Your first publication finally arrives. You feel that glow. But how quickly the happy feelings are gone.
Writing Tip for Today: How can writers manage the rollercoaster of emotions when they reach a publishing goal?
Take it Easy
The first time I published an essay after twenty years of not writing, I nearly levitated above the floor. I think it’s a good thing to celebrate whenever you cross off another goal. The elation after all your hard work tells you that you overcame a lot of adversity to publish anywhere. That emotion boosts your confidence so you can tackle higher goals.
Most writers must practice, be rejected and struggle to gain a toehold in publishing. Traditional publishers are hard to access and self-publishers must overcome financial and distribution hurdles. It’s like a badge of honor to earn publishing credits in a fiercely competitive industry.
Why is that feeling so transient? For one, wannabes or nonwriters don’t really understand the hard work involved, especially if your writing is good enough to make it seem easy. Dedicated readers don’t always realize the rigor involved in producing polished and professional work. If others downplay your glad feelings, it’s likely they’ve never put in the time and effort. Writing is rewriting, right?
Feed Your Platform
After you bask a little, pivot toward your platform. Nobody can appreciate a book they don’t know about. Even before a book’s release, it’s important to line up speaking opportunities, gather endorsers and appoint a team of influencers.
Become familiar with how to do online presales. Offer some token to those who preorder your book. Start a campaign to advertise in some way. If you can, hire a publicist if you’re indy or your trad publisher doesn’t do great marketing.
Of course, your social media presence is important but try not to inundate potential readers. Establish relationships instead of only sales pitches. Look for connections to find readers interested in your topic or genre. If you have trad media connections, use them to pitch interviews on podcasts, radio or TV.
Look Ahead
The dead feeling after release excitement can feel pretty brutal. What a letdown! You struggled and rewrote and edited and on and on—and now it’s over. You have stacks of books in your garage and now no one’s raving about them.
Even worse, a bad review can ruin your day. Read one-star reviews only if you have the stomach—and even then, it’s just that person’s opinion. Shore up your confidence by reminding your readers to leave honest, yet positive reviews.
Take the sting out of the let-down feeling by turning to your next project. I usually have at least three works-in-progress, plus marketing for what’s already in print. Try not to ignore marketing even though you probably hate it. Set a doable schedule and rotate through your new work, revisions to a draft and promoting your published work. The writing life is guaranteed to bring highs and lows—make the best of all of it in 2026.
