I had a book deadline in 2019, which was completely unrealistic. Then I got shingles and couldn't see out of or open one eye. My publisher gave me a four-month extension. It was the greatest. I was the poster child for shingles in your eye, probably the only person ever happy to have it. I turned in a book I was proud of instead of one that was rushed—the book released in 2020, which was its own kind of pain. I am NOT wishing shingles on you, by the way. 😂
Mine started with periorbital cellulitis, an infection of the upper and lower eyelid (but the eye underneath was fine), then stress triggered a case of shingles. Take care of yourself!
It's bold to sell a book before finishing it! I'm writing a serialized novella here, publishing one installment a week, without having finished it, and I decided to do this just to write under pressure. I'm three weeks ahead of myself, so I always have time to rethink and edit. I also have three unpublished novel manuscripts in edits or just resting. It's nice to have that much intellectual capital to plan for publication.
Sending you all of the positive vibes, Jenna. You got this! Thank you for taking the time to share with us strangers on the interwebs. As someone in the trenches, you don't sound whiny. This is eye-opening and instead inspires sympathy. It provides some context for the grueling wait for replies, making it seem less grueling.
Jenna! You got this! You have more superpowers than anyone I know! As in, you have them, and I don't know anyone else that does. Seriously! Really, the combination of everything sounds kinda awful... I think I would literally die. But you won't! You'll do it, and it'll be awesome! (And maybe you won't do it again next summer? But you probably will because you have superpowers!)
Also I still love reading all your substacks! Thanks for being amazing :-)
aww JOEY!! Thanks. And NO, definitely will seek to avoid this next summer (by trying to write next book for this publisher this winter instead and return to my preferred seasonal flow ;).
Also, when your book sells for a zillion, you should come back and guest post over here!! (it's gonna happen. I said it)
Congrats on book 4, and that is indeed a tight deadline! Just curious, is the book being crashed? Would also be curious to hear from your agent perspective why some books are crashed while others take 2-3 years to come out.
Great question--this one is not being crashed; it'll be out August 2026, so about a year after I turn it in.
Books are usually crashed, as far as I understand it (though I have no personal experience with it) when there's a relevant cultural tie-in or moment that makes expediting the book worthwhile in the eyes of the publisher. I also wonder if this happens when there's an unexpected gap in the list that another book needs to "fill in" for.
I had a book deadline in 2019, which was completely unrealistic. Then I got shingles and couldn't see out of or open one eye. My publisher gave me a four-month extension. It was the greatest. I was the poster child for shingles in your eye, probably the only person ever happy to have it. I turned in a book I was proud of instead of one that was rushed—the book released in 2020, which was its own kind of pain. I am NOT wishing shingles on you, by the way. 😂
oh my gosh I literally had a red patch on my neck last night and I was like "is this shingles????" (I've gotten them twice before in times of stress)
Mine started with periorbital cellulitis, an infection of the upper and lower eyelid (but the eye underneath was fine), then stress triggered a case of shingles. Take care of yourself!
Oh gosh. Misery.
Hope you're taking care of yourself too. I know you're going through it. ❤️❤️❤️
I feel this so hard. Just turned in Book 2 on a deadline and it nearly killed me. And I can't wait to hear the news!
Ack, I'm sorry you've been there too! It's truly brutal.
It's bold to sell a book before finishing it! I'm writing a serialized novella here, publishing one installment a week, without having finished it, and I decided to do this just to write under pressure. I'm three weeks ahead of myself, so I always have time to rethink and edit. I also have three unpublished novel manuscripts in edits or just resting. It's nice to have that much intellectual capital to plan for publication.
Wishing you good luck with your serialized novella! So fun!
Help yourself 😄https://open.substack.com/pub/camilahamel/p/revenge-of-the-rocket-gang?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1tfs3w
Sending you all of the positive vibes, Jenna. You got this! Thank you for taking the time to share with us strangers on the interwebs. As someone in the trenches, you don't sound whiny. This is eye-opening and instead inspires sympathy. It provides some context for the grueling wait for replies, making it seem less grueling.
Thanks Dan!!!
Jenna! You got this! You have more superpowers than anyone I know! As in, you have them, and I don't know anyone else that does. Seriously! Really, the combination of everything sounds kinda awful... I think I would literally die. But you won't! You'll do it, and it'll be awesome! (And maybe you won't do it again next summer? But you probably will because you have superpowers!)
Also I still love reading all your substacks! Thanks for being amazing :-)
- Joey
aww JOEY!! Thanks. And NO, definitely will seek to avoid this next summer (by trying to write next book for this publisher this winter instead and return to my preferred seasonal flow ;).
Also, when your book sells for a zillion, you should come back and guest post over here!! (it's gonna happen. I said it)
Hah! :-D would love to :-)
And good! Reclaim your summer!
Congrats on book 4, and that is indeed a tight deadline! Just curious, is the book being crashed? Would also be curious to hear from your agent perspective why some books are crashed while others take 2-3 years to come out.
Great question--this one is not being crashed; it'll be out August 2026, so about a year after I turn it in.
Books are usually crashed, as far as I understand it (though I have no personal experience with it) when there's a relevant cultural tie-in or moment that makes expediting the book worthwhile in the eyes of the publisher. I also wonder if this happens when there's an unexpected gap in the list that another book needs to "fill in" for.