Sandstone Press

What next?

Posted by Simon Varwell on 10th February 2010

The launch went well.

Though never having launched a book before, or even attended anyone else’s launch, that’s something of a meaningless statement.  So I’ll stick to the facts: around fifty people turned up.  I read a few extracts from the book.  Everyone seemed to enjoy things.  Books were signed and bought.  A few glasses of wine were drunk (not all by me, I hasten to add).  You can read a bit about it and see a short video on my website.

However, I realise that that’s not it.  More needs to be done.  And given that the success of a book is such a subjectively-defined concept free of absolutes, I’ll never do enough, which is a bit disconcerting.  However, I am at least doing something - I have a few more readings, signings and discussions of the book lined up in the next month or two, and that will be terrific fun.  And exhausting too, I expect - I never realised how much nervous energy would be expended on reading a few bits and pieces of a book, and after the launch I was quite drained.

On top of that, work remains busy and lots else is going on in life that is keeping things interesting.  Then, of course, there are other writing projects - there is a sequel to Up The Creek Without a Mullet in the pipeline, plus three fiction ideas I am batting around in my head (and occasionally on the laptop).  Finding time for everything in life is hard, especially when you’re as naturally lazy as me.

So part of me doesn’t know how to juggle everything; while part of me thinks I’ve published a book and can never do enough to promote it.  Do I decide how to press on with normal life now my proverbial fifteen minutes is over, or do I think up new ways of spreading the word of the book?

Either way, I need to figure out: what next?