You signed the contract. Now what? The road from deal to bookstore shelf is longer—and more complicated—than most authors expect. Deadlines stack up, departments hand off, and decisions get made that affect your book's success before most readers even know it exists. If you don't understand the pipeline, you can't work it. In this 2-hour session, we demystify the pre-publication process from the inside out: who does what, when, and why it matters to you as the author. You'll leave with a clear picture of every stage from acquisitions through on-sale, a realistic sense of where your leverage is (and isn't), and a personalized milestone map you can actually use. You'll walk away with: A clear breakdown of the pre-pub pipeline and every key player involved An understanding of what your publisher is doing—and what they need from you Your own mapped launch timeline with milestones and deadlines This session is for: debut and mid-career authors navigating a traditional publishing deal who want to stop feeling behind and start feeling prepared. 2 Hours | Live + Q&A