Five Things a Debut Author Needs

Today, we welcome Amy E. Reichert, author of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake, with some survival tools any new author will love! The Coincidence of Coconut Cake is currently on pre-order and set for release tomorrow. Check it out on Amazon! 

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Five Things a Debut Author Needs

By Amy E. Reichert

As I write this, I’m eleven days away from the debut of my book, so that’s pretty much all I’m thinking about. My poor family has been neglected as I try to be creative on a deadline (I have multiple guest posts to write and book two revisions to get done). So, here is my advice to other debut authors on five things you need to make it through.

1. Bookmarks. They are handy, inexpensive swag. I created cute bookmarks with my cover on one side and important information on the other (website, twitter, release date, where to buy, etc…). I made them for free on Canva.com and printed them up. I keep a stack with me at all times. They’re my version of a business card. It has all the information someone might need if they want to buy my book, plus you can never have enough bookmarks. 

2. Caffeine and/or booze. You’re going to need something to keep you going during the last few weeks pre-launch and water doesn’t cut it. Coffee works just fine for me, plus a run to Starbucks makes for a nice break when I need to get out of my cave and see people. Some folks swear by McDonald’s Diet Coke. I also keep splits of champagne chilled in the fridge—that way I’m prepared when some unexpected good news arrives (and I’m not forced to drink an entire bottle—even I have my limits)!

3. Supportive Friends and Family. Those last few weeks are busy and nerve-wracking and everything is all about you! And you know what, it should be. You wrote a book, dammit. And it’s going to be released into the world for everyone to read (and judge). This is stressful. Having people around you that will love you no matter how unwashed and manic you become is important. Just remember to thank them when things return to normal, maybe with massages and mountains of delicious baked goods.

4. Sleep. This can get tricky because your brain won’t want to cooperate. You’re going to lie down, close your eyes, and then you’ll start thinking about all the posts you need to write and brainstorming new book ideas (because two weeks before a book launch is exactly when you’ll come up with an idea for a trilogy that you need to sketch out right now!). I recommend some light meditation and this amazing pillow spray. It might be bunk, but it helps me relax at bedtime. When I’m desperate, I’ll go so far as to take some Tylenol PM. Bottom line, figure out your trick to getting some reliable shut eye.

5. A Sense of Humor. Things are going to go wrong. This is life. You are going to miss a deadline, you’ll spill red wine on yourself during your launch party, or you’ll have a booger hanging out of your nose during a TV interview. Something seemingly awful is going to happen, but DO NOT let it ruin your debut. If it’s an error you made, a sincere apology and immediate action to rectify should help smooth the situation. For some things, like the dangling booger, all you can do is laugh it off—and have another glass of champagne.

Amy Reichert earned her MA in Literature from Marquette University, and honed her writing and editing skills as a technical writer (which is exactly as exciting as it sounds). As a newly minted member of the local library board, she loves helping readers find new books to love. She's a life-long Wisconsin resident with (allegedly) a very noticeable accent, a patient husband, and two too-smart-for-their-own-good kids. When time allows, she loves to read, collect more cookbooks than she could possibly use, and test the limits of her DVR.

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