From Blog to Best-Seller: Our Unfiltered Journey to a Book Deal and Beyond

We know you’ve been waiting! Back in March, when we first shared the exciting news about our upcoming book, we promised a deep dive into the labyrinthine process of securing a book deal. The delay in delivering this post? Pure and simple: we’ve been deep in the trenches, meticulously crafting our 260+ page manuscript, all while juggling the beautiful chaos of family life, maintaining our blog, and managing countless home projects. It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least! We genuinely appreciate your patience and your overwhelming interest in how this incredible journey unfolded.

Just a few years ago, the world of literary agents, book proposals, and publishing houses felt like uncharted waters to us. We had no map, no compass, just a passion for sharing our ideas. Now, having navigated these waters, we’re thrilled to pull back the curtain and share every step of the process. So, settle in, because here’s the unfiltered story of how our blog dream transformed into a published book, complete with some adorable snapshots of Burger illustrating our emotional rollercoaster.

The Initial Spark: Navigating Early Interest and Finding Our Way

• Early Whispers: Roughly two years ago, after dedicating a couple of years to consistent blogging and building our online community, we started receiving intriguing emails. A few literary agents and independent publishers reached out, expressing interest in us potentially writing a book. For two people who loved to write and share their home projects, this was incredibly exciting – a dream we hadn’t dared to fully articulate was suddenly on the table.
• Seeking Wise Counsel: Naturally, we were ecstatic about the prospect. However, the world of publishing felt foreign. We immediately turned to John’s sister, who works in New York City for a major magazine publisher. While her expertise wasn’t specifically in books, her network and understanding of the media landscape were invaluable. She knew the major players and could offer crucial insights.
• Patience is a Virtue: Her advice was gentle but firm: some of the initial contacts were a bit less “legit” or established than others we could potentially work with. She encouraged us to exercise patience, suggesting that holding out might lead to a more significant opportunity. Trusting her seasoned perspective, we decided to wait and see what the future held, rather than rushing into anything.
• Life Moves On: As often happens, the initial buzz eventually faded, and we somewhat forgot about the possibility of a book deal. We continued pouring our energy into the blog, our growing family, and the everyday adventures of home renovation.
• A Serendipitous Connection: Then, about six months later (roughly a year and a half ago), an email landed in our inbox from a highly reputable New York/Boston literary agency, Zachary Shuster Harmsworth. This time, when we mentioned them to John’s sister, her reaction was entirely different – she was genuinely giddy and offered an enthusiastic recommendation. Their agency had simply reached out, unprompted, asking if we would be interested in pursuing a book.
• The “Yes!” Moment: Uh… yes! A resounding yes! The excitement was palpable. This felt like the real deal, a pivotal moment in our creative journey. We were ready to dive in headfirst and explore this incredible opportunity.

The Arduous Art of the Book Proposal: Crafting Our Vision

With a reputable agent now on our side, the real work began: assembling a compelling book proposal. This document is far more than just an outline; it’s a comprehensive business plan for your book, designed to convince potential publishers of its market viability, your unique platform, and its potential for success. It’s what agents use to “shop” around an idea, gauging interest among various publishing houses.

• Understanding the Proposal’s Scope: A typical book proposal ranges from 70 to 150 pages, making it a substantial undertaking. It requires meticulous thought, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of your book’s core message and its target audience. It’s essentially your written pitch, making a persuasive case for why your book deserves to be published.
• Key Components of a Winning Proposal: While every proposal is unique, they generally include several critical sections:
  • Overview: A compelling summary that grabs attention and outlines the book’s premise, target audience, and unique selling points.
  • Author Platform: A detailed account of your existing reach and influence – in our case, our blog’s traffic, social media following, and community engagement. This demonstrates your ability to help market the book.
  • Marketing Plan: Your ideas for how the book can be promoted, leveraging your platform and beyond.
  • Competitive Analysis: An examination of similar books in the market, highlighting how your book stands out and fills a unique niche.
  • Table of Contents/Chapter Outline: A detailed breakdown of each chapter, providing a clear roadmap of the book’s content and flow.
  • Sample Chapters: Excerpts that showcase your writing style, voice, and the quality of your content.
  • Introduction & Conclusion: A captivating introduction that draws readers in and a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.
• The Year-Long Endeavor: It’s no exaggeration to say that completing our book proposal took an entire year. This wasn’t a quick draft; it was a process of constant iteration, refinement, and soul-searching. We poured over every word, every idea, ensuring that what we presented was not just good, but something we absolutely loved. There’s no point in pitching a book you’re only “so-so” about; conviction and passion are essential. We took our time, meticulously developing a concept that felt fresh, fun, and genuinely exciting to us.
• Ready for Launch: After twelve months of intensive work on that 100-plus-page document, we finally reached a point where both we and our agent felt it was polished and ready to be sent out. The moment our agent gave the green light, a mix of relief and nervous anticipation washed over us.
• A Mid-Process Transition: Shortly after the proposal was sent out for consideration, our agent had a baby. While we were incredibly happy for her, it meant another agent had to step in to manage the “pitching” process. This unexpected shift added a layer of nervousness, but the sheer excitement of the moment kept us grounded. We focused on remembering to breathe, eat, and stay present through the exhilarating uncertainty. This was truly our nervous face moment, as depicted by Burger.

