Author Success Story: Debut Novelist Deanna Washington’s Journey Towards Representation

If you’re wondering how to get signed and accelerate towards a fiction book deal, debut novelist Deanna Washington’s journey shows exactly how it’s done. Though she had already authored 13 nonfiction books, she was ready to tackle a new kind of story. Over the course of 15 months, she immersed herself in the Lucinda Literary Academy’s programs. While taking classes, she clarified her genre and transformed her manuscript into a fully realized debut novel. Her path to signing with Lucinda Literary is a testament to the power of persistence and a willingness to evolve. Deanna’s story offers an inspiring roadmap for anyone serious about moving towards their first book deal.

Deanna Washington wasn’t new to publishing when she joined the Lucinda Literary community, but fiction was a fresh direction. “I actually found Lucinda through a long, serendipitous trail,” she explains. Having worked with KN Literary since 2013 and stayed active in the editorial world, Deanna felt ready to reengage—but with a story that felt both personal and expansive.

Her turning point came in early 2024. “One of their newsletters promoted a free workshop with Lucinda Literary on how to appeal to agents—March 15, to be exact,” she recalls. Drawn in by Lucinda’s teaching style and energy, Deanna said, “I loved Lucinda’s aura immediately and signed up for her class on how to write a query letter.”

That initial workshop led her to take the full Query Letter course, which included a one-on-one with Lucinda herself. Later that year, she enrolled in the Book Publishing Accelerators Program. These steps would ultimately reshape her novel and her publishing trajectory.

“When I took the query letter class, I was wrestling with which of my many projects to focus on first,” Deanna remembers. “Lucinda helped me narrow it down, drawing on her breadth of experience and her sense of what’s resonating in the market right now.”

She entered the Accelerators program with a revised manuscript, but midway through, something clicked. “I asked Lucinda to hold off on reviewing because I finally ‘got’ what needed to shift.”

That pause led to a pivotal mindset shift. “One of the biggest lessons for me was understanding that agencies are actively looking for the next bright spot,” Deanna says. “They want our work to succeed as much as we do. But it’s not their job to make a project appealing to publishers—it’s mine. That shift in perspective changed everything.”

“What shifted for me in the Accelerators program,” Deanna explains, “was realizing my role isn’t just to write the story, but to frame it. For me, that meant broadening the audience, sharpening the magical realism, and strengthening the hooks—so publishers could easily see its potential to reach readers.”

Deanna’s debut novel, The Roses Spoke First, follows 71-year-old Marie, who is “suddenly alone after her husband’s death. Unsure how to rebuild a life of her own, she begins navigating new freedoms, awkward reintegrations, and surprising self-discoveries—until the day her roses begin to speak to her.”

What started as a story of loss took on deeper resonance through revision. “Suddenly, it wasn’t just a story about grief and transformation—it was a book that could also appeal to readers looking for empowerment, self-discovery, and everyday magic,” she says.

By March 2025, Lucinda Literary agent Elizabeth Guthrie reached out about Deanna’s manuscript. “I hustled to send it at 58,000 words, thinking it was ‘final,’” Deanna admits, “only to be told it wasn’t quite long enough for a debut.”

Her initial response? “Okay, fine, we’ll just pivot to another book—I have seven other first drafts sitting there.” But after sleeping on it, something shifted. “Solutions started popping into my head,” she recalls. “I went back in, expanded several storylines, and hit the goal.”

The result? “Today, it’s 74,600 words. The expansion didn’t just add pages—it added depth and richness that made the book feel fully realized and positioned me for a true debut.”

One of the clearest signs of Deanna’s transformation came in how she broadened the book’s appeal. “I expanded the manuscript from 36k to 74k words,” she says, “deepening Marie’s journey and adding richer layers to engage both general fiction readers and fans of magical realism.” She didn’t stop at story depth—she widened the thematic net. “I heightened the themes beyond grief and transformation,” she explains, “weaving in empowerment, self-discovery, and everyday magic—appealing to feel-good readers, spiritual seekers, and fans of emotionally rich, whimsical stories.”

Marketability was equally essential. “I sharpened the magical realism elements so the genre positioning was clearer,” she says, aligning her work with bestsellers like The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Midnight Library. Her query hooks evolved too: “I strengthened the hooks with marketing-ready lines, like: ‘Silence once felt like emptiness. Now it feels like presence.’”

And thematically? “I elevated the commercial appeal by highlighting timely themes of grief, reinvention, and altered consciousness that resonate with today’s readers.”

Deanna’s story is proof that getting a fiction book deal starts long before a contract is offered. It begins with doing the strategic, sometimes invisible work of refining your manuscript, clarifying your pitch, and understanding how to position your story in today’s market. Her path to representation wasn’t rushed—it was deliberate.

With each program she joined and each revision she made, Deanna built the foundation every debut author needs: a clear vision, an aligned proposal, and a manuscript that speaks to readers and publishers alike. For writers still revising or just beginning to query, her journey is a reminder that the steps you take now lay the groundwork for a future deal.

Deanna Washington is a graphic designer, mixed-media and land artist, and the author of 13 nonfiction books; The Roses Spoke First is her debut novel.
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