Debut Novelists - I Salute You!
Can anybody guess the thing I love most about being a debut novelist?
The fame? The fortune? Eh, no.
But there’s a lot to love.
Odd as it might sound I still feel a bit stunned whenever I walk into a shop and see The Silent Daughter on the shelves, often sitting beside the master of crime mysteries, Agatha Christie. It’s amazing, but at the same time a wee voice in my head says there’s been some terrible misunderstanding. It can’t be MY book.
And I still haven’t got used to opening Amazon and seeing The Silent Daughter there – especially when there’s a row of yellow stars below the title. And as for when I see my name and book cover in glossy magazines and newspapers and mentioned on social media…it’s mad. Again, I can’t really believe it’s me.
It’s totally overwhelming to know that thousands of people all across the country have sat down and invested hours of their busy lives reading a story that I made up then wrote down. It means so much when readers get in touch to say how much they’ve enjoyed my book. Knowing that, I’ve started writing to authors myself, letting them know when I’m loving their novels.
These are just some of the novelties of being a novelist.
But, by their very nature, novelties will wear off eventually.
There is one thing that will last, however, and that’s the thing I love the most about being a debut novelist. And even better, it’s something I’d never even thought about during all the years I spent sitting on my own, hammering stories into my laptop and dreaming of getting a publishing deal.
Can you guess what it is?
Other debut novelists.
I’d never imagined what an important role other debuts would play in my life as a published writer but the truth is, I now can’t imagine my life without them. I’m part of a group called The D20 Authors (D for debut, 20 for the year) and it’s one of the most welcoming communities I’ve ever been a part of - despite the fact I’ve never met a single one of them in person, thanks to Covid. This is the first time in my life I’ve forged meaningful friendships over the internet - and, to be honest, the first time I’ve really met other writers.
Writing is solitary work most of the time and publishing is a frequently bamboozling industry – so it’s been vitally important to have other people by my side who are equally as lost and confused and excited and overwhelmed and nervous as I have been at times. Publishing your first novel feels a wee bit like that common nightmare of walking down the street and suddenly realising you’re naked. It’s hard to contemplate how it feels unless you’ve actually walked in those shoes.
(or without shoes, presumably, if we’re talking about the nightmare…)
That’s one of the reasons I decided to launch an online book festival - Diary Of A Debut Novelist - specifically for debut authors, and why I’ve set up The Debut Novel Book Club as well. Not only is it a fantastic way for me to meet even more new writers - and to hear their stories - but it’s a way to continue working alongside the endlessly supportive and inspiring debut novelists who’ve been by my side during these early days of my writing career. And even though I’ll soon be releasing my second novel (title to be revealed soon) I hope to continue doing whatever I can to support and promote debut authors for many years to come. Basically, I’m destined to become a wannabe debut for the rest of my days. I’ll be like that person at the office who’s long-since retired but keeps on popping in for a visit.
That’s why I’m going to shift the focus of this blog. Until now it’s been all about me and how I got to be where I am now. But from now on I’ll be writing blog posts about other debut authors and telling their stories instead. So if you want to hear tales from behind the scenes of a debut novel, I hope this will be the place to come. Long live debut novels! And long live those who write them.