Sell Your Novel to a Major Publisher: The Complete Roadmap

Tips and strategies for writing a novel that publishers will want to buy. 

How to get your novel ready to submit to agents and publishers.  

A few words of inspiration and encouragement as you write and revise your novel.

Introduction to literary agents, why they are essential to your career as a published author, how agents will ultimately help you make more money, and how to spot and avoid "scams" or fraudulent agents. 

An overview of the 5 steps to finding the perfect agent to represent your novel. 

What a "pitch" is and why writing a good one is a crucial step in selling your novel to agents and publishers.

Learn the definition of a logline, the three ingredients that make up an effective logline, how to write your own loglines, and why a logline is important for pitching your book to agents and publishers. 

Learn what an "elevator pitch" is, why it's important, and how an engaging and effective one can help you dazzle literary agents and publishers. 

Learn how to write a killer "short synopsis" for your book and how this will ultimately help you sell your novel to a publisher. 

Learn how to write an effective "full synopsis" for your novel and why this is an important piece of your agent submission package. 

Learn what a "query letter" is and why it's the golden ticket that gets you in the door of the publishing industry. Discover my proven, easy-to-follow "4-Part Query Letter" format that has helped me and several other authors sell their novel to major publishers. Also get an overview of the entire process of querying agents, before diving into each step in more detail. 

Dive into the first part of my proven "4-Part Query Letter" format and learn how to hook an agent's attention from the first line of your query. 

Dive into the second part of my proven "4-Part Query Letter" format and learn how to hold an agent's attention with a compelling and engaging summary of your book. 

Dive into the third part of my proven "4-Part Query Letter" format and learn how to customize your query letters to make each agent feel special and important. 

Dive into the fourth and final part of my proven "4-Part Query Letter" format and learn how to effectively sell yourself to an agent and why this is an important element of your query.  

A summary of the 4-part query letter format

Some helpful tips about length, perspective and other technical details of drafting your query letter. 

An introduction to the most important list, thus far, in your novel-writing career: the Agent Submission List. Plus two handy strategies to choose from for keeping your list (and the agent submission process) organized. 

The first (and most important) tool for researching agents to submit to and how to use it. 

The second tool for researching agents to submit to and how to use it. 

The third tool for researching agents to submit to and how to use it. 

The fourth tool for researching agents to submit to and how to use it. 

The fifth tool for researching agents to submit to and how to use it. 

The sixth tool for researching agents to submit to and how to use it. 

How to organize your agent submission list and manage the agent submission process in order to maximize your chances of getting signed with an agent. 

An overview of how the agent submission process works and an introduction to Jessica's Magic Query Maximizer system (her secret formula for success!)

A step-by-step breakdown of Jessica's proven Magic Query Maximizer system (the MQM), designed to drastically improve your chances of getting signed by your dream agent. 

Tips and strategies for customizing your query letter for each agent on your submission list to improve your chances of getting offered representation. 

Some important guidelines about querying agents that could make or break your chances of getting signed by an agent. 

How to analyze responses to your query letter and make adjustments to your querying process to maximize results. 

How to handle rejections in the agent submission process and how to learn from your rejections to strengthen your manuscript and improve your chances of getting published. 

Some words of advice about selling novels in today's marketplace.

Why writing thank you letters to agents is a crucial step of the submission process. 

What happens when an agent wants to read your novel and tips on how to proceed, including how to format your manuscript for submission. 

What happens when an agent wants to represent you, what due diligence you should do before signing with an agent, and how to deal with multiple offers of representation. 

An overview of agency contacts, what the standard clauses are, and what to look out for when signing with an agent. 

Answers to common questions about submitting to agents and signing with agents, including tips and info about "exclusives."

A breakdown of key publishing terms that you should know before moving forward in the publishing process. 

An overview of the entire process of submitting your novel to publishers. 

An inside look at how publishing houses are set up and how they work, so you can better understand the publishing process. 

A breakdown of what happens after you sign with an agent and how they will go about submitting your novel to publishers. 

A peek inside a publishing house while your manuscript is being considered for publication. 

What to expect from your first book deal, plus a breakdown of the different kinds of offers you might receive and how book auctions work. 

A thorough breakdown of how, when and how much authors get paid for book deals. 

Three important things to look for in your first book contract. 

How the royalty clause in your book contract is structured and a breakdown of what it means. 

How the subsidiary rights clause in your book contract is structured and a breakdown of what it means. Plus, an explanation of foreign (or "translation") rights and dramatic rights. 

How the option clause in your book contract is structured and a breakdown of what it means. 

An overview of the publishing process from book sale to publication, another inside look at what's going on inside the publishing house during this time, plus some tips on working with your new editor on your last and final revisions! 

An inside look at the copyediting step of the publication process and what, you the author, are responsible for at this stage. 

An inside look at the "first pass" or "proof" step of the publication process and what, you the author, are responsible for at this stage. 

What to expect when it comes time for your publisher to design your book cover and tips on what to do if you don't like your cover. 

An inside look at the ARC (advance reader copy) step of the publication process and why ARCs are an important part of releasing and publicizing your novel. 

What to expect in the remaining steps leading up to the publication of your novel, tips for handling reviews (good and bad!) and advice on how to succeed in launching your first book. 

Answers to frequently asked questions about the publishing process.