Brooke Warner on the Emotional "Hangover" of Being Published

Over on Substack, publisher and author Brooke Warner shares her thoughts on the emotional aftermath of finally getting published in The Anticlimax of Becoming an Author.

A few standout moments from her essay that are still resonating with me:

When my high expectations met reality, I experienced the disappointment—of not getting the level of media and reviews and accolades I’d hoped for. The imagined compliments I had for my own achievement could have filled their own book. I also never would have said any of this out loud at the time. I just put my head down and dealt with the fact that I was receiving less of everything (media, attention, reviews, sales, compliments) than I would have liked.

This “less than I would have liked” is the rub because short of becoming a best-selling author, getting published is a letdown. It takes perspective and time to digest the wonder of it all. It wasn’t until after my publicity campaign was over that I could really take in the kind words people did have for my book. Write On, Sisters! resonated with readers, just not droves of readers. It was well reviewed and sold decently well, but it wasn’t a bestseller.

...There are many reasons beyond fame and accolades, sales and money, that writers publish their work, of course, but hope and desire and ambition are in the mix. Also, these feelings should be present. They’re part of the fuel that get us to the finish line.

And . . . the hangover is real.

Then Brooke offers three pieces of advice, gleaned from both her own experience and what she's witnessed with the authors she's published. My favorite is get going on your next creative project!

I encourage you to check it out, plug into your creative community to talk it out with friends who have been there or who are going through similar emotions, and maybe most of all be kind to yourself about how your book is doing.

Getting published is an amazing feat, and your book out in the world can have a huge impact on a single reader... think about how YOU have been impacted by a single book. And that's worth celebrating and savoring for the long run.

What other ways have you found to get over the emotional hangover of being published?

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee