Samantha Heuwagen is a bilingual therapist and best selling author of The Starless Series.
Not only was she kind enough to contribute to the Extra Draft Writing Method Masterclass (along with her cohort Dr. B), she also provided an insight into the life of an author after being published.
You can catch her video Q&A session in the class or interact with her on social media. She will also be active (as much as possible) in the masterclass forums.
Her contact and novel information will follow the post she wrote for you.
Life After Debuting as an Author
On May 21st, 2018 I officially became an author with the release of Dawn Among the Stars. Even just writing that out makes me laugh––in a proud yet how did this happen way kind of way. The whole publishing process is a journey from the moment the idea of the story comes to us, until the book lands in your hands, complete and beautiful. Looking back there are a few things I learned being on this side of things.
What Did I learn?
- Nothing changes, yet everything changes. You wake up on the day of the launch like any other day, but other people treat you a bit differently. You have a product out in the world people can buy, which means they are reading and judging your creative juices. It can be scary, but it’s what you wanted once upon a time. Cherish this time.
- Your dream became a reality. Holy shit your dream came true! That’s a bid deal. Celebrate however you need––drink, be merry, sleep, write, whatever as long as you’re giving yourself space and love to be present in this moment. It won’t happen again.
- Be ready with your 30-second summary. People are busy. They don’t care about you (sorry, not sorry). If someone asks about your book be ready to sell in a personal yet quick manner. You have 30 seconds before someone’s eyes glaze over so you better make it good and yet unique to the conversation you’re having with them. Sound confusing? It is, so I suggest practicing on people you trust because then it’ll become second nature.
- You thought you were done once you wrote a book? I’m sorry but your journey has just begun! Yay! Everyone dreams about the book but they forget about the work it takes to make that book a success. Marketing is just one aspect because if you wrote a series, get ready for some deadlines. Get ready for events, interviews, workshops, or whatever else tickles your fancy because that’s where you’re going to get your audience. What did Rihanna say? Work, work, work, work
At the end of the day, you’ve done the impossible. You created something out of nothing and turned it into a reality. Thank the people who’ve helped you, love upon yourself, and never forget to keep your readers entertained.
Find Samantha
If you want to know more about this incredible (yet very busy) woman, you can find her online in various ways:
Don’t forget to look for her books wherever you shop for your novels or you can purchase it on Amazon.
