Tuesday Takeover: Writing a book is just like having a baby by Sarah Negovetich

I’ve just released my third book, and I have to tell you, every release is a bit different, but the first one is the doozy that will make you or break you. I was ruminating back on that first release when I realized just how much it had in common with having my first baby. Here’s what I’m talking about.

Information Overload

New Baby: You read every book in the library and spent countless hours combing internet articles that are one half comforting and the other half terrifying. When you manage to pull yourself away from the computer, you gorge yourself on episode of A Baby Story on TLC.

New Book: In preparation for your new bundle of joy, you read everything you can about the craft. Do you want to publish your book with a trusted professional or are you the more DIY, hands on kind of author? There are dream stories about people who sell their first book for millions and then there are those who labor for years before they birth words into the world. You take it all in: books, podcasts, conferences, webinars. And in the end you still have no idea what’s going on.

Unsolicited Advice

New Baby: Everyone who has ever had a baby, knows someone who has a baby, or has thought about having a baby will provide you with all the random advice you never wanted to know. Perfect strangers will begin talking about the most intimate parts of your body as if you were a side-show at a discount carnival.

New Book: Be prepared for Aunt Elanor who hasn’t read a book released in the last three decades to tell you exactly how to write a good book. You will graciously ignore that her last birthday card contained no less than five grammar errors. Even though you didn’t know a single author before you started writing, now that you’re doing it, everyone you know is going to write a novel…some day…you know, when they have the time.

New Obsession

New Baby: This little angel will consume all your waking and sleeping thoughts. Before hand you’ll wax poetic to the lady at the super market about the little flutter kicks tickling your belly and share baby name thoughts with your waiter. People will avoid riding in elevators with you, so they don’t have to hear about your nursery colors one more time. Only other expecting moms will share your joy obsession.

New Book: Your project is all you ever want to talk about. It finds a way into every conversation you have. Your spouse knows more about the intimate details in your head than is advisable. Other writers will gladly join you in your obsession. Plus, there are plenty of online chatrooms and Twitter #wordsprints to keep you happily engaged. Non-writer friends don’t fully understand what you’re doing. You may find that some can’t take it and slowly drift away. Your best friends still don’t get it, but will quietly listen to you talk about your writer’s block for the fifth time this week.

Loss of Sleep

New Baby: Even before the baby gets here, you’ll lose sleep thinking, dreaming and worrying about your precious arrival. Not to mention the frequent trips to the bathroom . After the baby arrives, forget it. You’re up every few hours for diapers and feedings. And if your angel is sleeping, you’re probably up starting at him to make sure he’s still breathing.

New Book:  As a new writer, time is precious. If inspiration hits at 4am, who are you to deny the muse. The deeper you go and the closer you come to publication, the worse it gets. You spend most of your daytime hours wondering around in a plot hole induced faze muttering about second act reversals and character motivation. Personal hygiene will become less important the longer your first draft takes to write. Some people close to you may stage an intervention by taking away your computer and insisting you shower and go outside.

Resource Drain

New Baby: First there’s the doctor’s bill which hits you on the side of the head when you’re least expecting it. And that’s before the baby is even born. Then you have all the gear you’ll need like a crib, car seat, five-in-one super magic sleep, bounce, rocker (it had great reviews). After the baby comes you’ll have more doctor bills and it will be time to get all the supplies you really need, like industrial strength rubber gloves and a giant bottle of Dreft. Your time also seems to disappear, and close friends will assume you have fallen down a hole lined with burp clothes and pacifiers.

New Book: In addition to all the time you’ll dedicate to the perfection of the world’s best manuscript (you have the stained t-shirt to prove it), you may find that writing a book puts a strain on other valuable resources. Conferences aren’t free and a writer can never own too many leather bound journals that you’ll never actually use because they are way too nice for notes. Cute products proclaiming your new “writer” status will quickly replace food in your basic needs list (though to be clear, chocolate and coffee are non-negotiable). You may also find that other relationships may suffer, but don’t let that get you down. You’ll always have your characters to love you.

Can you handle it?

At the end of the day, writing a novel  is not for the weak at heart or the lover of sleep. But once you hold your book in your hand for the first time and gaze onto its shiny bound cover, you’ll quickly forget all the pain and torture. You’ll watch your little book grow into the marketplace and maybe shed a tear for your first review. When that happens, you know you’re ready for book two.

SarahN

Sarah’s Bio:

Sarah Negovetich knows you don’t know how to pronounce her name and she’s okay with that.

Her first love is Young Adult novels, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty; it’s accurate if not exactly motivational. We should come up with a better cliché.

Sarah divides her time between writing YA books that her husband won’t read and working with amazing authors as an agent at Corvisiero Literary Agency. Her life’s goal is to be only a mildly embarrassing mom when her kids hit their teens.

You can learn more about Sarah and her books at www.SarahNegovetich.com or follow her antics on Twitter @SarahNego.

Rite of Redemption Blurb:

Rebecca escaped the PIT, found a family among the Freemen…and watched too many loved ones die. All she wants is the Cardinal to leave her in peace, but he’s made it clear that’s never going to happen.

When the Cardinal attacks other Freemen villages, she finally understands that no one is safe from his wrath. As the only one who’s stood up to the evil that is the Cardinal, it’s up to her to convince the others that they can’t hide forever. It’s time to fight.

The Machine predicted Rebecca would become the Cardinal’s enemy. It may have gotten that one right.

In the conclusion to the Acceptance series, enemies become allies and old friends emerge, but in the end, sacrifice may be the price of freedom.

Book Links:

Rite of Redemption Amazon order link: https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Redemption-Acceptance-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01F50EZ3C

Rite of Redemption Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30166592-rite-of-redemption

Rite of Rejection link (free from Jun 2nd to 6th): https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rejection-Acceptance-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00P26DB08

Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NDJiNzM3Y2E1YzRlMDgzY2E2ZDg0Y2E3YWFjOTM4OjY=/?

Rafflecopter HTML:

<a class=”rcptr” href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/42b737ca6/” rel=”nofollow” data-raflid=”42b737ca6″ data-theme=”classic” data-template=”” id=”rcwidget_7gceje4r”>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

<script src=”https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js”></script>

My social media links:

Website: www.SarahNegovetich.com

Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/sarahnegovetich

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahDNegovetich/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SarahNego

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahnego/

Jun 28, 2016 | Posted by in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Tuesday Takeover: Writing a book is just like having a baby by Sarah Negovetich