What Does It Mean to Be On Sub?

Newsletter #29

A Writerly Life Update: Summer Edition

A few months ago I wrote a couple posts about signing with a literary agent (Part 1 and Part 2) and then about how it felt to receive my first feedback, or edits from her. So what happens after that?

Just like I bring my stories to a couple different critique group to receive feedback over and over so that I can revise my work multiple times, the same thing happens with an agent. Once we’ve come to a place where we’re both pleased with the manuscript (what we call a story in the writing industry), it’s time to go “out on sub.”

Sub is short for submission. In this case, the agent is submitting the manuscript to many different editors who work at publishing houses. I wrote about people in the writing industry.

We go out on sub in rounds. In the first round, my manuscript is sent to several editors. Editors read it and decide either YES, they are interested in buying it; NOPE, not for me; or MAYBE, which is called an R&R. R&R stands for revise and resubmit, which means they like it, but the manuscript needs some changes before they can fully move on. As we get responses, the agent can send out the manuscript to additional rounds of editors.

The most common question I get asked is, “When is your book coming out?” Once a manuscript is out on sub, it can take months or years to sell, that is IF it does get acquired by a publisher. For most publishers, it’s not only the one editor’s decision whether or not to make an offer for the manuscript, but there is a whole team of people who jointly agree that this story would make a wonderful addition to their book list. That whole process—which I will not get into right now—could take months, before an author even knows there is interest.

The writing industry is very, very slow. Becoming a traditionally published author requires lots of patience and perseverance. In the meantime, I am always working on more manuscripts.

Right now I am:

• going through edits with my agent on two stories

• preparing a cover letter and concept book to be professionally critiqued at a conference

• in the messy middle of revising a story I started working on in January, trying to figure out the right story arc for these characters

• developing the meat of a story whose bones I had begun in July

• starting initial revisions on a picture book biography

Phew—that’s SIX (!) projects that I’m working on simultaneously. Which is A LOT! But they are all in very different stages of the writing process, which makes it easier for me to jump from one to another, since I’m using different types of craft skills and thought for each one. And I don’t mind working on several stories at once, because if I get stuck, there’s always a different one for me to tackle.

I’m pretty happy with the progress I made on three relatively new stories this summer. How did you spend your summer?

2021 Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

Book Report: LAXMI’S MOOCH

Written by Shelly Anand

Illustrated by Nabi H. Ali

When I first read LAXMI’S MOOCH I fell in love with the way the author Shelly created a story that embraces body hair by turning a classmate’s comments from insulting to empowering. At school, Zoe points out that Laxmi has hair above her lip, which then prompts her to notice hair everywhere—legs, knuckles, arms—and that horrifies her. At home, Laxmi’s parents are so supportive that Laxmi not only understands that everyone has a mooch (the HIndi word for mustache) but shares her pride the next day so that all her classmates embrace the mooch on each of their faces. What a completely joyous way to view your body! The illustrator Nabi presents both close-up images of body hair and scenes that encompass familiar school and home settings, while also including a wide variety of facial expressions that embody the reactions of different characters throughout the story. She also uses the end papers as a built-in glossary for a few words. Besides the wonderfully warm ending in this book, it lends itself to launching a discussion about stereotypes, judgment, and perspectives.

Themes: pride, identity, love and acceptance, confidence, overcoming stereotypes

Discussion Ideas:

1. Why do you think Laxmi feels bad for having a mustache? How was she able to change her attitude?

2. How does this story remind you about your life? What lessons can you learn from this story?

Mentor Text For:

• punctuation in dialogue

• practicing expression based on context when reading aloud

• determining unknown words in context and confirming using a glossary

• reading the pictures to determine feelings of charactersauthor’s message

• dialogue

• character traits

Buy this heartwarming book!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What a gorgeous way to normalize having a mooch by showing famous and everyday women with one. With two words, “So what?!”, Mummy teaches Laxmi a beautiful lesson about being proud of herself and not worrying about what others think or say.

Weekly Progress Report

This is a section for “stuff I did” that relates to my writing career. I believe in celebrating all wins, big and small alike.

• formatted a manuscript for an editor critique and sent it

• revised a cover letter for that manuscript

• listened to a webinar about Courage to Create

• wrote 2 book reviews for future newsletters

• chose picture books to display to start the school year

  

  

  It makes me so happy to start the school year with brand new, recently published, and diverse books on display.

Sending you courage and grace in all you choose to do,

Susan