Blog

So… you’ve poured yourself a congratulatory glass of wine. Or coffee. Or wine in a coffee mug. You’ve told three friends, your dog, and that one chatty barista that you’ve “finished your book.”

And now you’re staring at that big, shiny “publish” button like it’s going to sprout legs and run away.

I get it. You’ve lived with this manuscript for months, maybe years. You’re excited, and you’re so ready for the world to see it. But here’s the truth no one wants to hear:

If you publish now, you’re probably publishing too soon.

Self-publishing is wonderful. It’s accessible, it’s empowering, and it means you can get your story out there without waiting on the gatekeepers. But it’s also created a new kind of pressure: the rush.

I see it often. Authors who:

• feel burnt out and just want it “done already.”
• worry they’ll lose motivation if they take a break.
• see other authors posting “Just published my book!” and feel like they’re falling behind.
• underestimate how long good editing really takes.

The result? Books that could have been unforgettable… but instead end up on the “meh” pile.

Here’s what rushing can cost you:

📝 Weak first impressions. Readers notice clunky sentences, typos, and inconsistent pacing—especially in the first chapter. If they’re not hooked, they’re gone.

💬 Not-so-glowing reviews. Even generous friends can only hold back so much if your book is confusing or full of errors. And let’s be honest, Amazon reviews are forever.

📉 Lost momentum. A weak launch is hard to recover from. You only get one “debut” moment for each book.

“Ready” doesn’t mean “I can’t stand to look at it anymore.” It means:

• The structure works, chapters flow logically, ideas or scenes build naturally.
• The language has been smoothed and tightened without losing your voice.
• Proofreading has caught those sneaky little errors that somehow survive everything.
• You’ve read it and thought, if this were on a bookstore shelf right now, I’d be proud to sign my name to it.

Some authors think they can skip editing because they’ve had beta readers, and beta readers are great! They can tell you if your pacing feels slow or if a plot twist didn’t land. But they’re not editors.

A professional editor sees things a beta reader won’t:

• Patterns in your writing that muddle your message.
• Word choices that undercut your authority or emotional impact.
• Structural weaknesses that quietly confuse your reader.

In nonfiction, editing makes sure your ideas connect clearly and powerfully. In fiction, it keeps readers immersed from start to finish. In both scenarios, it’s the bridge between “it was good” and “I stayed up until 2 a.m. reading this!”

Here’s a more sane, success-friendly publishing timeline:

1. Draft finished → Rest it for 2–4 weeks (yes, really).
2. Self-edit + revise → Get it to the strongest version you can on your own.
3. Professional editing → Developmental or line editing, followed by revisions.
4. Proofreading → The final polish.
5. Publish → Confidently, knowing your book is the best it can be.

This process can take a few months, but think of it as the difference between serving a cake fresh from the oven vs. giving it time to cool, frost, and decorate. Which one would you rather eat?

Publishing is exciting, and it should be. But it’s also worth slowing down for, because your book has one chance to make a first impression.

If you’ve finished your draft and want help figuring out next steps (whether that’s a big-picture review, a line-by-line polish, or something in between), I’d be happy to talk it through with you.

Because your book deserves to be unforgettable, and so do you.