Friday Fun is a group post from the writers of the NHWN blog. Each week, we’ll pose and answer a different, get-to-know-us question. We hope you’ll join in by providing your answer in the comments.
QUESTION: So, you just landed the publishing deal of your dreams. What are you going to do now?
Jamie Wallace: It’s a toss up: celebrate or panic. As much as publication is the ultimate goal for most writers, there is a heaping pile of pressure and responsibility that comes along with that winning lottery ticket. I have a feeling that my reaction would be something like the five stages of grief except that instead of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance I’d probably have to work through disbelief, elation, and panic followed by a long period of butt-in-chair-itis, and – finally – some semblance of sanity. I suppose I won’t really know until it happens. (Note I said “until,” not “unless” … I’m an optimist.) 
photo: M. Shafer
Deborah Lee Luskin: After a good whoop and a holler and a splash of champagne, the hard work begins. The deal is just the beginning. The ink is barely dry before there are rewrites, galleys, proofreading, blurbs for the back page, a new author photo, website update, and gearing up for the marketing – which is huge – and distracting. So putting the current project in order – and on hold – while the marketing blitz takes over is important too. I’m ready: bring it on!
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Lisa J. Jackson: I would definitely shout and do some strange gyrations that I call a “happy dance” or “celebration dance”. I actually shout, wiggle, and punch the air when I get any type of good writing news. I celebrate every little win, every positive step forward. It’s similar to not saving the china and crystal for “special occasions only” — why only celebrate the big things? Each day is ‘a present’, so I strive to treat it as such. Although landing a publisher and a book deal will definitely get more hoops and hollers than a new article request, I celebrate all the writing gigs that I get.
Julie Hennrikus: I would (will–positive thinking!) be thrilled. And own that for a few days. Then it is time to clear the decks, and get the book written, and written well, while continuing to build my platform and get ready to market. I am grateful that I am a member of both Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America–both have built in support systems for navigating the waters. And I know enough writers that I respect the amount of work it takes to get a contract and then to get the next one. But still–what a thrill.
Susan Nye: After lots of shouting, jumping up and down, popping champagne corks, tweeting, emailing, telephoning and posting the good news to any and all, I’d get down to the serious business of choosing my outfit to wear on the Today Show. Not really. As soon as the initial euphoria died down, it would be back to work. Just because the writer thinks the book is done, editors and publisher generally have lots of suggestions to make good great. I imagine I would be hitting the keys, pacing, editing and editing some more and then some!
I would stop and thank God. One of my fervent prayers is that I can realize just such a moment in my life. I crave it so much that it seems like a haunting thought. There are many of your reactions I would share: disbelief, a touch of fear at the responsibility, an overbearing drive to write now, but ultimately I would have to share it with those in my world.
I think I will savor it quietly for at least a few hours…let myself get past the tears every time I re-read the notice.Then, slowly, I would unleash my “happy” on the world…yabbering endlessly, squealing with delight, and answering everyone’s questions with “I don’t know, but isn’t it fabulous!”
I can’t wait, it sounds like so much fun
I’d call my mom and all my sisters and then plan a beach trip to the Gulf coast.
Go on a much-deserved vacation for a week or two! Probably de-tox, yoga, then go AWAY from my office – somewhere quiet where I would read, sip wine, chill out and refresh for the next go-round.
Because there’s always a sequel or the next spectacular project right?
What a terrifying and exciting thought! I would be elated for about a day, and then the panic would set in. I would obsess and recheck every word I’d written and try to convince myself that I’ll be totally fine if this doesn’t actually happen and then breathe a HUGE sigh of relief when I actually hold the book in my hot little hands. Then I’d go sit on a beach with a margarita…or two.
I had chips and habañero salsa, got a tattoo (although that took a couple of months), and have been working like a demon ever since.
Touchdown! Im going to Disney World…oh thats in football…reality…Work hard.
The title has it right – this truly is a fun post! I enjoyed it, thanks
It finally happened to me, and I did and went through all of the above. Did I see. . . Someone’s pulling my leg? Because I still didn’t believe it.
I love that you all touched on the stress that comes with getting published. For so many of us publication is the end game, it’s what we focus on and work toward. But you’re right, it’s only the beginning and we must be prepared for what happens next.
Loving your blog ladies!
Of course my dream is to have a book published, get a nice advance and let the royalties come rolling in. While that hasn’t happened yet, I found that just getting one little poem published felt surreal. I can’t imagine how a book deal would feel! When my poem, “I Am My Mother” was accepted into the 2012 Sacramento Poetry Society anthology, “Late Peaches”, I had to ask myself why was mine chosen? I knew that there were many, many poems that had been entered and had not been accepted. I personally knew some of the poets and their work was good too. Having my poem accepted has reminded me of the saying, “What is possible for one is possible for you, too”. I didn’t really believe that saying until it happened to me. Granted, having ONE poem in an anthology is not like getting a book published, but it is a start. I didn’t know any of the judges, and can only conclude that my poem touched one or more of the judges hearts. So…BELIEVE…dear writers!
I would write another one