Okay, so it’s been almost two weeks since my debut novel was released.
I’ve had many people ask me what it feels like. Truthfully, I don’t know. On one hand, it’s the most giddy experience, the end result of a dream. It’s also nerve-wracking, and it makes you question everything about your writing. In many ways, it’s similar to getting up on stage and performing. Everyone is ready to see what you’re going to do and if you’re any good. But it’s also like opening night, where you’re not even sure anyone will attend. Will anyone actually read my book?
Now that I do have a book out in the world, it becomes another daunting challenge – getting the word out. One of the most terrifying aspects of this whole process is marketing and promotion. The brunt of it falls on the author, and I’ve found it to be harder than I’d even anticipated. I’ve enjoyed meeting new people and networking, definitely, but goodness…it’s just so overwhelming. Rather like screaming into a tornado or trying to swim upstream. Everything is against you, against you standing out, against you making a dent in this enormous landscape.
But I am blessed. Truly blessed. It’s hard, but it’s actually happening. It’s a problem I’m grateful to have, and despite everything that has challenged me, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.