Celebrating our Writing Milestones
I often tell people that writing books is “the only kind of marathon I run.” But should a runner cross the finish line and then stagger right to the next starting line?
Sarina here, popping in midweek to your inbox!
Today happens to be the publication date for The Five Year Lie, my first novel of suspense, and my first novel published by HarperCollins. It’s also my first book with a simultaneous release by a UK publisher. Lots of firsts today. A friend has already sent me this photo of the book on a table at Barnes & Noble. (Thank you Susan! ❤️)
In short, it’s a huge milestone more than three years in the making.
In 2020 my friend Lauren Blakely told me a funny story about some errant text messages she and a friend had gotten. The story clung like a spider monkey to my subconscious.
In September of 2021, I told a room full of writer friends that I wanted to try branching out to suspense. “Okay,” they said. “Tell us how you’re going to go about it.”
In December of 2021 I told my agent that I had a few ideas to pitch. “One of them starts with this text message…” She said “That one. That’s the one.”
In February of 2022 she sold that book on proposal to HarperCollins.
In September of 2022 I turned in the draft. Two rounds of edits followed.
In November 2023 we revealed the cover.
Meanwhile, I asked the gang here at #amwriting whether I should write a post today about celebrating our milestones. And KJ quite rudely replied: “Only if you promise to ACTUALLY EFFING CELEBRATE.”
First I laughed. And then I realized she was trying to tell me something.
Reader, I’m terrible at this. Today is the culmination of a three+ year goal. And I don’t have a bottle of good hooch in the fridge. Or a party planned. My calendar lists a word-count goal and a reminder to mail my Mother’s Day card.
I do this every time, because it’s too discredit my own achievements. In the back of my mind I’m thinking: If it hits [insert bestseller list] I’ll celebrate. If I win [insert award] then I’ll celebrate.
And then I don’t.
On this very podcast I’ve often said “launch day is so anticlimactic.” And that’s true. Our work is done, so technically there’s nothing left to do but screenshot our best rank (Woo hoo! Number 12 in thrillers at Apple Books at 8 a.m.!) and wait for someone to tell us we did a good job.
But that’s not the right way to wait out this day, is it? Because if we don’t pause and acknowledge the products of our hard work, nobody is going to do that for us. I often tell people that writing books is “the only kind of marathon I run.” And it’s true. But a marathon runner crossing the finish line isn’t supposed to immediately stagger to the starting line of the next race, right?
Years ago, I invited children’s author Sarah Aronson to speak at my sons’ elementary school. She gave a talk to children and parents alike about the job of writing novels. And she told the audience that whenever she hits page 25 on a project, she makes a favorite meal for dinner. And when she hits page 100, she throws herself another little party.
Maybe it’s taken me too long, but I understand now that she’s got the right idea. There’s no career-capping trophy in this job. No red-carpet premier. (And thank goodness because that sounds kind of stressful in its own way.) We have to make our own rituals, because success in this job is hard to measure. Furthermore, there’s no point to measuring it in the first place if we don’t celebrate each little win.
So I just told my husband that we’re going out for dinner tonight. He thinks it’s a grand idea.
How will you celebrate your next win?
~Sarina
🙌 The Five Year Lie is available wherever books are sold! 🙌
With all those firsts - I wish I was the first to congratulate you. Congratulations.
I kept a savings graph with built-in prizes that I unlocked at different levels to celebrate. Coffee with a friend, once a new couch. I had to write Find Yourself At Home in three months, so I needed them :)