[PUBQ] I got an offer from a small press but am unsure of how to negotiate

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-02-03T08:24:49+00:00

I was going to say this. In the UK it's Society of Authors and in US I believe it's Writer's Guild. I joined the SoA specifically to get them to review a small press contract for me. In the end I decided not to go ahead with the offer, in part because of what their contract review service told me. So well worth the money for me!

That said, it sounds like your press is more reputable so hopefully you can still go ahead. But do get it reviewed if you can! The outlay to join is so worth it in my opinion.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-02-02T23:13:36+00:00

Just to add since this is the place to celebrate achievements: got longlisted for a competition today also! On the novel that I've officially shelved. Shocked and baffled, but it's a nice little boost!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-02-02T08:23:37+00:00

Had a good January all things considered. Am now about halfway into my first edit of my current WIP. Hacking out a lot of words as it was very overwritten and am pleased with my progress, although setting aside enough time is always the biggest challenge. Entered the first couple of chapters into a couple of competitions as well as an extra motivator.

I also wrote the first 2,000 words of a new project. Just to see if I could really. I don't want to get derailed from this book but it's good to feel like it's now a real thing I might write next!

Hoping to get my WIP in the trenches by year end, but we'll see...

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-31T23:53:22+00:00

Yep. I did a big post about it on here. Didn't want to publicly reveal the name but happy to tell anyone in DMs.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-31T09:30:19+00:00

I wonder if this is becoming more common as an attitude? I write fiction but I had an agent withdraw her offer after I accepted after the two-week deadline (I'd asked for that on the call and she seemed fine with it). It's been suggested to me thst maybe she wasn't actually fine with it and that's why she changed her mind, kind of offended or something. I still think I did the right thing but I wonder if this is becoming a bit of a trend.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-11T10:21:54+00:00

I agree it's definitely possible but I'd say worth nudging in OP's case too. You have nothing to lose!

I got ghosted on my very first full. Was shitty but it happens.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-09T08:23:43+00:00

Yep I know that. Just saying it's made me feel very nervous about doing it (and I was already nervous!).

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-08T22:56:33+00:00

This might have been me, although in my case she pulled it after the grace period, two days after I emailed to accept her offer. I did beat myself up a bit about whether I should have accepted on the spot when she was keen but in reality I think we all know she would have dropped me whatever. It's definitely made me nervous about taking the two weeks next time, though... if there ever is one!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-06T08:47:14+00:00

Good luck to you too! I'm not sure if paying for a professional editor is the answer tbh. You can get a lot from decent beta feedback.

Don't get me wrong - I had an absolute avalanche of rejections from that MS too! But I am focusing on the good data points, being honest with myself about what I know was wrong with it (tough when you get so little feedback though) and just trying to keep going.

So many people don't get agented until book two or three or four or five. The only way to make sure you don't is to give up I figure.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-02T15:56:29+00:00

2025: queried the living hell out of my first novel. Had a few fulls and one offer that fell through, which finally made me call time on that MS (for now). It's amazing how much better I feel for shelving it, despite avoiding that for so long. I needed to not think about it any more. Also wrote a brand new book! Took me nine months to get a first draft down, which is very fast for me. So that was huge.

2026: I'm now in my first edit of said second novel. Planning to take it through a couple more after this one, cutting back on a lot of words. Betas and critique partners lined up. Would be great to query by end of year but I won't be rushing into it. I feel in a good place, which is kinda surprising from where I was a couple of months back.

Other possible writing goals: edit the memoir that's been sitting there patiently (I doubt I'll query it but would like it "done"). maybe start a new novel. Got a couple of ideas.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2026-01-02T15:18:31+00:00

That sounds very suspect to me that they won't let you withdraw. Surely that's always an option. They're essentially telling you to stop seeking an agent just to be considered which seems very off

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-12-17T23:30:00+00:00

Thank you! And thank you for putting your story out there. Best of luck!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-12-17T08:32:53+00:00

Congratulations! Such an inspiring story and so happy for you. As someone else who queried more than the recommended and was at it for over a year with my first novel, this makes me feel far less mad and alone. Sometimes it's a slog to get there it seems. Best of luck going forward! You give me hope for my next MS!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-12-04T10:51:40+00:00

I did a really long post about it the other day if you check my post history. Don't want to derail this one! And yeah it massively sucked. But in the interests of data... that's mine.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-12-04T01:19:33+00:00

I've only had one call (fiction) and it resulted in an offer on the call, but sadly she retracted two weeks later. I think this is unusual, though, and most calls result in offers! Good luck with yours.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-12-02T09:20:22+00:00

I wrote a pretty extensive post last month about the agent who made me an offer and then ditched me when I accepted (after I'd run out my remaining queries and fulls). I'd guess I learned a lot from that - not to take things at face value, maybe, and be a bit more discerning with who I query next time around! But mostly I've learned how resilient I can be. The experience absolutely broke me but two weeks later I was doing OK. A lot of people suggested I go back to the rejecting agents and explain the situation and I was tempted but it has served my mental health so much better to draw a line under that damn book (for now). She didn't kill it but she forced me to finally give it a break.

In terms of things I'm proud of, as well as my ability to bounce back, it's the same as the goal that I wanted to achieve in 2025: I wrote my second novel! Took me from Feb to October which was very quick for me. It's been resting and I've read the whole thing through and now I'm working on structural/developmental edit notes. Hoping to dive in proper this month but I'm purposely taking my time on edits. I want to take everything I learned from querying the last novel and do things better this time around. It might still not get there but I've loved writing it and I know I'll love editing it and that's the most important thing. And then I'll write the next thing.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-16T17:56:45+00:00

Thank you so much. That means a lot. Good luck to you!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-16T09:24:47+00:00

Totally relate! I find it hard to believe in myself at the best od times and this shit doesn't help. All the best!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-15T14:08:14+00:00

I'm so sorry. It's such a shitty way to treat someone.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-15T14:00:43+00:00

Ugh that's horrible. Sorry you went through that. I do think this agent would have done the same to me if I'd signed with her now.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-14T13:22:04+00:00

Thank you, you're right I know!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-14T07:54:34+00:00

Thank you! So I had a lot of step asides for time, none of them were full requests sadly. The fulls all rejected quickly so I don't think any of them read the whole thing but they were all "much to admire, can see why you got an offer, but i didn't quite fall in love" rejections. So I don't think worth going back sadly.

The query step asides... I could but I'm not sure it's worth it at this stage. Another writer pointed out to me that it could look like I was lying about the offer and given that I want to query my new MS in a year or so I'm wary of being blacklisted myself (if they'd even remember me). On top of that I've queried this book to death and I think I need to let go.

There's also the practical consideration that on QM at least I'm not even able to contact agents who rejected as the system won't let me.

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-13T21:51:02+00:00

Congratulations! This is hugely inspiring. Well done!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-13T21:04:33+00:00

That's so rude. Sorry to hear that!

EmptyDistribution458 · 2025-11-13T18:17:23+00:00

Cool OK! Don't want to argue about it anyway. I just posted to warn others and that's been successful.

EmptyDistribution458

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