1. GROUND YOUR EXPECTATIONS

2. BE PATIENT

GROUND YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Grounding your expectations means one thing: stop comparing your first draft to the book sitting on the shelf, a costly mistake I made writing my very first manuscript. As I read a book, tears streamed down my face, not because the book was sad, but because I looked at those words, that story, and thought, “My writing doesn’t look anything like this!”

Well no shit, first drafter. Of course my turd of a manuscript didn’t look like the one that went through rounds and rounds of revisions and edits. The one that was sliced, rewritten, torn apart again, rewritten again, critiqued by an agent, rewritten at the hands of an editor’s suggestions. Rewritten again and again until it looks like the one on the shelf. It takes countless weeks, tireless months, even oodles of years to go from first to final draft. So ground your expectations. Don’t compare a first draft to a final one. Even best-selling authors’ first drafts don’t go directly to publication.

BE PATIENT

If there were a store that sold patience, I’d have camped outside the night before. And if comparing my first draft wasn’t enough, expecting to write that manuscript quickly was equally foolish. Writing a book requires patience. Lots of it. In so many areas: yourself, the words, the process. Sometimes the writing just doesn’t happen. The ideas don’t come. The words don’t flow. Be patient. They will. Sure, some people write a first draft in less than a month, but they don’t fly through revisions at the same pace. It takes time. All of it. Writing, revising, querying. Trust the process.

Often, we see new authors breaking into the business as “an overnight success.” Let me be clear, what looks like overnight success is usually years of invisible work finally becoming visible. It’s years of craft study. Enough drafts to wallpaper a wall––The Great Wall of China. Inboxes laden with rejection emails. Your goal isn’t to breakthrough fast, it’s to break through. Play the long game. And I’m someone who learned the hard way. When I scrolled through debut authors’ announcements, I’d feel a pang of something I wasn’t proud of. But when I learned the story behind their “instant” success, I stopped measuring my chapter one against someone else’s final one.

MY TAKEAWAY:

Over the years, I’ve heard wonderful pieces of advice. I’ve learned so many different ways to become a better writer. And I’ve grown in ways I never expected. But these are the two biggest things I wish I would’ve known up front. So if you’re a newbie or a seasoned writer, remember, nobody wins playing the comparison game, and nobody (except maybe you) cares how long it took you to cross the finish line.

If you know a writer who could benefit from this article, please share it. You might just be saving their sanity (and sparing a box of tissues)!

My second novel has been released into the wild today! Four years ago, I was an aspiring author, and today, I’m holding my second book.

With her grandmother’s treasured rugelach recipe missing, twenty-six-year-old Seraphina Baskin needs to keep her family’s famous Jewish bakery afloat. But there s just one problem: a black thumb plagues Seraphina she can’t bake anything without burning, melting, or otherwise destroying every batch. Enter David Winslow, a charming stranger who makes Seraphina’s heart soften like dough and stomach fold like warm batter. Desperate for help and against her better judgment, Seraphina hires him, their chemistry heating more than just the kitchen. But as sabotage threatens the bakery, secrets rise like over-proofed dough. Faced with David’s hidden truth, Seraphina must decide if opening her heart is the missing ingredient kneaded to whip up a happy ending. Filled with humor, heart, and a touch of heat, this delicious romantic comedy is about second chances, secret recipes, and finding the courage to follow your heart.

Sold at all major online retailers and bookshop.org.

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in getting me here today, and to all my readers who motivate me to keep putting pen to paper and fingers to keyboard. Your enthusiasm and love of reading are contagious!

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If you order it directly through the publisher, the shipping rate is quite costly. However, the book ships three weeks from the date of order IF you order before January 7th.

If you purchase elsewhere, the book ships on January 7th. So, if you want to read the book before the rest of the world, you can, but you’ll need to pay the higher shipping rate.

PREORDERS ARE KEY (as are reviews, but that comes later!). The more preorders, the higher the ranking for the author, the more publicity, the more exposure, the more interest and thus more orders. And so goes the cycle. So any preorders help!

To buy a copy, click a link below:

AMAZON​

​BARNES AND NOBLE​

​PUBLISHER​

​WALMART​

(Target, Books-A-Million, and Bookshop.org don’t have their links up yet, but will soon, so if you prefer to purchase from one of these, keep checking their sites!)

And in the meantime, enjoy this unboxing video!

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Until the next time, happy reading!

Best,

Gayle

P.S. Please post a review or at the very least, rate the book after you read it! This plays into the algorithm as well! And if you’d like to spread the word, posting on any socials is appreciated as well 💕

P.P.S. If you’re looking for something to read in the interim, check out my other novel, A DEADLY GAME! My publisher is offering a 20% discount by entering the code SEASON20 at checkout.

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Hi all! I’m a former teacher turned full-time writer as well as a writing mentor, lurking in the corners of Substack for a while now, debating whether to start my own. With the encouragement from a few friends, here I am now, front and center.

My passion for writing started when I could hold a crayon in my hand, using the walls as my storyboard. Since then, I’ve connected pen to paper and fingers to the keyboard at every given chance. My debut novel, A DEADLY GAME is available where books are sold, and my second novel, BASKIN’S BAKERY will make its way into the world January 7, 2026.

I’m looking to make connections with readers and writers. If you stick with me, you’ll gain insight into the working mind of an author, musings of being a mom, and a potpourri of particulars and nothing in particular too.

You might be wondering how often you can expect to hear from me? One of the many things I’ve learned about my writing is the most consistent thing about it is how inconsistent it is. See? You’ve already gained some insight into my working mind! You’re welcome. When something seems worth sharing, I’ll share. When something important needs to be said, I’ll say it. You get the picture.

So as I venture into the world of Substack, any tips and tricks are much appreciated. I look forward to connecting!

Best,

Gayle Brown, Author

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