I'm so grateful for the support of the writing community. I would not have been able to survive this process without help from the wonderful people I've met along the way. Today I'm thrilled to have authors Tiffany Schmidt, Mindi Scott, and Charlotte Bennardo, who all survived their debuts and were gracious enough to tell us just how they did that, as well as offer up advice to those of us who have yet to walk through that fire.
When did it feel
real?
Tiffany: I’m still waiting for this one! I sometimes have lingering
nightmares about query-letter rejections.
It felt real when I received my
ARCs, and when strangers started Tweeting about reading SEND ME A SIGN. It felt
more real when I held my finished copies, then saw them in bookstores. It felt
even more real when I had
interactions with readers at various signings.
Then surreal when I received
my first fan mail and email, or when I had a blogger walk up to me at a
bookstore event for a different author and tell me she was having a ‘fangirl
moment,’ just seeing me.
I’m still living in a constant
state of ‘pinch me’ because oftentimes it just doesn’t seem like this can
possibly be true!
Mindi: I can’t think of a single moment that helped define it as
“real.” More, I think it was a series of moments (seeing my ARCs for the first
time, reading pro reviews of my work, having readers ask me to sign their
books, bloggers using my book in their posts, receiving emails from fans) that
all built upon one another in such a way that it became impossible to NOT
believe.
Charlotte: When we got the call from Brian Farrey, our editor at
Flux, it was a scream fest (really, the neighbors heard us screaming) so it
felt real to me; I’d never had that “We want to offer you a contract” call
before. Of course I worried until the contract was signed, sent, received, and
copy returned that they’d change their mind. Once I had that binding contract,
it was super REAL.
What would you tell
your former self?
Tiffany: I’d tell my former self (and current self, since I still
really struggle with this) to remember to enjoy the journey. Publishing is a
slow, slow process, and release day will
eventually arrive, but it’s so important to take time to enjoy and celebrate
each step along the way.
Mindi: Watching time-travel movies has made it so that I can’t
allow myself to even consider talking to my former self. Ha! Not to mention
that my former self is such a skeptic that any needed words of encouragement
would be wasted on her. ;-)
Charlotte: I would say “Savor and remember this moment because
there are going to be a lot of ups and downs, but this is a dream come true.”
How is the experience
different? The same?
Tiffany: I’m still as impatient as can be, but there’s a little
less of the breathless panic/anticipation of what’s next? As a debut, everything is new and scary and exciting.
Things are still exciting (and sometimes scary) —I hope I never stop being
thrilled and terrified of this industry— but the second time around, there’s a
little less panic, a little less fear about “am I doing everything right?”
Because there is no single ‘right’ way to be an author or handle
promotions. It’s all about finding a
balance between life and writing and all the other non-writing writer stuff.
Mindi: Compared with my expectations? I thought getting published
would change me in some huge way. It hasn’t. Small ways, sure, but not in big
ways. I think the ways that is the same as what I expected is that having
readers say that my book changed them in some way really is the most gratifying
thing in all the world.
Charlotte: I get excited about all the contracts, although the one
for Sirenz Back In Fashion was
bittersweet; it originally was to be for books 2 and 3, not just 2. Things
happen. The contract for my 3rd book, Blonde Ops, with a new publisher, made me just as giddy because
there was competition and guess who got selected?
What is the best part
about debut?
Tiffany: Besides the part where I got to see my dream come true and
my story turned into a book? I loved being part of debut group (Yay,
Apocalypsies!) and was so grateful to have a cohort of people going through the
same challenges and fears and celebrations. And nothing is better than meeting
bloggers, readers, librarians, teachers, or other writers. It’s so great to be
a part of a community that loves books!
Mindi: Everything is exciting! There are so many firsts happening
and so much that you don’t know what to expect.
Charlotte: That feeling of exhilaration- ‘I’m published! Someone
likes my writing enough to pay me!
I’ll see my book in bookstores and libraries!’ You only get that breathless,
one-of-a-kind joy once.
What were you most
afraid of? What are you most afraid of now?
Tiffany: Hmm. I think it was a toss-up between terrified of
everyone hating my book or everyone ignoring it. I’m still not sure which
would be worse, loathing or obscurity. On one hand, it’s so hard to handle
criticism, but on the other, inspiring hatred means you’re at least provoking a
reaction, whereas being unnoticed means you’ve put your heart on a page and no
one cares?
I’m not sure I have a good, clear
answer for this one. I’m also not sure that my answer has changed.
Mindi: I think my biggest fear is the same now as it was then: That
I’ll have put so much into my writing and no one out there will care.
Charlotte: Initially, the thing I was most afraid of was that
they’d change their minds, say they ‘made a mistake.’ Now I worry about sales,
the next contract, the next manuscript, the next query.
What advice would you
give debut authors?
Tiffany: First, celebrate yourself. You’ve achieved something spectacular
and no one can ever take that away from you. Your book, your story, has earned
a spot between covers and on bookshelves. While it can be so easy to get caught
up in stresses about print runs, reviews, sales, and such, whenever you find
yourself spiraling down the not-good-enough
rabbit hole, stop and pat yourself on the back for what you’ve accomplished.
Second, don’t be afraid of the
word ‘no.’ Use it when you need to. It’s remarkably easy to burn yourself out
by saying yes to every request that comes your way. Make sure you know your
limits. Make sure you protect your sanity and writing time. Remember: if you
don’t leave yourself time to sit down to write your next novel, then we won’t
get to read it.
…and that would be criminal!
Mindi: Some authors don’t read reviews of their work. Others read
every single review. That’s a choice that everyone has to make. My advice is
that you occasionally reevaluate your choice—especially if it starts getting in
the way of your new writing.
Charlotte: Enjoy the moment. Take pictures. Save posters announcing
your debut. Save reviews (yes, even the bad ones!). Let people approach you to
talk about the book- savor the spotlight because it’s all too brief and people
quickly move on to the next debut.
Mindi Scott is the author of
Freefall and
Live Through This.
Charlotte Bennardo is the co-author of the Sirenz series, as well as
Blond Ops, which will be released by Thomas Dunn/St. Martins in April 2014.