The Publishing Auction: Finding Our Perfect Partner

What followed was an experience that felt both surreal and incredibly validating. Our literary agency pitched our proposal to approximately twenty different publishing houses, hoping to generate enough interest to secure a deal. What happened next exceeded all our expectations.

• An Unbelievable Response: We had hoped for one or two interested publishers – a typical scenario, as you only truly need one strong offer. So, when seven different publishing houses expressed keen interest in bidding on our book, we were absolutely stunned. It was an insanely exciting and almost unbelievable reaction, a moment that still brings a glassy-eyed sense of wonder when we recall that day.
• The Auction Process: Once publishers indicate interest, the process moves into an “auction” phase – think of it as a professional, high-stakes bidding war, somewhat akin to an eBay auction, but for books! Each interested publisher extends a bid, outlining their vision for the book and the financial terms they’re offering. These bids cover everything from the book advance (an upfront payment against future royalties) to royalty percentages, and crucially, where they “see” the book going conceptually. For instance, one publishing house might envision a giant, expensive coffee table book, while another might propose a smaller, more affordable handbook.
• Strategic Alignment: This auction phase was incredibly insightful. It allowed us to discern which publishers aligned best with our creative vision. We quickly learned which houses preferred to create large, high-priced books and which ones fostered a more boutique atmosphere, offering a customized look at an affordable price point, all while valuing deep collaboration with authors. Unsurprisingly, the latter approach resonated far more deeply with us.
• Choosing Our Home: By the close of the auction day, our heads were spinning from comparing the various offers. Each bid presented unique advantages, making the decision both thrilling and challenging. Our ultimate pick? Artisan Books, an imprint of Workman Publishing. Workman is a venerable and highly respected publisher, known for numerous best-selling titles (including the iconic What To Expect When You’re Expecting series). Artisan, however, is their smaller, boutique arm, managing a more curated volume of books each year with a hands-on, collaborative approach. They truly understood that we weren’t aiming for a giant, $50 coffee table book. Our vision was for something fresh, fun, affordable, and packed with fantastic ideas and beautiful photos.
• The Confidence of a Two-Book Deal: In a truly encouraging turn, Artisan/Workman actually offered us a two-book deal. This wasn’t just an offer; it was a profound vote of confidence. It signaled that even before our first book hit the shelves, they had immense faith in its success and our ability to create another compelling work. We were, quite literally, over the moon! The beauty of this deal is that the second book remains wonderfully open-ended, giving us the flexibility to explore new ideas after the first book’s release – a prospect we genuinely appreciate.
• Making It Official: About eight months ago, we all signed on the dotted line, officially solidifying the book deal. This was the moment we finally shared the exciting news with all of you – we simply couldn’t wait any longer! And then, as you might have guessed, we immediately dove into the monumental task of writing the actual book.

The Writing Marathon: The Reality of Authorship

Signing the contract was just the beginning. The real work, the dedicated, often isolating, yet incredibly rewarding work of authorship, truly commenced. The past months have been a testament to perseverance and passion.

• Seven Months of Dedicated Writing: For approximately seven months, we were immersed in nearly nonstop writing. This wasn’t a solo sprint; it was a balancing act. Behind the scenes, we continued to manage the blog, cultivate our community, and, most importantly, be present for our daughter, Clara. It was a challenging, yet deeply fulfilling period of intense creative output.
• The Manuscript Milestone: Handing in our initial 100+ page manuscript outline felt like an enormous accomplishment, a true milestone in this journey. While it currently stands at around 120 pages, we anticipate it will expand to well over 260 pages once all the detailed tutorials and stunning photography are incorporated. This momentous submission day occurred just over a month ago, marking the transition to the next exciting phase.
• Gearing Up for Photography: We are now fully immersed in the photography stage, an intricate process involving meticulous planning. This includes finalizing the book’s layout, fleshing out all the tutorials with clear, step-by-step instructions, and secretly completing and shooting hundreds of new projects with a professional photographer. Every image and every tutorial is being crafted to inspire and empower our readers.
• Collaborative Spirit: In our commitment to sharing diverse perspectives and inspiring content, we’re also coordinating with a few other guest bloggers whom we deeply admire. We believe in sharing the love and showcasing exceptional talent, adding another layer of richness and eye candy to the book.

