Many authors I’ve worked with succumb to something that eventually kills their book launch. They have a completed manuscript in hand; they have painstakingly chosen a cover; they have spent hours making sure they missed no one in the acknowledgements.
Their launch starts to waiver—they miss deadlines when they need to announce the book. They stop sending emails telling influencers about when their book will be released.
They succumb to doubt, one of the deadliest reasons to self-sabotage a launch.
When we believe that our book, our work of art, isn’t going to be useful to anyone, when we cringe thinking that complete strangers will slap down ten dollars to buy our book, we kill our momentum. We fill ourselves with doubt.
When we doubt our book has value, we have zero motivation to tell the world about it. We feel like we are selling the worst lemon on the car lot and so we don’t want to share it with the world.
The opposite of doubt is clear — belief.
When you believe that your work belongs in the world, when you are confident that this book needs to be in the hands of people, is when you start to get excited and motivated about a launch.
But how do you build more belief?
Take Some Time to Reflect
Whether you believe in prayer, meditation, or even journaling, take some dedicated time and start to believe that your book belongs in the world. Think about the person who discovers your book and laughs or cries, changes and grows, or simply is touched about your book crossing their path.
Take the Time to Celebrate
It has been difficult to write this book. There have been late nights and missed fun events. You have struggled to get the book edited and simply put the words to the page. That in itself is worth celebrating. Take some time and celebrate the wins, the great thing you have done.
Get Some Well Deserved Rest
You simply might not be motivated to launch your book right now because you are exhausted. You’ve fallen behind on so much outside of your writing project that you need a small break. Take it. Rest up. Start reducing your coffee intake. And take more naps.
When your fuel tank is full, then start your launch.
Once you believe that your book is worthy to be out into the world, once your doubt about your creation has been defeated, you’ll be excited about sharing it; you’ll be much more motivated to have a great launch.
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