Updates

The newsletter

Hey, it’s a meta-update! So I’ve made some changes to the newsletter. You can now choose your own adventure! Go to your substack settings and choose which lists you want to subscribe to. My current lists are Updates; For Writers; and For Readers. Don’t need all three? Pick your poison! Archives will now be behind a modest paywall. But as always, if you really need help with something, just ask me.

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Things to do besides tanking your career

Or, how to handle professional jealousy professionally

It starts on the playground. That One Kid has the toy you’ve been wanting your whole tiny life. And you’re envious. You’re green. You want it so badly you could cry. You do cry.

Well, now that toy is a book deal, or an agent, or a marketing promotion. Now the stakes are higher because this is your career.

I’ve seen so many authors tank their career (or at least, their reputation in the community) by doing something stupid over their envy. Most recently, an author review bombed fellow debuts on Goodreads with 1-star reviews. When approached, she claimed that a friend did it—but the evidence was clear. The one truthful thing she said? She had felt insecure.

And this author had a great book deal with a reputable publisher and was getting lots of good reviews. But that doesn’t matter when envy and insecurity rear their heads like Hydra. So, you could do something stupid—OR you could try one of these strategies.

Take a step back

Take a breath. Get off of social media for an hour, or a day, or a week. If you’re going to stop dwelling on what’s got you riled up, you need some physical, or at least mental, distance.

Try gratitude

Write down a list of everything going right with your writing career. Everything you’re proud of. Everything you’re grateful for. Refocusing your energy to something positive can help quell that green-eyed monster.

Congratulate

Congratulate the person you’re envious of. No, really. It’s called opposite action: when you want to do something unhelpful, like brood, try the opposite. It will help create different emotions, like camaraderie.

Play video games

Or paint. Or read. Or crochet. Do something that has nothing to do with writing and get your head clear before you dive back into the fray.

Touch some grass

No really. Get outside. Remind yourself that there’s world outside of Book Twitter.

Vent to a friend

Someone you trust. Say what you want to do, or how you feel, and then let those feelings die there. Or, find a therapist you can trust, if that’s accessible to you.

Go hard on your book

Get writing! You want that amazing book deal? Then work on your book! Already on sub? Work on a different book, or a short story. Throw yourself into what you’re passionate about and let that passion consume you—instead of rage.

Remember who you are, Simba

That is, a writing professional. I don’t care if you’re unagented. You’re on the track, you’re a professional. And that means acting like one. Don’t forget that social media is the water cooler of publishing, and just because you’re wearing a onesie instead of a suit, what you say should reflect that.

I hope this helps. I hope you get everything you want. But when you don’t—just remember that you don’t have to burn bridges just because you’re feeling insecure.