Thank you Amanda!!!! I am trying to celebrate and not be an anxious mess as I wait to hear from my editor. Your words are so encouraging and as always I SO appreciate you!!!! (also I owe you an email!)
I think I want to read a book by you about... writing a book. I mean, this is all so incredibly fascinating and relatable. And I have no book deal, no offer, no editor. Maybe I don't want one! But I get the overwhelm, the lack of quiet and space, the pressure to perform 100% all the time, and then that vacuous feeling of coming to terms with success in a form you didn't expect.
That said, I suppose I feel my own version of success in those random moments when I can picture the book I'm writing, the clarity of the message, a few phrases from it that feel really good, and the possibility of finding that one reader who will pick it up and be connected to me.
Congrats to you, friend. Having just crossed the same ocean with the book I've labored over so long actually at the printers now, including a cover blurb from probably my favorite writer in the world right now, I see a lot of my own experience in what you've written here. There remains a lot of work in front of you but it's of an entirely different kind. Celebrate indeed!
May 23·edited May 23Liked by River Selby (they/them)
What incredible feat you have achieved and many fires you have walked through to be here as you are! I have known you since 2020, read your work and once even talked in person (digitally) I suppose. I have seen you grow and become who you are ever since and I am so grateful to know an enigmatic person like you. Thank you River for showing up and doing the work! You are a massive inspiration for me. Congratulations! 💜
Thank you so much Swarnali!!! I really hope we can meet in person someday. I feel a kindred spiritedness towards you. I hope you're hanging in there. <3
We are kindred for sure, I feel it every time I read your words. Maybe we will meet someday, they say that this world is too small a place when destiny calls. I am hanging in here my friend, so grateful for your kind concern. 💜
Congratulations, River! This all brings me back to my own book journey and all the feels and lessons along the way ... and continuing. Definitely take the time to celebrate! That's a hard one but you've more than earned it. And your creative self needs it. Well done!
Congratulations! I can't wait to read your book! (and all your future books!)
I'm feeling something similar. For me, I've wanted to be a writer (a novelist) since i was about ten. And I'm 42, and my book will come out in a couple months and we're planning marketing and it feels overwhelming. Believing that it wasn't going to happen for me brought me some kind of peace, even though it made me feel awful too. But having it happen is scary too, because so much can still go wrong, because going public with something so personal is terrifying.
It won't be out in the US, I haven't got a publisher for outside South Asia yet. I'd be happy to send you a copy though!
I miss your writing together sessions. I've attended so many different writing sessions in the last year or so, and yours was so perfectly moderated, so gentle and encouraging. Thank you for doing them, for showing me what such a space can feel like <3
Thank you so much for sharing your process and story with us! I remember taking your book proposal class during COVID and it truly helped me so much. Can’t wait to read Hot Shot. So glad you’re celebrating the wins along the way 🫶🏽
I resonate with like everything you‘ve said 💯 thank you for sharing !!! Don’t forget to rest, and then also don’t forget to take time off of any workbased activity and do things that just simply give you joy! Resting is one thing, taking time for joy is another. And congrats 🎊
Congratulations River, epic in every sense of the word. I had a strong instinct that I couldn’t write my first book if it sold on proposal because the external pressure would be too much on top of the internal pressure. I’ve finished a very rough draft of around 50k words. It feels like a dream come true to have got this far... and I have many more dreams. Here’s to yours coming true 🤞🏻
Congratulations River! What an achievement. I wish you lots of joy and rest and maybe a little time patting yourself on the back for accomplishing such a monumental task.
I loved reading this. My own book was just turned in a month ago and while it’s supposed to be ‘finished’ I suspect another round of edits are going to come my way. It’s been 15 years I wrote this novel, while raising four kids and going through a lot. I related so hard to a lot of what you experienced. Thank you and subscribed!
River River River River River River … that’s what I keep hearing in my head as I read this. Your name over and over again like rushing water!
You did it. It IS time to celebrate!!
Also I love all your takeaways here. I am using a lot of exclamation marks because this is the punctuation that is most like how I feel!
Please rest when you can, too. And please tell the ocean and all the fishes that I LOVE THEM!!
River River River River River River River
Thank you Amanda!!!! I am trying to celebrate and not be an anxious mess as I wait to hear from my editor. Your words are so encouraging and as always I SO appreciate you!!!! (also I owe you an email!)
