Author Therapy during Book Promotion by Donna Balon

Book promotion is lonely. I know what to do: activate social media accounts, schedule blog tours, and engage in author forums. But book promotion is an unexpected emotional journey.

I login to my computer morning and night. How books many were sold? Are there any more reviews? What’s the book’s star rating?

Some days are exciting when sales are good. On no-sale days, I wonder whether I’m doing enough. There’s a constant effort to garner positive reviews.

It’s all new to me. What should I expect? My independence as a writer means I must seek my own therapy. Author therapy.

Here are some ways I assuage my book promotion anxieties.

Hobbies: Like many indie writers, I’m a crafter. I enjoy sewing and knitting. Working with my hands has been a relaxing way to take my mind off book marketing.

Blog Posts: I’ve searched the Internet about how to manage the disappointment of negative reviews. An old blog post gave a helpful answer: A negative review says more about the reviewer than the book.

I also found solidarity in learning the experiences of people in other artistic disciplines.

An Actor’s Book: I found encouragement in the book by Jenna Fisher, the actress who played Pam Beesly on The Office. In The Actor’s Life: Survival Guide, Jenna shares that being part of the acting community advanced her career. Similarly, authors can find support in writer communities and engage with other authors.

Reality television: I’m a fan of the reality TV series Project Runaway, where fashion designers compete for a grand prize. Contestants talk of their love for designing and their dreams for success. Authors can relate to this passion. The judges’ critiques are often frank and harsh. This is much like the honest reviews every author receives.

Indie authors are creative writers. We also need to be creative in finding therapeutic ways to have emotional strength while navigating through the book-promotion journey.

Written by Donna Balon