Confessions of an Author the Week Before Book Launch
'Twas the week before book launch...
I wish I wrote fiction. This is not actually true, but in one week, my very real and personal story will float around in the big bad world. I pray that it lands in the hands of those with soft hearts. Does every nonfiction writer fantasize that they just wrote fictional tales of happily ever after? I am 99.9% positive that they do.
I’m forcing myself to re-read my book (and it’s hard and weird). As I’m preparing for interviews and my book launch party where people will inevitably ask the question, “What is your book about?”, I’m finding it very challenging to summarize and wrap it all up in a neat and tidy package. Every time I read a review from an early reader on the launch team, I think, “Ah, yes, now that is what I wrote about.”
This limbo state is… brutal. I’ve never been a fan of waiting. Patience pays, a tea bag once told me and I snorted. How will my book be received? Will readers… get it? Will they laugh in all the right spots where I’m funny? This book is quirky and weird, even as early endorsements shared. To be clear, I love weird, but sometimes weird is misunderstood. Ultimately, there is nothing left for me to do. I must wait. I remind myself that I gave it my very best shot. I remind myself that I’m funny.
I’m trying hard to take a “long game” approach. There’s a lot of pressure for the actual day and week of the launch to make a big splash. You’re supposed to hit the lists and make your name known and seem like you’re showing up everywhere. Everyone and their grandma wants (NEEDS) this book! Instead, I’m trying to dial it back, remind myself that this is just the start of promoting my work. This book will live on and I will continue to open myself up to new opportunities to share it with new readers.
Customer service still sucks. I’m (still) battling over spine margins and book description categories that mysteriously vanish. There are no real humans to speak to on the phone. Robots don’t understand my questions. Distant humans claim they’ll get back to me in 3-7 business days. They are quick to grant me a ticket to file my claim, but slow to deal with the problem. It’s fine, we’re all fine, I’M FINE.
I want to soak it all in. I want to enjoy the ride, as they say. And I am, I really am. Despite the stress and the unknowns, I have loved this entire process of creation and launching. I am very tired and have high hopes of what this will all lead to in my career. But when I step back, I feel a deep sense of accomplishment. I feel incredibly proud of myself for going for it, for saying I would write a book and then actually doing it. I feel deeply loved by those who are supporting me and helping me celebrate this milestone.
Listen here for more on… what’s the big deal about preorders and launch teams?
Preorder my new book, Good (Enough) Mother, today! Check it out at goodenoughmotherbook.com. And don’t forget to claim your preorder bonus—instant free access to my self-paced course, Journaling 101, so you can start writing your story today. Join me over on Instagram for more book updates, including readings and sneak peeks as we count down to launch day on March 11!
You’re doing it! 🎉