I think I want to read a book by you about... writing a book. I mean, this is all so incredibly fascinating and relatable. And I have no book deal, no offer, no editor. Maybe I don't want one! But I get the overwhelm, the lack of quiet and space, the pressure to perform 100% all the time, and then that vacuous feeling of coming to terms with success in a form you didn't expect.
That said, I suppose I feel my own version of success in those random moments when I can picture the book I'm writing, the clarity of the message, a few phrases from it that feel really good, and the possibility of finding that one reader who will pick it up and be connected to me.
Yes to all of this, and thank you!! As always, you bring so many lovely thoughts into this space.
Congrats to you, friend. Having just crossed the same ocean with the book I've labored over so long actually at the printers now, including a cover blurb from probably my favorite writer in the world right now, I see a lot of my own experience in what you've written here. There remains a lot of work in front of you but it's of an entirely different kind. Celebrate indeed!
Thank you Chris!! I cannot wait to read your book. <3
What incredible feat you have achieved and many fires you have walked through to be here as you are! I have known you since 2020, read your work and once even talked in person (digitally) I suppose. I have seen you grow and become who you are ever since and I am so grateful to know an enigmatic person like you. Thank you River for showing up and doing the work! You are a massive inspiration for me. Congratulations! 💜
Thank you so much Swarnali!!! I really hope we can meet in person someday. I feel a kindred spiritedness towards you. I hope you're hanging in there. <3
We are kindred for sure, I feel it every time I read your words. Maybe we will meet someday, they say that this world is too small a place when destiny calls. I am hanging in here my friend, so grateful for your kind concern. 💜
Congratulations, River! This all brings me back to my own book journey and all the feels and lessons along the way ... and continuing. Definitely take the time to celebrate! That's a hard one but you've more than earned it. And your creative self needs it. Well done!
Thank you Antonia!!
Congratulations! I can't wait to read your book! (and all your future books!)
I'm feeling something similar. For me, I've wanted to be a writer (a novelist) since i was about ten. And I'm 42, and my book will come out in a couple months and we're planning marketing and it feels overwhelming. Believing that it wasn't going to happen for me brought me some kind of peace, even though it made me feel awful too. But having it happen is scary too, because so much can still go wrong, because going public with something so personal is terrifying.
I feel ALLLLLLLL of this!!!!! And congratulations to you, too!! I can't wait to read your book.
It won't be out in the US, I haven't got a publisher for outside South Asia yet. I'd be happy to send you a copy though!
I miss your writing together sessions. I've attended so many different writing sessions in the last year or so, and yours was so perfectly moderated, so gentle and encouraging. Thank you for doing them, for showing me what such a space can feel like <3
I would love that!! and I do hope I will have some space soon to once again hold writing sessions!
You’re amazing ♥️
Congratulations on living your dream!!!
Thank you Sandra!
What a fascinating read! Well done, and thanks so much for sharing your learnings. I’ll bet your book will be brilliant!
Thank you Jonathan!
CONGRATS!!!!
Thank you!
Huge, HUGE congrats to you, River. What an incredible accomplishment. 💜
Thank you ariel!
Thank you so much for sharing your process and story with us! I remember taking your book proposal class during COVID and it truly helped me so much. Can’t wait to read Hot Shot. So glad you’re celebrating the wins along the way 🫶🏽
Thank you Tawny!! Amazing what you have done since that class, and I am SO glad it was helpful!!!
I resonate with like everything you‘ve said 💯 thank you for sharing !!! Don’t forget to rest, and then also don’t forget to take time off of any workbased activity and do things that just simply give you joy! Resting is one thing, taking time for joy is another. And congrats 🎊
thank you for this much needed reminder!!
Congratulations River, epic in every sense of the word. I had a strong instinct that I couldn’t write my first book if it sold on proposal because the external pressure would be too much on top of the internal pressure. I’ve finished a very rough draft of around 50k words. It feels like a dream come true to have got this far... and I have many more dreams. Here’s to yours coming true 🤞🏻
Thank you Michelle. Here's to your, too ❤️
Congratulations River! What an achievement. I wish you lots of joy and rest and maybe a little time patting yourself on the back for accomplishing such a monumental task.
thank you so so much Claire!
I loved reading this. My own book was just turned in a month ago and while it’s supposed to be ‘finished’ I suspect another round of edits are going to come my way. It’s been 15 years I wrote this novel, while raising four kids and going through a lot. I related so hard to a lot of what you experienced. Thank you and subscribed!