• The Full-Time Commitment of Authorship: Let us be clear: the title of “author” is, without a doubt, a full-time job. It has been a testament to multitasking, seamlessly transitioning between being stay-at-home parents to Clara, keeping our blog vibrant and updated with new projects, and simultaneously writing an entire book while executing countless secret projects for its content. It’s been crazy, exhausting, and utterly exhilarating all at once. Despite the demanding schedule, our excitement to see the final product is boundless! And when it’s all done, we’re pretty sure we’ll need at least five consecutive days of sleep to recover.

• The Publishing Timeline: Our book is currently slated for release in the fall of 2012, though there are occasional whispers of a spring 2013 launch. It’s truly astonishing how much longer the book production process is compared to publishing a quick blog post. Especially considering that much of the content has been written, the release date still feels a year (or more!) away. This extended timeline accounts for all the intricate stages: professional photography, meticulous layout design, comprehensive editing, printing, and strategic marketing and distribution. We are absolutely confident that every moment of this wait will be well worth it when you finally hold the book in your hands!

The Heart of the Book: A Fresh Take on Home Inspiration

So, what exactly is our book about? At its core, it’s an “idea book” – a treasure trove, a giant compilation of over 250 actionable ideas designed to help you show your home some love. Our tentative title, Spruce: 257 Ways To Show Your Home Some Love, captures this essence. The exact number of ideas might subtly shift as we continue to execute the detailed projects outlined in our manuscript; some ideas might evolve, leading to new inspirations, while others might, inevitably, fail. This flexibility ensures the final product is truly the best it can be.

Our vision is to create a genuinely fun book that you can effortlessly flip through, discovering hundreds of numbered ideas. The beauty lies in its informal structure: you can start on any page and tackle any project that sparks your interest, in whatever order appeals to you. This informal, flexible approach felt inherently right to us. We believe that every project or suggestion should be adaptable, allowing everyone to put their own unique spin on it to perfectly fit their individual home and personal style. This isn’t intended to be a decorating bible, laden with intricate explanations of box pleats or start-to-finish home staging guides. Instead, it’s designed to be a spark – a starting point, a veritable junkload of ideas from which you can pick, choose, and creatively adapt to make your home uniquely yours.

Some projects are more involved, offering a satisfying challenge, while others are refreshingly simple and quick. You’ll find ideas that are completely free to implement, alongside others that might require a little saving up for. Essentially, it’s like our blog, but in book form – curated, organized, and expanded. Instead of receiving a post or two a day, you’ll get over 250 fresh ideas, each accompanied by inspiring photos, practical checklists, clear tutorials, charming illustrations, and, of course, a healthy dose of our signature dorky humor.

Crucially, virtually all of the 250+ projects, photos, and illustrations featured in the book will be entirely new. This is not content regurgitated from Young House Love. While some foundational ideas might echo themes we’ve explored before (e.g., painting furniture or reupholstering a bench), these general concepts are essential. Our commitment is to execute them in a completely fresh and innovative way. So, instead of seeing the same bench I painted three years ago for the blog, you might discover a dresser painted in a dramatically different style, a project we secretly completed this past winter. Yes, it’s extra work, but our unwavering goal is for the book to feel vibrant, contemporary, and brimming with diverse “takes” on a myriad of decorating ideas – encompassing both timeless classics and excitingly unexpected concepts, and everything wonderful in between.

Lessons Learned and Advice for Aspiring Authors

So, there you have it: a comprehensive rundown of our book deal process, what we’ve been pouring our hearts into, and how this extraordinary journey unfolded. From our experience, we would unequivocally encourage anyone aspiring to be published to seek representation from a literary agent. If agents aren’t actively contacting you, we highly recommend crafting a polished proposal and reaching out to them directly. An agent’s expertise is simply invaluable.

We can recall at least fifty instances where having an agent proved to be our saving grace, guiding us through complex contractual terms, intricate timelines, and the often-confusing general publishing process. Their advocacy and industry knowledge are truly indispensable; it’s safe to say we probably couldn’t have navigated this without one.

Do any of you out there have publishing tips or experiences you’d like to share with fellow aspiring authors? Have you tried to author a book in the past, or perhaps explored the path of self-publishing? While we were initially hesitant to venture into self-publishing, we’ve heard it can be a highly effective route for many. On a lighter note, long before John and I were bloggers, we actually attempted to write a proposal for a hilarious pet-naming book (a truly fitting endeavor for people who named their dog Hamburger!). However, after realizing the immense effort involved, that particular project quietly fizzled out. Perhaps someday, we’ll revisit it. We certainly owe it to Burger!