Congratulations to Erica George on her debut young adult novel, Words Composed of Sea and Sky. In her guest post, Erica shares her thoughts on making the most of your debut year.
Making the Most of Your Debut Year
By Erica George
By Erica George
It’s so secret that there’s a lot packed into your debut year. There are so many firsts to look forward to: seeing your book’s layout and font for the first time (yes, the font--don’t underestimate how emotion-inducing seeing your font for the first time can be!), holding your physical galley, the design for your dust jacket, seeing your novel in a bookstore, out in the wild. But conversely, there are multiple questions that arise as well.
The year I actually sold my debut young adult novel, Words Composed of Sea and Sky, to Running Press Kids was 2018, and the year it was scheduled to hit shelves was 2021. You would think that with almost three years to prepare for my debut, I’d have been ready. But truthfully, no one’s debut year is the same, and trying to plan made me more anxious. There’s a tendency to look at “other people’s papers” so to speak, to compare what’s happening with you and your book to authors at other houses with other editors and different budgets. There’s a fear of the unknown (I can’t even count how many times I said, “I don’t know what I don’t know!”).
Now that my novel has debuted, however, I’ve had the time to consider what actually worked best for me--the tips that I think are important to follow no matter what kind of debut journey you might be on.
Find a group of fellow debuts and participate in the community.
For almost every age category (picture books through adult), there is usually a debut group for you to join. Find it! Make friends! Support those friends! It has been so humbling and gratifying to be on this journey with the group of people I’ve met simply because we’re debuting in the same year. The 21ders is a group of debut middle grade and young adult authors, and our questions, discussions, and cheerleading has been an absolute gift.
Keep your mind busy with something else to work on.
There’s plenty to do during your debut year, and marketing is certainly at the top of your list! But don’t forget what you love most about this business--the writing. If you can, work on a new project. Exercise that creative muscle. Once your debut is out in the world, you’ll want to start thinking about your next steps as an author.
But don’t forget to enjoy your debut.
You only get to be a debut once, and unfortunately, the process can be overwhelming! Try to sit back every once in a while, look around, and remind yourself that your hard work, talent, and perseverance has gotten you to this point. Let it sink in. There are so many firsts to savor, so many people who are proud of you and cheering you on.
The year I actually sold my debut young adult novel, Words Composed of Sea and Sky, to Running Press Kids was 2018, and the year it was scheduled to hit shelves was 2021. You would think that with almost three years to prepare for my debut, I’d have been ready. But truthfully, no one’s debut year is the same, and trying to plan made me more anxious. There’s a tendency to look at “other people’s papers” so to speak, to compare what’s happening with you and your book to authors at other houses with other editors and different budgets. There’s a fear of the unknown (I can’t even count how many times I said, “I don’t know what I don’t know!”).
Now that my novel has debuted, however, I’ve had the time to consider what actually worked best for me--the tips that I think are important to follow no matter what kind of debut journey you might be on.
Find a group of fellow debuts and participate in the community.
For almost every age category (picture books through adult), there is usually a debut group for you to join. Find it! Make friends! Support those friends! It has been so humbling and gratifying to be on this journey with the group of people I’ve met simply because we’re debuting in the same year. The 21ders is a group of debut middle grade and young adult authors, and our questions, discussions, and cheerleading has been an absolute gift.
Keep your mind busy with something else to work on.
There’s plenty to do during your debut year, and marketing is certainly at the top of your list! But don’t forget what you love most about this business--the writing. If you can, work on a new project. Exercise that creative muscle. Once your debut is out in the world, you’ll want to start thinking about your next steps as an author.
But don’t forget to enjoy your debut.
You only get to be a debut once, and unfortunately, the process can be overwhelming! Try to sit back every once in a while, look around, and remind yourself that your hard work, talent, and perseverance has gotten you to this point. Let it sink in. There are so many firsts to savor, so many people who are proud of you and cheering you on.
More about Words Composed of Sea and Sky:
Michaela Dunn dreams of getting into an art school, but when her stepfather refuses to fund a trip there for a poetry workshop, she enters a local contest searching for a poet to write the dedication plaque for a statue honoring Captain Benjamin Churchill, a whaler who died at sea over one hundred years ago. While searching for clues about this Cape Cod legend, Michaela discovers the diary of Leta Townsend from 1862 and gets a glimpse of Churchill that she didn't quite anticipate.
In 1862, Leta writes poetry under the name of Benjamin Churchill, thinking him dead after being attacked by a whale. Leta is astonished when Captain Churchill returns, completely unscathed, his death just a rumor. She quickly falls for him. But is she falling for the actual Benjamin Churchill or the boy she constructed in her imagination?
Michaela Dunn dreams of getting into an art school, but when her stepfather refuses to fund a trip there for a poetry workshop, she enters a local contest searching for a poet to write the dedication plaque for a statue honoring Captain Benjamin Churchill, a whaler who died at sea over one hundred years ago. While searching for clues about this Cape Cod legend, Michaela discovers the diary of Leta Townsend from 1862 and gets a glimpse of Churchill that she didn't quite anticipate.
In 1862, Leta writes poetry under the name of Benjamin Churchill, thinking him dead after being attacked by a whale. Leta is astonished when Captain Churchill returns, completely unscathed, his death just a rumor. She quickly falls for him. But is she falling for the actual Benjamin Churchill or the boy she constructed in her imagination?
Author Erica George More about the author:
Erica George is a graduate of The College of New Jersey with degrees in both English and education and is currently an MFA student at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She splits her time between New Jersey and Cape Cod. Words Composed of Sea and Sky is her debut young adult novel.
Erica George is a graduate of The College of New Jersey with degrees in both English and education and is currently an MFA student at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She splits her time between New Jersey and Cape Cod. Words Composed of Sea and Sky is her debut young adult novel.
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