Celebrate!

 

 

Aside from promotion, what’s the first thing a new author should do after publishing their first book?

CELEBRATE! For all the years of writing, re-writing, hoping, praying, despairing, and finally just persevering. For the hundreds of query letters, the never-ending string of thanks, but no thanks. For all the times you thought this would be it, but it wasn’t. Celebrate. You have earned it. And you will never feel this exact feeling again.

Then throw yourself a big old, ain’t I special party! At least that’s what I did. And I have zero regrets. Zero. There will be plenty of time to worry about sales reports, and selling enough for the publisher to want number two, and earning out. But for one night, or a month, or however long you want, celebrate that moment. You accomplished something extraordinary, whatever else happens.

Once the champagne bubbles have burst and you sink back to earth, get back to work on writing your next novel.

Finally, take advantage of all the opportunities to fully become part of your writing community. Join the organizations. Show up to reader/writer conferences. Talk to readers to let them know you have arrived. And most importantly. Go to the Debut Author Breakfasts, they are phenomenal, but will cost you at least one minute of your fifteen minutes of fame, because you will feel like a star, for a minute.

But above all else, I say again, Enjoy this moment for all it’s worth.