It was exactly one year ago today that I received a call informing me I had a two-book contract. And, amazingly enough, this is the very day I see the book is officially shipping from at least one online seller. (Still waiting for my copies, so those of you who pre-ordered from me long ago: thanks for your patience. You'll be getting a few things to help make the wait worth it, I hope.)
So, one year from contract to shipping. A fast timeline by publishing standards, certainly. That's 365 days of lessons for someone who's publishing the book for a first time. Here's what the journey has taught me. (Those of you who have read the book will know why I've chosen eight lessons to list.)
1) A year can feel like a week. No matter how much you prepare, you can always do more. No matter how much you do, you'll feel like it isn't enough.
2) A year can feel like a decade. When you're waiting to see your first book on the shelf at a local bookstore, believe me: time can crawl to a stop.
3) Reviews matter. Of course they matter to sales, but what I mean is: reviews matter to you as an author. I've heard some writers say they never read their reviews. I don't believe them. Each and every review matters to me, and I imagine to any other author out there who is honest with himself/herself.
4) Reader comments matter even more than reviews. There's something very impersonal about "official" reviews in publications, and necessarily so. Those reviews need to be impartial. But what I've enjoyed most are the folks who read the book (so far, ARC readers), then take the time to email me and say what they thought of it. It really does make my day. (Unless you hate the book. If you hate the book, don't email me.)
5) Amazon is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Figured out their ranking system? Bull. No one has figured it out--even the software engineers who wrote the code. The Amazon ranking system is the online equivalent of the magic eight ball; refresh the page and you'll find another answer. Side note: When your ranking moves up one day, it's a boost. "Hey, I've sold a book or two on Amazon today." But immediately, your ranking begins to drop. If you're at 50,000 at 8:00 am, you might be at 75,000 by noon. This means your ranking spends one or two seconds rising, then days and days falling.
6) People will enthusiastically approach you for a free copy of the book at trade shows such as Book Expo America, and you'll think they're really quite interested in reading your story. Instead, they're more likely to be selling it on eBay. Just smile and nod; it's part of the game. As a side corollary: people who ask you to sign the book to them specifically, or to their mother or brother, make you feel like a king. That's why anyone who asks a book to be signed to them will always--ALWAYS--get a personal message and inscription from me. When I started doing this at BEA, Linda (one of my wonderful publicists from Bethany House) said, "You're going to give yourself a writing cramp, writing that much on each book." Yup, and I'll do it with a smile.
7) If you think waiting to get a contract is angst-ridden, it's nothing compared to waiting for your finished book to hit the streets. Buy a couple bottles of Prilosec to control stomach acid.
8) Finally, and most importantly: It's all worth it. Every hour, every minute, every second. Getting a contract? It's even better than you've dreamed when it actually happens. Seeing your ARC? Also better. Seeing your finished book for the first time? Much, much better.
