If looking back on 2020 isn’t the most appealing exercise to you right now, that’s completely understandable. It’s been a never-ending handkerchief magic trick of pain and loss so far. Looking back is just as stressful, too; even as you strive to adapt to the “new normal,” the year continues to throw you a curveball or two.
For now, let’s look to Austrian neurologist and psychologist Viktor Frankl. After living through Auschwitz, Frankl went on to pen Man’s Search for Meaning, his bestselling memoir where he details his use of humor to stay sane and to survive. In Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything,another book of his, he warns against both pessimism and optimism since both are two sides of the same coin—both are ways to expect things from life.
When looking back and looking forward can equally paralyze you, it’s time to ask a different question. To paraphrase Frankl, the question can no longer be “What can I expect from 2020?” but “What can 2020 expect of me?”
Ask Google about how the publishing industry has dealt with the pandemic, and you’ll find so many embodiments of the latter question. It’s story after story of authors submitting their manuscripts, holding launch parties and book tours on Zoom, and looking out for readers by giving away their books.
Authors who published with us have been keeping busy.
What can you accomplish in three months? Well, NaNoWriMo’s coming up, so you could start planning a novel now, speed-write it by November, and polish it within December. If you want to spice things up, you could try writing one novel for each month instead—three fresh novels by December!
Of course, not every writer lives for the thrill of the word count. You could dedicate yourself to researching and outlining. Three months is barely enough time to explore the internet’s plethora of content. Before you know it, it’ll be the new year.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a manuscript ready right now, you can always reach out to one of our publishing consultants and have a chat about your publishing options.
Remember, it’s a matter of asking what you’re capable of. Frankl said it beautifully: “The question life asks us… does not only change from hour to hour but also changes from person to person…”
As with Frankl’s outlook, the beauty of self-publishing is the freedom to accomplish things at your own pace. Start with what you have right now, and everything will follow.