My ninth novel is published this week. As usual, I will be racing around on P-Day, doing the million-and-one things you do as a terrified-yet-excited author watching your brand new book heading off into the world. But this year, I’ll be doing something different: I’ll be celebrating.
Miranda Dickinson
It sounds so obvious, but for most of my professional writing career it’s the one thing I’ve forgotten to do. Releasing a new book is a strange experience and while thrilling, can quickly become overwhelming. Will anyone like it? Will they buy it or will it sink? Have I done a good job? Very often by the time you reach P-Day you’re exhausted. And usually, writing the next book with a looming deadline. Celebration is often buried beneath the pile of everything else you have to do.
But this year will be different.
Almost two years ago, I lost my dad. He died suddenly, just after I started writing Somewhere Beyond the Sea. When I lost him, it threw a huge shadow over everything. Things I should have celebrated fell by the wayside. When I looked at what people I knew were sharing on social media, they all seemed to have enormous reasons to celebrate. It felt like I’d never have anything big enough to celebrate again.
Then I spoke to close friends and found out they were all struggling, too. It was as if we were only ‘allowed’ to celebrate the big stuff: the bestsellers, the film deals, the career breaks. Realising that pulled me up. Why should we only make a big deal about the pinnacle moments, which are so rare? Why couldn’t we celebrate everything?
So, I did an experiment. For a week, I made a note of everything that made me smile. Tiny things, like dappled sunlight on my garden, a cup of tea that was just right, writing a sentence that gave me a little shiver of joy. Other things, too: finding a parking space in a busy car park; finishing a chapter in my work-in-progress; receiving a lovely message from an Instagram friend. At the end of the week, I had a huge pile of notes. I read them back and was amazed by how happy – and proud – it made me feel. It brightened everything.
And it’s continued. It’s helped. Not only with my work, but with life in general. It’s left me happier, more confident, readier to feel good about me. On days when friends share huge news, I celebrate with them without feeling I’m not as good by comparison. I’ve celebrated every chapter I’ve written in Somewhere Beyond the Sea – and as a result my book is the happiest, most confident novel I’ve created.
So, on the day Somewhere Beyond the Sea wings its brave way into the world, I will be celebrating my socks off. Because when you celebrate the small stuff every day, imagine how huge the big celebrations can be…
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is out today, published by Pan Macmillan in paperback, eBook and audiobook.