My 4,954-word to-do listSome thoughts on the practical and spiritual problem of publishing a book. Also: a winter break announcement!
I kind of burnt myself out a couple months back because I was trying to become an expert in book marketing and publicity. My book, My Mother’s Daughter, comes out in May. So, I read all the things, took all the notes, and created a 4,954-word to-do list. Granted, not everything on the list is a traditional to-do—there are questions that I need to answer, things to look into, names of people I should email. Still, 4,954-words. Here’s the thing: publishing a book presents both a practical and spiritual problem. One of the main takeaways of my deep dive is that no one really knows what sells books anymore. There are some best practices and good things to try. Still, you’re throwing a lot of stuff at the wall. It’s hard to say what will move the needle. With my last book, a single impassioned TikTok review from a 20something woman sold more books than coverage in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Times, Wired, Jezebel, and so many other mainstream publications combined. You can’t plan for an impassioned TikTok review, but you also can’t just sit around hoping for one. Maybe one of those mainstream publications got that 20something woman to read the book in the first place. So, you plan to try some stuff—maybe a lot of stuff, maybe five-thousand words worth of stuff. Which brings me to the spiritual problem. You’re trying to control the uncontrollable, the thing no one knows how to control, I tell myself. But otherwise you fail, I also tell myself. Obviously, these feelings aren’t unique to book publishing. I’ve got a stack of books next to me about Zen and Buddhism, and so many of them circle around themes of uncertainty, control, and the importance of letting go.
A few weeks ago, I met up with a friend who is also publishing a book next year. We were talking about tracking down blurbs and the need to do front-facing videos. I told her about my to-do list, which included things like event planning six months ahead of time (that’s how early bookstores start booking) and coming up with key “reader archetypes” for the book, along with tailored messaging hooks. I know. I hated myself as I said it. I rolled my eyes and mimed the scare quotes. I don’t like thinking about art in this way. I don’t like thinking about readers like this. I don’t like thinking about my book or myself as a brand. My friend looked at me like I’d just given her a 4,954-word to-do list. “Tracy, I’m about to Superman out of this window,” she said. The anxiety is contagious. Around this time, I was catching up with a friend at a bar. I told her about the to-dos and some promo-related dilemmas, one of which she immediately and creatively solved. Then she added, “You need a book coven, a WhatsApp group where you can throw out your questions and worries and fears so you’re not in your head about it. I’ll start it, just gimme some people’s names.” Oh my god, the relief. I almost started crying into my beer. I didn’t have to go it all alone. The coven has already been helpful with giving feedback to my “messaging hooks,” but it’s actually been more helpful as a check on my own grasping. Even just writing out “I have a 4,954-word to-do list” is… clarifying. There are more options than the extremes of either trying to control the uncontrollable or failure. You can try to bring your book into the world with love, care, commitment, authenticity, and maybe even a little joy, while also letting go of the exact outcome. I’m not there yet, but I’m trying. You can also clarify your ultimate measures of success. I’m reminded of this Carvell Wallace quote:
You can get scores of “your book changed my life” emails and still be considered a commercial failure. You can change a whole-ass human life, many times over, without hitting the New York Times bestseller list. I guess my take now is: throw stuff at the wall, but have fun while doing it. And remember why you’re doing it. On that note: I’ve decided to take a newsletter break for the next several weeks. I’ll be pausing paid subscriptions as a result. If you’re a monthly paid subscriber, you won’t get billed until I’m back; if you’re a yearly paid subscriber, your subscription will be extended. I’m thinking of it as a creative retreat. I’ll be writing and brainstorming to support my book launch, but I’ll also be giving myself some room to breathe and think and maybe even get excited about a next big project. I also want to consider how I can best use this newsletter to share the behind-the-scenes of this book with you, and in a way that feels like a true offering. I don’t think of any of y’all as archetypes. See you on the other side! Speaking of book promo, pre-orders truly mean everything. If you order now, you’ll be helping to launch this book out into the world in a big way.
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četvrtak, 4. prosinca 2025.
My 4,954-word to-do list
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