Sorry for the short post this week, y’all, but I’ve got the flu and my main support systems right now are Tamiflu, NyQuil, and an abundance of water and sleep.
But in all seriousness, one of the best things I did in the year before my debut was to get out into the world and get to know people who’ve been doing this job for a while. I watched seasoned writers and their responses to the ups and downs of publishing and got to know what was normal and what wasn’t. Which things I should freak out about and which things were beyond my control (most of it).
This job is so solitary and without a community of people who know what they’re about, it’s really easy to get inside your head with every twist and turn of the endless road of surprises that is publishing. So, to that end, my best advice when looking for support, is to find yourself a community of genuine friends who know more than you know and watch how they move through their careers.
This is such good advice. I will plan to strengthen my community contacts and tap into their know-how as I prepare for my debut novel’s publication in the fall of 2019.