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

Publisher Brooke Warner On Returns (Yes, they're "heart-troubling" for authors, but there's more to consider...)

Over on substack, Brooke Warner wrote this column, Things That Make Authors Cry.

So when your publisher sells your book to a retailer it's not a for-sure sale, because the retailer then needs to sell it to a customer. If they don't, the retailer can send it back to the publisher, which is called a return. And they'll want their money back. And they'll charge for the shipping. This all impacts your royalty statement (look carefully and you'll notice there's a reserve usually held for future returns).

In addition to explaining more about how returns work and how publishers figure out how many books to print in the first place, Brooke also shares wisdom from her publisher perspective, including:

“It doesn’t feel good to have books returned, but it’s also the case that it’s not an indictment on a given book.”

and

“Your publisher will always do everything in its power to push your books out the door, to get the most possible exposure, the most possible buys.”

and

“Authors who hoped they’d sell more are also proud of their books. Books can surprise us with their longevity, opening up doors and possibilities many years after they come out.”

The article is well-worth checking out.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On!
Lee

What Writers Need To Know About Envy - an excellent article by Brooke Warner in Publishers Weekly's BookLife

Brooke makes some strong points in this piece, including:

According to Psychology Today columnist Mary C. Lambia, envy is an emotion “directed at another or others, wanting their qualities, success, or possession[s],” and it stems from shame. Knowing this can allow for some helpful self-inquiry. If we can allow ourselves to go there, we can address the manifestations of shame—addiction to approval; hypersensitivity to rejection; feelings of not being good enough; taking things personally; all-or-nothing thinking—for what they really are.

and she offers motivation and advice on ways to let go of envy, including these words from Dani Shapiro, author of the new memoir Hourglass,

“Envy is a waste of energy for writers. No one can tell your story. Do the work.”

It's well-worth reading, and some introspection...

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

How Many Copies of Your Book Have To Sell For It To Be Considered A Success?

The easy answer is "enough to earn out your advance" if you're traditionally published, and maybe "enough to earn back your investment" if you're financing publication yourself through either hybrid or author-publishing.

The more complex answer, according to author and publisher Brooke Warner of She Writes Press, in this article Reframing Publishing Success in Publishers Weekly's BookLife, is an honest look at numbers.

While many authors state that selling 10,000 copies is their goal, Brooke cautions that “it’s an unrealistic benchmark for 95% of authors, and it’s especially unrealistic for debut authors.” She goes on to explain:

“In 2015, Lynn Neary reported a story on NPR called “When It Comes to Book Sales, What Counts as Success Might Surprise You” that noted that one of the books shortlisted for that year’s Man Booker Prize had sold fewer than 3,600 copies and another fewer than 3,000.”

Her advice includes this gem:

“Debut authors would do well to think of their first books as an investment in themselves and their futures. It’s common book publishing wisdom that the needle doesn’t truly begin to move on book sales until authors publish their third book. As such, this industry requires patience, and selling 1,000 or 2,000 copies of a freshman effort is something worth celebrating.”

And Brooke adds a reminder to:

“Celebrate the small victories, such as moments of connection with readers, a glowing review from a stranger, and the potential that these kinds of victories have to propel the next book.”

It's an article well-worth reading.

Illustrate and Write On,\Lee