From draft to publication
Debut book publishing revealed 
It might feel impossible right now, but someday soon Рyou might be a debut author. It only takes one emailed ‘yes’ to land a literary agent, and then as little as a few months to secure a deal. So what should you know NOW about that process? And how can you help yourself get there?  
COURSE: Last places remaining on the Ultimate Novel Writing Course USA/International 
The UK version of this course has now SOLD OUT. Grab the final spaces remaining on the US/International course to turn your idea into a publishable novel in the next year. This extra-special course only runs once a year, so don’t miss out!  
DOWNLOAD THE PROSPECTUS (US/INTERNATIONAL) 
This week at Jericho Writers: 
MEMBER EVENTS: From draft to publication Рand beyond (Member Exclusive) 
TODAY we have Aisha Bushby taking us through the process of turning a draft into a published book, and tomorrow we have Aliya Ali-Afzal revealing all about being a debut author. Don’t miss these! 
TUTORED COURSES: Writing for Children and Creative Non-Fiction (Discounts for members) 
Deadlines for our autumn online tutored courses on Writing for Children and Creative Non-Fiction are coming up fast! Do check them out if you’d like guidance on these from an expert tutor and a small class of like-minded writers.  
EVENTS: Summer Festival events happening this week (Discounts for members) 
This week, we’re In Conversation with Poorna Bell on 12 August and chatting Creative Non-Fiction with Eleanor Wood on 16 August. 
BLOG: What does book coaching really mean?  
We chat with the tutors behind the Ultimate Novel Writing Course US/International to find out how author coaching works and why it could drastically improve your writing.  
SUCCESS STORY: Caron Mckinlay signs with Bloodhound Books 
HUGE congratulations to Jericho Writers member Caron Mckinlay, whose novel, The Storytellers, will be out in May 2022 with independent publisher, Bloodhound Books. In Caron’s own words, it’s a “dream come true”. Hurray!   
A four-year traditional debut timeline
Writing is a slow process ‚Äì and traditional publishing isn‚Äôt much faster. Here’s a sample four-year timeline for an author with an idea for a book, seeing it through to publication. NB: This is an example only ‚Äì mine took much longer than this and for others it‚Äôs much shorter! ¬†
January 2020: You have an idea for a novel and start writing it.  
July 2020: You finish the first draft and start self-editing.  
October 2020: You get feedback from beta readers and perhaps send it off for a Manuscript Assessment, to get an expert opinion, and then re-write again on feedback.  
January 2021: You start submitting to agents.  
July 2021: After a few rejections, you sign with a literary agent, who has some edits of her own.  
January 2022: Your agent is happy with the manuscript and starts submitting it to editors for publication.  
March 2022: You sign with a publisher, who sends you yet more edits to do! 
December 2022: Your structural edits are signed off by your publisher and you’re sent for even more edits – this time from a copyeditor and proofreader. You might see a cover at this point and can celebrate an official announcement.  
July 2023: Proof copies are printed and sent to reviewers.  
January 2024: Your debut book is officially published.  
Of course, this timeline can vary wildly, but the amount of edits you have to do is roughly always the same. What are your thoughts reading this schedule? Have you had experience with a different timeline? Share them in the Community here.  
Sarah J 
Plus, don’t miss: 
Literary agent one-to-ones (10% member discount) 
We’re running one-to-one calls with literary agents and book doctors throughout the summer. Anyone can book one of these – just choose your expert and book a time to suit you.  
Mentoring (10% discount available)  
Get expert one-to-one help as you write and edit your manuscript with your choice of award-winning mentors. 
New Community Book Club (Open to all) 
Each month, we’ll be hosting a live meeting with the author of the chosen book for that month, chatting to them about their writing process and asking your questions.¬†
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