It is often said that the greatest human endeavor is that of creation, where a human being goes beyond his or herself in order to give rise to the existence of something that was previously not there. Whether you’re creating a new piece of software, a new painting, a new book, or simply a good joke, there is a feeling of fulfillment that comes with the process. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on the perspective from which you choose to view the matter, this isn’t the only emotion you will feel.
Perhaps the best candidate for understanding the emotions that a human being goes through when they are creating something is the process of writing a book. There aren’t many tasks as full of labor and resistance as the task of writing. Every writer seeks to produce a bestseller. No one ever sets out to write a book with the sole purpose that it will be a complete flop. And yet that is the risk that every writer must live with. Along the way, you will have to deal with the uncertainty of what topic to choose. You will definitely have to pick something that resonates with your readers. Do you even know who your readers are? You will then have to figure out how the book is going to play out, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. There are writers who plan it out right from the beginning and then strictly follow that plan. And then there are writers who immediately get to writing and wait to see where their pen, or keyboard, will take them. Either way, it can be a difficult part of writing a book and things don’t always turn out the way you expected them to.
Most writers never even finish their first book. Somewhere between the countless bouts of writer’s block and the every fickle thread of the story they’re trying to write abandoning them just when they got into their element, they gave up and threw their hands up in despair. Those who do make it through the tunnel finally get to the light of publication, but even there emotions abound.
We had a conversation with Michelle Aria, who runs an assignment writing service, about her own recent publication, and asked her to vividly describe to us the emotions she went through. The conversation was vibrant and interesting, to say the least, and we walked away with a list of seven emotions that nearly every writer experiences upon publication of their book. Here is the list.
1. Excitement
This is the immediate feeling you will likely feel as a writer, and it begins long before you even publish the book. Excitement is typically what gives us that initial impetus we need to begin a writing project. You’ve got an idea; you have no trouble visualizing it and seeing how it will come to be in your mind, and you can’t wait to begin. When you’re writing the book, it is the excitement of the project you’re doing, along with general determination and perseverance, which keep you going no matter what. Once you’re done, that familiar old feeling of excitement visits you again. Here it is; you have finished the book; you have reached the peak of your personal mountain; you are your own hero. It’s a great feeling, to say the least, and all writers will feel this when they finally finish their work. It is greatest upon completion of your first book and generally wanes as you publish more books and begin to get used to the whole process of churning out books. Enjoy the feeling; embrace it; let it be your fuel moving forward and, if you can allow it, let it even encourage you to write your next book.
2. Satisfaction
This can be felt at the same time as excitement or sometimes can be felt on its own in place of excitement. It’s a quieter feeling and generally more tempered and silent than the exuberance that comes with excitement. The pattern is such that, you will typically feel excited after your first book. However, as you get more and more books under your belt, you will begin to feel less and less excited with each new book you publish and more and more satisfied. You are used to this; you have done it countless times before. You are satisfied that you’ve still got it in you to produce great works of art. Don’t take the lessening excitement as a bad sign. It merely means you’ve got into the swing of things and you’re now comfortable with yourself as a writer. Usually, the best books a writer ever produces aren’t the ones that excite him or her, rather the ones that satisfy him or her. Considering the fact most of your initial attempts at writing won’t be award-winning, it is your later mature work that really earns you a place in the history pages.
3. Anxiety
Okay, so now you’re done writing the book and you’ve gone over it a million times. You’ve edited and re-edited it and you’re satisfied with your work. That doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet. You need to figure out how you’re going to publish the book now. You also need to work out the formatting. In the modern world, where different publishing modes are all valid and have equal potential for success, it can be difficult to choose between eBook and paperback. You don’t even know the details of such things as the color of paper you’re going to use, the graphics you’ll put on the cover, and the size of the book itself. Have you settled on an agent? I bet you didn’t take any of that into consideration when you started out. To put it bluntly, it can paralyze you as you get confused about the way forward. There are still many writers who get stuck at this stage and never publish their books.
4. Frustration
If you capitulate from all the anxiety, you will end up going through frustration. You will find yourself caught up in the fray and you won’t know how to deal with it. You will scour the internet, going through every blog, podcast, video, and book you can find to help you get through the publishing phase. If you decide to reach out to an agent, you will quickly learn that agents aren’t likely to respond and traditional press is typically the worst place to get the publishing done for you, especially if you’re publishing your first book. This is where you begin to understand the importance of a personal manager who’ll just tell you what to do and when. That’s why there’s a whole industry surrounding this stuff.
5. Determination
This is what you feel when you finally get through the frustration. This book is your baby and you’re not about to let your baby just die before it ever sees the light of day. You’re going to get your thoughts in order and put together a clear game plan of how you’re going to get the book published. You’ll send out mass emails to every agent and publisher you know, you’ll systematically explore self-publishing options, and you’ll finally get round to hiring a manager to help you get through this quagmire. Most writers who reach this phase make it in the end.
6. Relief
You’ve finally got the book published. You’ve fought the good fight and trudged your way through the mud of publishing your book. You’re now firmly in the meadows. It’s not unlike the feeling a mother gets when she finally holds her newborn in her hands after going through labor. There is also a feeling of pride mixed in here as you remember all the naysayers who told you that you simply couldn’t do it. Well, where are they now? Do they have anything to say?
7. What Next?
As is normal for every human achievement, the what-next feeling always follows. You’ve pretty much done everything and your book is out on Amazon and in bookstores. If you’re lucky, because there always is an element of luck involved here, you will be getting rave reviews already. It’s a success; you achieved your goal, but what do you do now? Well, you set another goal, of course! Whether it’s another book or turning your book into a screenplay or holding speaking engagements across the country, you really are the master of your destiny. Isn’t that what life is all about in the end? You’re basically setting goals and crushing them, after which you set even greater and more challenging goals. The more challenging the goal, the more satisfying it is to fulfil it.
Final Thoughts
Writing a book, like any other worthy endeavor, is a challenging, intimidating, and tiresome process. However, it is worth it. Ask any writer who’s managed to do it and they’ll proudly tell you that they don’t regret a moment of it. If you’re thinking of doing it, take it one step at a time and embrace every emotion as it comes. They are merely checkpoints to your destination.
BIO
Scott Mathews has been working as a media journalist and content creator in a local newspaper for 4 years. Scott`s the biggest passion is blogging and travelling. He regularly takes part in different journalist conferences and contributes his articles to different websites. Contact him on Facebook and Twitter.
