A great week to be an author

I had a really hectic week last week so this is going to be short.
I went and visited my publisher on Friday.
It was so nice, such a really lovely experience. I learned so much about what goes into editing, printing, shipping, selling and publicizing a book. I have an even deeper respect for the fact that it really takes a team to get a book from the author’s computer screen onto the shelves in a book store.
And for all of us, as authors, that begins a long time before we get a contract. All the writing, rewriting, critiquing, contesting, and connecting we do to try and get a book published is so heavy on our shoulders. But once we get a publisher to come onboard with us…well, I just really got a great sense of how much they’re rooting for us. How much they want the book to succeed.

I mean, of course the want it. Duh.

But sometimes, because it is so hard to get past that stubborn door to publication, we begin to feel that the author/publisher relationship is adversarial.

Well, it’s not.

Once they’ve signed you up they are putting everything they’ve got into making your book the best it can be. They’re trying to get your book in front of the eyes of bookstore buyers, review sites, influencers of all kinds.

I guess I’m just trying to tell you, don’t think of it as getting a book published. Think of it as getting a partner. Someone to come into your corner and be on your side. Someone to back you and root for your success.

I’m running on fumes and it’s back to work tomorrow so forgive this very short, sweet blog post.

I’m just so grateful to God that I survived all the contests and made it here. I pray it comes for each and every one of you. And by entering contests and polishing your work, attending conferences and getting connected you’re doing all the right things.

Throw in a whole boatload of prayer and you're unstoppable.