Ten Things I Learned While Publishing My First Novel | ft. Bethany Klassen

Bethany Klassen is a Christian historical author whose debut novel Sins of the Past released this past August! And today, I have the honor of welcoming her on my blog, where she’ll share the lessons she learned while publishing her novel! Enjoy – and take some notes! 🖋️ 😉

Because I recently published my first book as well, let me share with you ten things I learned while they are still fresh in my mind.

Maybe these will be things that will make you say “I could have told you that”, or maybe they will be things you never considered. Hopefully some of them will be helpful for you, or at least give you a good laugh at my expense. (Go ahead; I don’t mind.)

Without further ado, let’s get into this…

Ten Things I Learned While Publishing My First Novel

1. Writing the book is only the beginning.

Okay, I know everyone says this. I should have been prepared, but honestly, I didn’t quite believe it. I know. My fault. However, if you’re working on the rough draft of your first novel and someone tells you this same thing… BELIEVE THEM! 

Completing your rough draft is a huge step, and something worth celebrating. However, after you’ve devoured your chocolate and coffee and shared high fives with friends or family, it’s time to get back to work. From here on out, you’ll need to dive into editing, revising, cover design, marketing, and a hundred other little things that you don’t even know about yet.

2.  Expect to edit. Then edit again. And again. And just when you think you are done… again. (Then one more time.)

This is not an exaggeration. Really. Keep in mind, the magic happens during the editing process. The drafting stage is for getting your thoughts on paper. The editing is for taking those thoughts and developing them into a vivid, intriguing story. Don’t dread this stage, but rather appreciate it for what it is. Dive into it with your eyes wide open, and transform your impulsive, rough draft (because it’s called rough for a reason) into a work of art. 

3. It’s okay to learn while you go. Embrace the title of “aspiring author”.

I decided right from the beginning that I was not going to be a perfectionist in my writing or my author brand. Some valuable advice I received from Chandler Bolt’s book Published was that “done is better than perfect”. This doesn’t mean you should write a low-quality book, but you need to realize that perfecting your writing can go on forever if you allow it to.

This doesn’t apply only to your book. It applies to everything in your journey toward becoming an author. You are not a professional… yet. You will make mistakes even while you are trying your best. Accept that and move on. Everyone already knows that you are human, and most won’t think badly of you just because you made a blunder. In fact, when they see your determination to improve and learn from your mistakes, they will respect you for it.

Embrace this stage of being an “aspiring author”. 

4. Have a goal in mind. 

As you are creating books, marketing your work, and trying to reach a wider audience, things can get confusing. Priorities become jumbled, and the goal grows blurry in the distance. Determine what your main objective is and re-focus on that when things become overwhelming. It’s important that you remember why you are writing, because all of the work you put in will revolve around whatever goal you have established for yourself.

Are you trying to earn money with your writing? Are you trying to make an impact or help people? Are you striving to provide fiction for an audience with similar interests to yours? Write down your objective, and return to it when you start to lose focus.

5. Get the formatting done only when you’re absolutely sure that the editing is done. 

To be honest, my editing experience with my first novel was rather chaotic. I thought I had finished the editing when I sent out advance review copies to many readers. Several of them pointed out things that had been missed, so I edited the manuscript again. Then, a couple weeks before launch, I sent my book to another author to get an editorial review. He told me almost immediately that I should have a professional editor go through my book again. He said there were a lot of punctuation and grammar mistakes. So I found an editor that was able to work on a tight schedule, and got the book edited again. 

Needless to say, the formatting I had done on the manuscript was quite messed up by the time the editing was actually done, so I had to have that redone as well. My word of advice to you is, don’t bother having your book formatted until you are absolutely sure that the edits are done! It will save you time and money.

6. Seek constructive criticism.

Criticism can be tough, especially when it comes from people we would like to impress. Yet, really, these people are trying to help us. They are giving us their honest opinion with kindness, in hopes that it will form us into better writers – and it will, if we accept it. 

When I read another person’s writing in order to give them feedback, I’ll do one of two things: I’ll find the writing is so bad that I don’t even know where to start, or I’ll see potential in the writing, and therefore will point out everything I can find that could be improved.

See the difference here? No negative comments is not a good thing – especially when it’s a book manuscript we are talking about. You actually want suggestions, opinions and feedback on your writing, because it means people see potential in it.

Constructive criticism is a very good thing for you as a writer.

7. Reach out. 

Some opportunities may never be discovered if you are too scared to ask. As new authors, we often feel small and insignificant. We think “who would want to have me on their blog, read my book and leave an editorial review, give me some exposure on their social media, etc.” However, you would be surprised at some of the people that will give you opportunities if you just ask for them. Hey, the worst thing that will happen is that they’ll say no. But so what? Just move on to the next person. If you are polite and persistent, you will eventually find someone who is willing to give you a chance.

8. Take a break when you need to. 

Taking a break is not the same as giving up. 

When I work on my book or book-related tasks for too long, I begin to get discouraged – often for no reason. You are probably the same way, whether or not you know it. Be aware, and learn to recognize when you need to get away for a while. Take a break, then come back to your work with fresh eyes and a new perspective. 

9. Don’t compare yourself to others.

Friends, I can’t say this loud enough! I have a lot of trouble with this at times, and I’m guessing most people do. It’s natural to look at those around you and become discouraged that you are not to the point they are at, or become proud that you have come further than they have. 

Remember, every person’s circumstances are vastly different from one another. Some authors build a following almost overnight and find thousands of readers for their books. Others take longer to get to that point, but perhaps they have more opportunity to impact people through one-on-one opportunities. Don’t allow yourself to feel like a failure just because you haven’t sold a thousand books. Keep working hard, make realistic goals, and don’t compare yourself to other writers. 

10. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

In this day of modern conveniences, we have so much knowledge available to us all the time. If we want to do something, we can go to our computers or phones and research nearly anything. We have no excuse. If we want to achieve something, we can find a way to achieve it. 

When publishing my first book, I was working on a very tight budget. I couldn’t hire people to do the marketing, cover design, website, etc., so I learned to do a lot of things myself. It took me hours and hours to complete tasks that others may have finished in half the time, but I did it. You can too. 

If you are determined, nothing can stop you. But you have to be prepared to work, and work hard.

Publishing your book may be more work than you first expected, but it will be rewarding. Learn from others so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes they did. Be diligent, be persistent, and you will find satisfying results. 

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About the Author

You’ll find Bethany training horses in her backyard, drinking coffee by the gallons while she plots her next book, or sharing new projects with her readers on Instagram (@bethany_klassen_).

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Connect with the Author

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About Sins of the Past

Could he find forgiveness for what he had done, or would his past actions forever define him? 

Emma Royce travels West with her brother after her heart is broken by the man she thought she loved. With a new home and new friends, she’s ready to start over. Before Emma has a chance to gain her footing, however, she has stumbled into a dark and puzzling mystery – the new stranger in Albury.

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Which of these lessons resonated most with you? Have you published any of your writing before, and if so, what lesson of your own did you learn? Do you struggle with comparing yourself to others?