Next steps

[Hobbiestwriter]

I'm halfway through yet another edit of my manuscript. It's a mystery with fantasy/romance elements. I've been reflecting on what I want the last few days, and I think I woukd really like to send it out to agents in Jan 2026. I'm the only person who has read it, though I have submitted the opening chapters to comps and had good feedback.

How should I approach the next few months?

I was planning to finish the current draft in July/August, then find some beta readers. Then one Ive worked through the feedback, I plan to get a manuscript assessment (maybe a submission package assessment depending on money), then hopefully submit to agents.

Is there anything I'm missing?

Very keen to hear any insights especially from any traditionally published writers

Also is there a forum that writer types flock to? This bit of mumsnet is always relatively quiet, is everyone having fun somewhere? 😂

Also (terrifying) insight into my state of mind: I've written for years and I suppose I've neen waiting for someone to reach out and discover me. My dad is dying and I'm at a crossroads in my life, and I think I've realised that isn't going to happen, and I might not make it, but I want to have a proper go at getting published as YOLO. Keen to hear from anyone else in the same place!

A professional edit is different than beta readers, and I would highly recommend this. Of course, it is like any profession and you need to make sure they have positive reviews and that there is a meshing of style. Interview potential editors as you would any type of service provider and get a very clear and detailed contract for what type of services they will provide so that you are not left underwhelmed and/or find yourself having to react to hidden costs.

Fantasy and romance is sort of a double-edged sword right now. It is hugely popular with several series doing very well, and many being made into TV series or film. But, that means that this genre could be reaching a saturation point and there will be a lot of competition.

Do you have a unique premise? Do you have a hook? Is your pitch to agents well-written and will cause you to stand out from the thousands of other pitches they get monthly?

Another bit of advice would be that when your book has gone through a formal edit and is nearing its final state, consider signing up for workshops that give you direct and in-person exposure to agents or publishers. Sometimes in situations like this where you may have a five-minute exposure to a direct-line professional in the industry, it results in getting your manuscript in their hands and getting above their slush pile.

Again, with a professional edit and attending workshops, you are talking about "investment costs" but all you need is one opportunity to get published. Only you can determine if you have the funds to invest in this way.

Thank you, that's really helpful. I have the money and I'm willing to spend it (have a professional job I hate 🤣)

I have a pretty unique premise I think, but I do have a hook, but it's perhaps not as 'hooky' as I would like. Some books seem to have been written around a hook, but mine is the opposite - I've written it then tried to find one.

I'll do a bit of research into good workshops to attend!

I’m in a similar position, but I have an editor/mentor. She reviewed the first 30k I’d written last year as I was just stuck on how to move forward. It spurred me on and I finished the first draft in April.

I’ve just done my first full pass of edits and I’ve now paid for a month of ProWritingAid to run it through. I’m mainly using it to spot repeated words and phrases and check grammar/tenses which my editing has messed with! It’s so hard to do all that when you’re so familiar with the text. I will use the full manuscript analysis on there once I’ve done the chapter edits as it can pick up discrepancies and confusions in the plot (mine is dual timeline so it is hard!)!

It’s due with my editor in July and after I get it back from her and go through her feedback I’ll get beta readers.

My editor does come with connections and that’s partly why I am using her. It’s mentoring as well so whilst I’m paying for her editing, it’s a bit more than that. She is willing to pitch my novel to an agent personally, although I will still cast the net wider.

A great place to learn about the publishing industry and writing in general is on Reddit's PubTips. Lots of writers post their query letters and sometimes first 300 words for feedback, which can be quite brutal at times, just so you know. There're published writers on there as well who give great feedback. I've learned a lot from 'hanging out' there. I've also heard of people finding beta readers (who read in their genres) on PubTips through sending direct messages to posters whose work they're interested in. It's never quiet there because there's always someone posting something!

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!