Hello all,

My friend is due to meet a major publisher with her agent tomorrow.

Do you think a senior editor would be in a position to make an offer there and then, or is it more likely that this is the first step in a long process?

Hi, Louisa, and welcome to WriteWords.

Congratluations to your friend on getting an agent, and fingers crossed for the meeting tomorrow. There are far more experienced members here who, hopefully, will be able to answer your question, so I'll leave it for them, but if you need any help navigating the site, then feel free to ask.


- NaomiM

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One thing I will add, regarding meeting the publisher, sometimes there is an offer 'under the table' but the publisher wants to meet the writer first to check them out personally.
There are anecdotes, passed round by the agents, about writers who've blown the meeting because they refused point blank to make any of the changes to their manuscript suggested by the publisher, and are never shown the publishing contract.

Hi Louisa, and welcome to WW.

How exciting. Your friend's agent will know what's likely to happen, so Louisa-friend needs to get asking - agents know we don't know much about how these things work.

The editor will certainly know what kind of offer they're likely to make, but it's for the agent to do the negotiations, and they may both prefer to do that without the author there, i.e. on the phone later. Apart from anything else, if the editor says 'We're offering £5,000,' and the agent says 'We're looking for twice that,' then the editor may well have to go away and re-do the costings before deciding what to offer next. Also, there are lots of elements to an offer which aren't the headline figure - whether it's world rights or UK-and-Commonwealth; subsidiary and translation rights - and they're often used as bargaining chips when the headline figure isn't moveable. A bit like negotiating over carpets and curtains and appliances when buying a house.

Also worth asking the agent what, particularly, to say and not say. Naomi's right, it's important to be willing to work on the book further, so Louisa-friend might want to make a few notes. One thing to remember is that editors are right about what they think needs changing, but often not right about how to change it, and it's important to recognise the difference. If in doubt, don't refuse point-blank - as Naomi says, if you're too immoveable it just might be the end of the deal - but say 'Yes, I see what you mean' and then go home and have a long hard think (and maybe discuss with the agent) to find your own solution - which may be quite different - to the problem they've raised.

So I think you could say it's the first step in a short process - it may not be settled there and then, but it should be soon afterwards.

Very best of luck to her!

Emma

Thank you both for much for the great advice.

I will pass it all on to my friend, who at the moment is far more preoccupied with what to wear!!

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Thant should be VERY much!

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I blame it on a sticky keyboard! hehe

If they haven't done so already, your friend can also join the Society of Authors, who will be able to advise on tax, etc. And tell them to keep all their reciepts (travel, etc) to set against any future tax demands.


- NaomiM

Congratulations to your friend!