Ten Things I’ve Learned from Being Published
Tomorrow (9/19) mark six months since Carina Press released my debut novel, What Binds Us. In honor of the occasion I thought I’d share 10 things I learned from this amazing journey. And with my follow up, Damaged Angels, being released from Bold Strokes Books on October 1, I thought now would also be a good time to remind myself what I’ve learned.
1. The greatest words you’ll ever hear from a reader are: “I can’t wait to read your next book.” Which brings us to lesson 2.
2. You have to write another book. Basking in the afterglow of publication is all well and good and yeah I know you’re exhausted but, unless you’re Harper Lee and have a Pulitzer sitting on your mantel, you’d better get back to writing.
3. Start writing your next book. Now. The best thing you can do while waiting to go to publication is start writing your next book. Angela James at Carina Press was the first person I’d heard advise this and I thought she was crazy. Who could concentrate while waiting for release? But the truth is outside of edits there isn’t a whole hell of a lot you can do for your book in production so you might as well get to work on your next.
4. Not everyone is going to love what you’ve written. Bask in the good reviews and try to learn from the bad ones.
5. Not everyone is going to read your book. No one in my family has read it. Not even the Mister has read it. Suck it up—it’s their time, they can use it to read your work or not read your work. Move on. Focus on the people who actually read it.
6. People will get it wrong. Most famously, a reviewer quoted a line from What Binds Us, "Dondi became my guide, my Virgil, on my personal odyssey of self-discovery.” In a parenthetical aside she wrote: “It was Homer, by the way…who wrote the Odyssey. Virgil wrote the Aeneid.” She is correct. However, I was referring to Dante’s Inferno in which the poet Virgil acts as Dante’s guide through Hell. Yep, sometimes readers misunderstand you. As a writer you do not own the reader’s experience.
7. Talking about writing doesn’t make you a writer. Planning to write doesn't make you a writer. Having a book in production or published doesn't make you a writer. Only writing makes you a writer.
8. Writing is fun, cathartic, empowering. Promoting your book and your brand, not so much. Don’t publish if you don’t want to do the follow on work—promoting your book, connecting with readers.
9. Listen to your editor. Like your mother, she probably knows best. Remember she’s on your side—she wants your book to be the best it can be.
10. Your book is not you. Don’t hide behind your book. Readers love a good story. Tell them yours—let them see the person behind the book.
11. Being published doesn’t make you special. You’ll still have to brush the dogs’ teeth and scrub the toilets.
1. The greatest words you’ll ever hear from a reader are: “I can’t wait to read your next book.” Which brings us to lesson 2.
2. You have to write another book. Basking in the afterglow of publication is all well and good and yeah I know you’re exhausted but, unless you’re Harper Lee and have a Pulitzer sitting on your mantel, you’d better get back to writing.
3. Start writing your next book. Now. The best thing you can do while waiting to go to publication is start writing your next book. Angela James at Carina Press was the first person I’d heard advise this and I thought she was crazy. Who could concentrate while waiting for release? But the truth is outside of edits there isn’t a whole hell of a lot you can do for your book in production so you might as well get to work on your next.
4. Not everyone is going to love what you’ve written. Bask in the good reviews and try to learn from the bad ones.
5. Not everyone is going to read your book. No one in my family has read it. Not even the Mister has read it. Suck it up—it’s their time, they can use it to read your work or not read your work. Move on. Focus on the people who actually read it.
6. People will get it wrong. Most famously, a reviewer quoted a line from What Binds Us, "Dondi became my guide, my Virgil, on my personal odyssey of self-discovery.” In a parenthetical aside she wrote: “It was Homer, by the way…who wrote the Odyssey. Virgil wrote the Aeneid.” She is correct. However, I was referring to Dante’s Inferno in which the poet Virgil acts as Dante’s guide through Hell. Yep, sometimes readers misunderstand you. As a writer you do not own the reader’s experience.
7. Talking about writing doesn’t make you a writer. Planning to write doesn't make you a writer. Having a book in production or published doesn't make you a writer. Only writing makes you a writer.
8. Writing is fun, cathartic, empowering. Promoting your book and your brand, not so much. Don’t publish if you don’t want to do the follow on work—promoting your book, connecting with readers.
9. Listen to your editor. Like your mother, she probably knows best. Remember she’s on your side—she wants your book to be the best it can be.
10. Your book is not you. Don’t hide behind your book. Readers love a good story. Tell them yours—let them see the person behind the book.
11. Being published doesn’t make you special. You’ll still have to brush the dogs’ teeth and scrub the toilets.
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J.L.
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Sep 18, 2012 11:28AM
Absolutely great list, Larry! Should be required reading for all aspiring authors.
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Thanks JL. It's all stuff I wish I'd known in the beginning. Of course there's 11 things on the list not 10, which is why I'm a writer and not an accountant!
I hereby give you permission to demand that the Mister brush the dog's teeth : )
LOL. I'll pass that on to him thanks. Though he's painting the kitchen at present and I'm afraid if he has to brush their teeth, I will have to paint and you know how I hate manual labor.
Shared on Twitter - an excellent list (also share the sentiment regarding cleaning the toilets, brushing the dogs' teeth, 'the Mister' not reading my books - in finished form at least - etc.).
Thanks. Kind of scary how in sync we are, isn't it?
Ha ha - yeah! Though not quite so much now I'm used to it! That said, I get to do all the painting too (yippee), so maybe my 'significant other' could learn a thing or two from yours...
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