I've signed a book deal what happens next?

I've signed a book deal what happens next?

Once you've signed the first book deal in the UK, there's a long process where nothing happens. After you've delivered your book, there's a nine month to a year period where the publishers prepare the cover and the blurb, they start talking to Waterstones and W.H.Smiths and Anderson's six months ahead of publication, saying, "This is a big title for us, would you read a proof?" So they make a proof of the book that's about to come out to show the people, and they start the buzz. As an agent, you help your author in all those areas, you advise them about the blurb, you advise them about the cover and you perhaps just give them advice to keep them on a stable route.