Signing the contract is the first step, but there’s still a lot to do before your book is available for readers to buy! Before you send back your contract, make sure you keep a copy for your records. If the publisher sent you a physical contract to sign and mail back, they most likely provided two copies. Keep one in a safe place and refer to it as needed. If your publisher sent an electronic contract, or a PDF copy of the executed contract (i.e., signed by both you and them), save a copy on your computer as well as wherever you backup your files. When you need to refer to the contract, you don’t want to have to ask for a copy.
After the contract is executed, the publisher should provide you with a schedule or guidelines, or some idea about what to expect before your book is released. Thi
