My first book flopped – and I’m heartbroken. I feel like a failure.
A writer asks what to do about debut blues...
Hello Team CCC! Happy Saturday! I hope you’re having an excellent week! I’m psyching myself up to go for a run before a big lunch. I’m running a 10K in Herne Bay in a couple of weeks - it will be the first Official Running Race I’ve ever done - and I’m starting to feel slightly nervous about it!
I’ve had a lovely time hanging out with Fearne Cotton, and celebrating her brilliant new book Scripted. Fearne is the guest on my podcast, You’re Booked podcast, which returned this week. Next Monday we have a conversation with one of my all time icons, Kathleen Hanna - if you find us and follow us wherever you get your podcasts, you can hear it first!
Pity Party is out in just under three weeks! It’s not too late to preorder here and get your place at the free fiction writing workshop - details here. And let’s hang out! Come and see me! I’d love to meet you all! I’m coming to…
Colchester’s Red Lion Books Summer Soiree on Thursday 4 July (details here - vote first!)
Waterstones Canterbury on Wednesday 10th July- details here
Waterstones Gower Street, London on Friday 12th July - details here
The House Of Books And Friends in Manchester on Monday 15th July - details here
Waterstones Nottingham on Wednesday 17th July - details here
And The Margate Bookshop on Thursday 18th July - I think tickets are free, fill in the contact form to get on the guest list.
Coming to any of these events is a great way for you to meet each other, and say hello to fellow writers and readers. If you’re coming, but you’re worried about going on your own, drop me a line - creativeconfidenceclinic@gmail.com - you won’t be the only one, and I’ll try to organise a little gang! I hear from friends who have met each other at my signings/events etc and it brings me so much joy. Let me do some matchmaking!
Now, to this week’s Dear Daisy…this extra edition is for paid subscribers. If you’d like to join the gang, hit the button below.
Dear Daisy,
I worked on a novel during lockdown, got an agent, and we sold it to a big publisher – the sort of publisher that you’ve probably heard of, even if you don’t read. I thought that all my dreams were finally coming true. The book came out six months ago, and it has not done well. We’ve hardly sold any copies. I feel heartbroken, furious and ashamed. I tried so, so hard to make this work. I got over my aversion to social media and set up an Instagram account to promote it. I pitched myself to bookshops and podcasts. It felt as though no-one wanted to know. Looking back, it feels as though my publishers love bombed me, and became increasingly less keen, over time. There’s another book due in my contract, and I’ve started it, but I don’t want to go on. I feel too sad, and too angry. I tried everything, and I don’t know what I did wrong. What should I do?
Love
A Failed Author
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