in the room and possibly break out into a jig.

Over the last six months I’ve had to keep it secret for three, handed my baby over to my amazing editor and survived developmental and line edits, talked cover ideas, growing my platform (good news – it’s so small it can’t actually get smaller!), had author photos done, wrangled with the IRS, and started writing my second contracted book that is due in October.

So I thought it might be fun to share the biggest thing I’ve learned as a New Zealand author with a US based team…

Know Which Hill You’re Prepared to Die On

Characters, plotlines, physical characteristics, title, there’s very little in your story that it out of the realms of possibility of getting changed, even when it’s contracted.

As a New Zealander, there is not much that gets me more peeved than reading New Zealand (or Australian, British etc.) characters who aren’t authentic. Most often this involves American versions of words or phrases or using products that aren’t even available in their country.

Then There Was You, my debut romantic comedy, is set in New Zealand and Allie, my heroine, is New Zealand born and bred. The one thing I wouldn’t move on was anything that would turn Allie into an American version of herself.  There was no way that she was ever going to pick up trash (or use a trash can), drink soda (or pop), use ketchup or put gas into a car.

Fortunately, my incredible editor got this. While we’ve had to make a few changes to avoid confusion or replace products that Americans wouldn’t know with more generic terms, Allie has very much retained her “Kiwi” identity. As we’ve worked through edits, there have also been some entertaining conversations via “comments” as she’s gone “I don’t understand this?” or “What is this product?” or “To a US reader this is going to mean this” and I've said "A New Zealander wouldn't say this" and "We don't have dimes in New Zealand!" and "A Kiwi would never do that!" . My absolute favourite was a scene in which I mentioned that there was a pot plant in a hotel room. To me this meant, well a plant in a pot, apparently to some US readers this would read that the hotel supplied cannabis! 

Knowing which hill I was prepared to die on made the rest of the process a whole lot easier. Everything else was up for grabs in pursuit of the strongest possible story!

So let’s talk… what’s made you cringe the most when you’ve read a character who is supposed to be one nationality (or from a certain place) and who says or does something that is totally off kilter with that? Or have you ever read something that in your world translated as something completely different to what the author would have intended? If you're a writer do you know which hill you're prepared to die on when it comes to your story?

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. Her debut romantic comedy, Then There Was You, is about a disillusioned academic-turned-tour-guide and an entrepreneur who knows nothing about Tolkien who fall in love on a Tolkien themed tour of New Zealand. It will be an early 2016 release from Howard Books. When she's not working her day job as a public servant, chasing around a ninja preschooler and his feisty toddler sister, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connnect on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Writer and Twitter @KaraIsaac