Title: From Manuscript to Book Deal: Demystifying the Publishing Process
Instructor: Shasta Grant
Dates: Wednesday, December 10
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM EST
Location: Zoom
Cost: Nonmember: $52; Writer/Reader Member: $34; Senior Member, Student Member, Librarian Member, Teacher Member, Military/Veteran Member: $30

Demystify the journey from finished manuscript to published book in this comprehensive workshop. We’ll walk through every stage of the traditional publishing process: evaluating when your work is truly submission-ready, crafting compelling query letters that grab agents’ attention, navigating the agent search, and understanding what happens when your book goes on submission to publishers. We’ll also explore submitting directly to small and independent presses that accept un-agented manuscripts, giving you multiple pathways to publication. Whether you’re preparing your first novel or simply want to understand how the publishing industry works, you’ll leave with practical knowledge, realistic expectations, and a roadmap for pursuing publication with confidence.

About the instructor:

Shasta Grant grew up in New Hampshire and now lives in Indianapolis. An Aspen Words Emerging Writer Fellow, Kenyon Review prize winner, and recipient of writing residencies from Hedgebrook and The Kerouac Project, she holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She is the author of the chapbook Gather Us Up and Bring Us Home (Split Lip Press), a senior editor at SmokeLong Quarterly, and co-founder of Brown Bag Lit. Her debut novel, When We Were Feral, is forthcoming from Regal House in June 2026.