We promised a full post about our book-deal process back in March when we first mentioned our upcoming book, and here it finally is.
The delay mostly comes down to life: we’ve been writing the 260+ page book, parenting the bambino, running the blog, and finishing lots of projects. Still, many readers asked how we navigated proposals, agents, and publishers, so here’s a clear, insider account of how we landed a book deal, streamlined and in plain English.
- After blogging for about two years, we began receiving interest from a few agents and independent publishers.
- The idea thrilled us — we love writing and sharing projects — so we started exploring options.
- John’s sister, who works in New York publishing, helped us vet the early contacts and advised us to be patient: some suitors were less established than others.
- We waited, then a year and a half ago a reputable NY/Boston agency reached out. Based on the recommendation we received, we decided to pursue it right away.
- We began working with an agent to create a book proposal — the document agents and authors send to publishers to “shop” a book idea.
- A book proposal is substantial: typically 70–150 pages. It includes an outline, an introduction and conclusion, sample chapters, and a clear explanation of why the book is unique and who it will appeal to.
- It took us about a year to write and refine our proposal. We kept revising until it felt right, because you want to pitch only the best version of your idea.
- When our agent thought it was ready, she sent it to publishers. She then took maternity leave, and another agent at the agency took over the pitching process.
- The agency pitched our proposal to roughly twenty houses. Seven of them expressed interest and wanted to bid — far more than we expected. That response was thrilling and a little surreal.
- After interest is declared, publishers enter an auction. Each house submits an offer outlining the advance, royalty terms, and their vision for the book — whether they imagine a large, expensive coffee-table format or a smaller, more affordable, design-forward book.
- Hearing different visions helped us decide which publisher matched our values. We wanted a collaborative team that cared about design without defaulting to an oversized, costly product.
- We chose Artisan/Workman because Artisan operates as a boutique imprint within a major house, producing a smaller volume of thoughtfully produced books. They understood we wanted a fresh, affordable, idea-driven book rather than a big, expensive coffee-table volume.
- They offered a two-book deal, which was an encouraging vote of confidence — they believed in us beyond the first title.
- About eight months ago we signed the contract publicly announced the deal, and then dove into writing the actual manuscript.
- After roughly seven months of nonstop writing — while still blogging and parenting Clara — we delivered a 100+ page manuscript outline. With tutorials and photography added, the final book should reach 260+ pages.
- We’re now preparing for the photography phase: finalizing layout, completing tutorials, and shooting hundreds of projects with a professional photographer. We’re also coordinating a few guest contributors to add variety.
- Being an “author” is a full-time job in its own right. Balancing parenting, the ongoing blog, and book deadlines has been intense, but incredibly rewarding. When this project wraps, we’ll likely sleep for days.
- The book is slated for release in the fall of 2012, with occasional talk of spring 2013. Publishing timelines are long — even when much of the content is complete, photography, design, and production take time.
Conceptually, the book is an “idea book” — a large collection of projects and inspirations for home improvement and decor. Our working title is Spruce: 257 Ways To Show Your Home Some Love. That number may change as we execute projects and finalize the manuscript. We want the book to be a fun, easy-to-browse resource: flip to any page and find a project you can start right away.
This isn’t a technical decorating manual. It’s a spark — a toolbox of ideas you can adapt to your home and style. Some projects are quick and inexpensive; others are more involved. The format will feel familiar to blog readers but expanded: hundreds of numbered ideas with photos, step-by-step tutorials, checklists, illustrations, tips, sidebars, and a touch of our humor.
Nearly all projects, photos, and illustrations in the book will be new and created specifically for it. While some concepts overlap with the blog — like painting furniture or reupholstering a bench — each project will be executed in a fresh way so the book stands on its own.
Finally, a note to aspiring authors: working with an agent is invaluable. An agent helps with contracts, timelines, and negotiations, and their guidance saved us many times. If you’re pursuing traditional publishing and don’t have representation, consider reaching out to agents with a strong proposal.
If you have publishing experiences or tips — whether traditional or self-publishing — we’d love to hear them. We tried writing a proposal for a humor book years ago and it fizzled, but we’re glad we kept learning. For now, we’re focused on making this book the best collection of home ideas we can.
Update — We frequently get questions about blogging professionally: how we built the site, grew traffic, and turned it into a full-time endeavor. We previously shared a detailed guide about how we started a blog and grew it into a career for those who are curious.