There are real, tangible thrills in being a published book author:
- Your name on a book jacket.
- The privilege of having your words available to an audience of readers.
- The knowledge that you are stick-with-it-enough to have finished and published a book.
But those publishing a book for the first time with a traditional publisher — or those aspiring to — might have unrealistic expectations of the experience.
Here are six common misconceptions about being a published author — better to learn about them now than to be disappointed later and know that you’re not alone!
New author misconception #1: Your book will make a lot of money
True, some authors do make a living at it. But the vast majority of authors have other sources of income, as well.
Most authors start out because they have an obsessive passion for their subject or an obsessive need to tell their story — and they manage to do so in spite of the fact they have a day job, at least at when starting out and sometimes a good deal longer. Tom Clancy sold insurance while writing his first military/espionage novels. John Grisham was an attorney (did you guess that?) who carved out a time to write his first legal thriller, A Time To Kill, in the early hours of the morning before he needed to appear in court. When it sold only modestly, he did the same while writing The Firm. Mystery writer P. D. James wrote quite a number of books while supporting her two children and caring for her mentally ill husband as a civil servant. After several years and several novels, award-winning science fiction writer David Louis Edelman blogged about performing a “juggling act” between his writing and his contract web development work.
And even eventually bestselling authors couldn’t quit their day jobs right away.
New author misconception #2: Your finished book will contain exactly what you’d originally envisioned
Not unless you self publish your book (and, even then, some ebook publishing services have restrictions on content).
Once you sign a contract with a book publisher, you’re essentially in partnership to create “the book” (as your contract calls it), and you both have a say in the end product. From trimming the fat of your language (akin to “killing your babies”) to altering the logical flow of the chapters, your book editor will have much to say about in what manner your text will get into print. While your editor is there to make the book (and you!) sound better, and a thoughtful, skilled editor absolutely will do that, you two may not always agreement on what’s best for the finished book.
If you’re going to publish, it’s good to be prepared for some “creative differences.”
New author misconception #3: All you have to do is write the book and hand in the manuscript — the publisher does the rest of the work
If you find a traditional publisher for your book, chances he or she likes you at least as much for your marketing “platform” as for your brilliant prose.
In general, editorial, production and marketing staffs are hardworking and passionate about books — but the reality of the book marketplace demands dictates that, in order to be successful, most writers need to work hard at promoting their own books. Unless you’re an established author with a money-making track record, prepare to do as much if not more than the in-house book marketing and publicity staff (who, by the way, will be each be working on probably a dozen books at the same time as they are working on yours).
Therefore, it’s really important that you understand how to assist in your own book marketing.
New author misconception #4: You get to select your book jacket
Unless it’s in your contract (and good luck with that), afraid not.
The jacket that appears on your book is usually the work of an art department informed by the opinions of everyone from the editor, the publisher, the marketing and PR departments to the sales representatives and sometimes even the Barnes & Noble buyer.
As a courtesy, your editor may show you, a newbie author, the creative directions they are considering. But while editors truly want you to be happy with your book jacket, they want you to be happy with the one they pick for you.
New author misconception #5: You will get a book tour
First time authors might get some exposure to booksellers, audiences, etc. But in the post-pandemic world, touring authors around the country is even more expensive and logistically fraught than it was before before Covid-19. With so much opportunity for internet promotion, there are fewer and fewer of the non-virtual, several-city variety, so don’t count on getting on that plane at your publisher’s expense.
Of course, you can get local media and signings — and, if you can afford the travel, you can organize your far-flung friends to host you in other cities. Chances are, the publicity person assigned to your book will be willing to help you set up signings and interviews in the cities you plan to visit.
New author misconception #6: The publisher will throw you a book party
Book parties are expensive and since they rarely generate sales, it is now almost always left up to the author or the author’s generous friends and, in some cases, corporate sponsors, to foot the bill — even for fairly high-profile authors.
That said …
Publishing a book is a HUGE accomplishment and being an author does come with bragging rights — and, hopefully, a giant sense of satisfaction.
Hopefully even before you launch your “baby” out into the world, you’ve started to learn how to effectively promote yourself and your book — and you have plenty of family and friends who are proud of you and are happy to help spread the word.
If you need more motivation, know that even Julia Child relied on her contacts to help her with marketing when she first started out.
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