We promised a detailed post about the whole book-deal process back in March, when we first announced our upcoming book. Since then we’ve been heads-down writing and juggling family life, the blog, and dozens of projects, so thank you for your patience. For anyone curious about how a book deal actually happens—from first contact to contract to writing and photography—here’s a clear, honest walkthrough of our experience, laid out in chronological order (with photos of Burger expressing our emotions along the way).
- After blogging for a couple of years we started getting inquiries from agents and a few independent publishers interested in a potential book.
- We were thrilled—writing and sharing projects is what we love to do—but we also wanted to be thoughtful about the right publishing partner.
- We consulted family members who work in publishing to better understand who to trust and which offers were worth pursuing.
- That advice helped us decide to wait for stronger interest rather than rush into a deal; we briefly stepped back from the excitement to see what else would come our way.
- About six months later we received contact from a highly recommended NY/Boston literary agency, Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, and that led us to say yes and move forward.
- Immediately we began working with our agent to assemble a formal book proposal. The proposal is what gets shopped to potential publishers and is usually substantial in length.
- A proposal typically ranges from 70 to 150 pages. It starts with a detailed outline, includes an introduction and conclusion, explains how the book is distinct and marketable, and generally makes the case for why the project should be published.
- It took us about a year to complete our proposal. We revised, reworked, and refined it until it felt fresh, cohesive, and exciting—the kind of package we wanted publishers to see.
- Once both we and our agent felt it was ready, she began pitching it to publishing houses. After a maternity leave, another agent in the agency took over the pitching process and that transition, while a little nerve-wracking, didn’t slow things down.
- After the agency pitched the proposal to roughly twenty houses, seven publishers expressed interest—far more than we expected. From there came an auction: publishers submitted bids outlining what they would do editorially and financially.
- Each bid included proposed advances, royalty terms, and a vision for the book’s format—everything from a large, expensive coffee-table presentation to a smaller, more affordable, collaborative edition.
- We paid close attention to which publishers wanted a big glossy book and which preferred a more modest, hands-on approach. The latter matched our goals: accessible, idea-rich, and collaborative.
- In the end we chose Artisan/Workman. Workman is a large, well-known publisher, and Artisan operates as its boutique imprint, producing fewer books each year in a more personalized, editorial way. They understood our vision: a fun, affordable, idea-driven book filled with great photos.
- They offered a two-book deal, which was incredibly encouraging—proof that the publisher believed in our work beyond a single title.
- About eight months before we publicly announced the deal we signed the contract, and then we began writing in earnest.
- After roughly seven months of nearly nonstop writing—while continuing to blog and care for our daughter—we submitted a full manuscript outline of about 100–120 pages. Once photography, tutorials, and layouts are added, the finished book should be 260+ pages.
- Right now we’re moving into the photography phase: finalizing the book’s layout, completing project tutorials, and photographing hundreds of original projects with a professional photographer. We’re also arranging a handful of guest features from other bloggers to broaden the book’s perspective and inspiration.
- Being an author is a full-time undertaking. Balancing parenthood, the blog, ongoing projects, and book deadlines has been intense but incredibly rewarding. We can’t wait to see how it all comes together, and we fully expect to sleep for a few uninterrupted days once the book is finished.
- The book was slated for release in the fall of 2012, with occasional mentions of a possible spring 2013 date. Publishing timelines can stretch because of photography, design, production, and distribution—there’s a lot that happens after the manuscript is in.
The concept of our book is simple: an idea book. Our working title is Spruce: 257 Ways To Show Your Home Some Love. The number may shift as we finish and test projects, but the aim is to provide hundreds of practical, adaptable ideas you can flip to and use in any order. Each idea is meant to be a spark—something you can adapt to your house and style, whether it’s a quick, inexpensive tweak or a bigger, budgeted project.
This isn’t a technical decorating manual; it’s a jumping-off point. You’ll find a mix of projects—some involved, some instant, some free, some that require saving up. Think of it as the blog in book form: hundreds of original projects, step-by-step tutorials, photographs, checklists, sidebars, and our slightly dorky sense of humor.
Nearly all of the projects and photos in the book are new content, created specifically for the book rather than being recycled from the blog. We wanted fresh takes on common ideas so the book feels original and full of unexpected approaches.
For anyone pursuing publication: working with an agent can be invaluable. They help navigate contracts, negotiate advances and royalties, and guide the timeline. If you don’t have an agent, consider querying reputable literary agents with a strong, professional proposal. Self-publishing can work for some people, but having an experienced agent and a supportive publisher made a huge difference for us.
Have publishing questions or tips from your own experience? We’d love to hear them. And for readers interested in how we turned blogging into a full-time pursuit, we’ve shared detailed information about how we started our blog, grew traffic, and monetized the site in a separate post.