The Life of a Newly Published Author
Hello friends!
Whew, April FLEW by. I hope everyone is doing well?
Now with the debut month over, I've been playing around with new writing projects, and my goal is to get a synopsis written so I can begin rough drafting. I do have one book idea I'm gravitating most toward, and it revolves around a Korean historical event I've been really fascinated by for a while - so I do want to take this project a bit slower. I want to take the time to do the history justice.
As for my second book, The Forest of Stolen Girls, I finished revising it with my editor and now it is officially moving on to copyedits! What this means is that once my publishing team hires a copyeditor, the copyeditor will review my manuscript for spelling, grammar, continuity, and more. I found the copyediting stage for The Silence of Bones most strenuous, mainly because you have to keep the logical side of your brain ON for hundreds of pages. But once you reach 'The End' it is the most satisfying experience ever.
I...um...also saw the approved cover sketch for TFoSG and...I kid you not, the moment I saw it, I whispered, "Oh my gosh." I can't wait for you to all see it!
In other news, I have a fun giveaway going on, so if you're interested, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this newsletter!
The Life of a Newly Published Author
Several people have asked me, “What does it feel like post-debut” and “What does it feel like to be a published author?”
The simple answer is: It feels great! I love that I no longer need to fixate on getting my first book out into the world and I love finally being able to dip my toe deeper into the publishing world. Now that I have a better idea of what it means to be published, I can actually begin dreaming of turning this passion of mine into a career. I also love love love opening my inbox to see emails from strangers who have read and loved The Silence of Bones.
But where my answer gets complicated is the question of identity, and since it’s a bit complex, I thought I’d let you get a glimpse of the debut experience from my point of view:
When you debut, you receive a blast of attention leading up to it, and on the day of the book's release, it's an absolute whirlwind. You’re on cloud nine, receiving “likes” by so many on twitter, and being mentioned on Instagram all day long. You think, “So THIS is what it feels like to be an author!!!”
Then a few days pass by...
The attention begins to trickle away into slow and steady pattern: it’s quiet most days, then some days, you receive a heart-warming email from a reader, or receive fantastic news, etc, and then it’s back to the routine grinds of everyday life that isn’t glamorous or shiny, a life filled with dishes and baby diapers.
This stark contrast between the period leading up to debut and the period after leaves you in a strangely empty and heavy mood.
Discontent surges to the surface, and it sharpens into something almost painful. You stay glued to your phone, to your computer, staring at all the vague stats on how your book is doing out in the world, desperately trying to figure out what it means to be a “published author” because you don’t feel different at all.
The ordinary life you once cherished now seems drab and gray compared to that moment – that thrill and adrenaline rush you felt leading up to the special spotlight reserved for debut authors.
That was how I was beginning to perceive things. Life just felt...completely the same as before. And in the days following the question continued to haunt me, “Why don’t I feel like an author yet?” And then the answer to that just hit me recently.
The wiser, querying June reminded me that being a writer, being an author, being agented or unagented, traditionally published or not – it is not an issue of identity. These milestones are not stamps of approval, claiming that you are a person of relevance.
No, to be an author is simply to be a storyteller. You remain you, with all your flaws and insecurities, with all your strengths and uniqueness. You remain you, and you enjoy storytelling, so you keep on doing what you love to do and are good at doing: writing stories.
But why?
That’s the important question. Why did you want to get published in the first place? My answer is: I write because I love to examine grief and the small beauties in life, and my hope is that a reader will read my work and think, “You feel this way too? I’m not alone?”
I write because I want to give my book to others as a gift.
And an ideal gift giver will find joy and thrill in the simple act of giving. Their identity doesn’t rely on how the gift is received, they won’t obsess over the reception of said gift, because to do so makes the gift about them not the receiver.
So this is the “authorhood” I aspire toward. I’m still petty, still easily swayed into longing for attention, but my dream is that in a few more years (if I have the privilege and discipline to publish more books) this will be the type of author I’ll become. Someone who writes, gives, then immediately lowers her eyes onto her keyboard to type up the next book.
I’m still really new to this author gig – so maybe my reflection will change over time. But for now, this is what works for me!
Giveaway
Thank you all for reading! Before I end this newsletter, I just wanted to let you know that I'm running a giveaway. Here are the details!
Enter for a chance to win:
(1) a signed booklet containing Inspector Han's omitted point of view (which contains major spoilers so please read the book before reading this booklet).
(2) a bookmark of a Korean dress
(3) the main character Seol's norigae (pendant).
To enter, leave your review of THE SILENCE OF BONES on Barnes & Noble, Indigo or Amazon. It can be as short as a sentence or as long as an essay.
Take a screenshot of your review and email it to writerjunehur@gmail.com... And that's it!
On June 12, 2020: ONE grand winner will receive the booklet, bookmark and the norigae. But EVERYONE who enters will be emailed a digital copy of the omitted pages as a thank you.
This giveaway is open internationally.
P.S. The reason why reviews on a book-selling retail site is so important is because that's how many new readers find new books! :)
