The Roller Coaster of Writing and Publishing a Book

Yesterday, a friend asked me, “How does writing a book feel?” She had just bought a printed copy of 10 Simple Ideas That Changed My Life. Well… The first days are full of excitement. I use 10-idea lists to come up with a title, subtitle, and outline. I come up with cover ideas. The next few days are full of doubt. It’s when the inner critic speaks louder. “Is anyone going to like this?” The next few weeks are quiet. Like a marathon, it’s one foot after the other. It’s doing something small every day. The first draft brings accomplishment—and some anxiety. “What are my beta readers going to say?” “Wait! Is this really worth publishing?” The roller coaster peaks when the first printed copies arrive. Opening that box of books is pure satisfaction. “This was in my head and now it’s in my hands.” But the ride always goes down. The temptation is to refresh sales daily. “Why isn’t this book selling? Is it the price? The description?” That’s when I let go of control. Time to start thinking…