What Happens When an Agent Sends Your Novel to Publishers?
Updated: Oct 9
Going on submission means your agent is presenting the manuscript to editors who might buy it. It can be a fast process or a long one. A request to read, a meeting, an editorial conversation, and an offer are separate events; none should be treated as a sale before terms are agreed.
The submission list
Your agent may choose editors by imprint, taste, recent acquisitions, and fit with the book. Discuss how broadly to send and whether the book needs another revision first. A targeted list is more useful than a large list with no explanation.
What editors consider
An editor may love the manuscript and still need support from colleagues who evaluate sales, marketing, format, and schedule. A pass may reflect a crowded list or a difficult positioning question. It is not always a line-by-line verdict on the writing.
When there is interest
An editor may ask questions, seek changes, or make an offer. Your agent should explain money, rights, delivery, options, publication plans, and how competing interest is handled. An advance is paid according to a contract schedule; headline amounts do not arrive as one clean payment.
If the book does not sell
Discuss feedback and whether a revision, another round, a smaller press, or a different project makes sense. Do not assume the book is worthless. Do ask for an honest assessment of what remains possible and what rights have already been offered.
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A practical check
Do I understand the target list and submission strategy? How will updates reach me? What decisions require my approval? What is the plan if this round ends without an offer?
Viola Musaraj is a writer, novelist, micro and vertical drama producer, and interactive narrative designer with more than 140 million reads worldwide.
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