In early 2023, I sent an email to my publisher (Inkspell Publishing) with the manuscript for Trusting Love. This book was the beginning of a new trilogy of contemporary romance novels, and I was eager to sign a contract and get in the 2024 lineup for publication. As I signed on the dotted line to release Trusting Love on January 16, 2024, an offer came with it.

“If this is book one of a trilogy, why don’t we also pencil in publishing dates for book 2 (Finding Love, June 13, 2024) and book 3 (Chasing Love, November 19, 2024)?”

Not only did I take that offer, but I smiled with enthusiasm! How awesome would it be to release my novels with very little wait time in between each story? And while that might sound amazing to a reader, as an author, here’s what I learned from this experience:

Burn out is real. I remember starting to write Finding Love, book two in the trilogy. I felt so energized and excited at first, but slowly started to sink into a writing slump about 50% of the way through. Because when I stopped to do the math, I realized I was only half-way done writing the trilogy. I slogged through and still ended up with a story I loved (I think it’s my favorite of the three), but I lost the part of me that wrote for fun. Instead, it had become a contract. A deadline. An obligation.

I plotted out all of Chasing Love, chapter by chapter, thinking that would help me stay focused. But instead, it felt like something I had to do instead of something I wanted to do. I did finish on time, but writing this final book in the trilogy was by far my least enjoyable experience. Creative writing (for me) is an outlet. Once my storytelling became a chore on a deadline, I lost the enjoyment and fulfillment from the process.

But the burnout didn’t stop there because drafting a story is just one part of the process. Each of my stories typically see two rounds of editing and a final proofread. So, while I was drafting one story, I had to pause and edit the previous one. I became simply bored of reading about these characters! And that’s not something that should happen. I’m still very pleased with the final product, but it was a year of feeling very disheartened by the process.

The financial commitment is steep. I am very fortunate to work with an incredible publisher who pays for all the upfront costs associated with publishing a book. Costs for a beautiful book cover, editing, interior formatting, and more are all covered at the expense of Inkspell. And while I am beyond appreciative, there are still substantial costs associated with selling the book after publication. I quickly realized what a financial commitment it would be to launch not one, not two, but three books in a single year.

To attend any book signing, you can typically plan for $100-250 to reserve booth or table space. Toss in gas money, hotel expenses, food, and odd and end expenses, and it’s easy to wrack up a $1,000 bill on a single book signing. This past year, I traveled to Louisville, KY, St. Louis, MO, Galena, IL, Chicago, IL, and more. Did I sell enough books to recoup the cost? Absolutely not. On a good day, I sell 10-15 copies. But trust me, that is not always the case.

To add to the list of expenses, let’s talk paperbacks. Even though I can purchase paperbacks at wholesale, it still costs several hundred dollars to receive a box of paperback books from Amazon. Those taxes and shipping fees are a tough pill to swallow! And I can only make my money back if I’m out there selling. See above because my gosh, it’s a vicious cycle!

Toss in a few promotional services, giveaway contests, Instagram post boosts, book blog tours, and money for a Google Ad campaign and you can basically call yourself flat out broke.

I never stopped to think what the financial costs would be when I agreed to publish three books in a single year. But they were mighty!

Book events are exhausting. It’s not even just the costs associated with book signings and author events. It’s the time spent away from family and friends on the weekends. For a stretch of time this past summer, I had an event every single weekend, which meant I missed out on my kid’s basketball games, dance practices, and trips to the park.

Let me tell you, THE GUILT IS REAL.

Either you’re out selling books (because you’re financially invested and want to succeed), or you’re missing out on the joys of family time. Being away on the weekends, even if the event is just 2-3 hours, starts to take a toll. Not to mention, I’m an introvert. Book signings drain me. My social battery runs dry and by the time I do get home, I have no energy for my children. It’s not fair to them.

But…

While I’ve focused heavily on the negative consequences of releasing three books in a single year, there are of course also an overwhelming number of positives, too! It was simply wonderful to see the excitement and buzz for each book launch so close together. There’s nothing worse than reading a book and having to wait months (sometimes years!) before the second book in a good series will release. For readers of the Clumsy Little Hearts trilogy, this was not the case in 2024.

Would I do it all again?

Nope. I’d stretch it out and find the joy in the experience. But for better or worse, my brand has grown, books have been sold, and I have learned a lot in the process.