Do Authors Know When To Pack It In & Move On?

 

It occurred to me recently that selling one’s home is akin to an author having to make big decisions about their book.

My in-laws, now in their early 80s, made a big move recently. They sold the house they had lived for a half-century and raised a family in. The walls that bore witness to the significant moments of their adult lives will now be the domain of another family. 

As they packed up their things, all kinds of memories came upon everything they touched. They made decisions on hundreds of items: keep, toss, or donate. But it was more than a process of finding a physical home for each item. It was about evaluating one’s life and reflecting on who they are becoming in contrast to who they were or think they are.

Our things have a way of conjuring reflections of a life lived with joy, accomplishment, and
love. But they can also remind us of regrets, shortcomings, losses, and missed opportunities. They have a way of attaching us to aspirations unfulfilled and get us thinking of what could or should have been.

Life has many mile markers in our early years. First steps, initial words, learning how to read and ride a bicycle, first kiss, first summer job. Lots of firsts.

Then we graduate from school and enter the working world. Marriage for many, kids for some, and divorce for half. We earn promotions, make career changes, and maybe even launch a business. Our vacations take us across the country and around the globe.

Whatever paths are taken, we eventually confront our advanced age and transitions need to be made. Perhaps authors need to also make certain transitions, choices, and changes. They have to decide when to write, how to publish and market, when to alter plans, and when to pack it in.

Most authors are slow to take action in each of the aforementioned areas. There is a natural propensity for procrastination that seems baked into an author’s DNA. Denial, divergence, avoidance, delay, and excuses are all in the author toolkit. But at some point, reality has to hit.

Once a writer puts a book out and crosses into being a published author, a meter of time, money, energy, and motivation starts ticking. Money tends to be the first to go. Authors hit different crossroads where they contemplate what to do next when marketing a book. They start to see the results — or lack of — in response to different initiatives. Hopes start to dwindle alongside anemic sales numbers. Optimism and good faith give way to anger, frustration, bitterness, and bewilderment.

So, when should an author pack it in?

If they tried their best for a sustained period of time and feel they have exhausted all reasonable opportunities, pack it in.
If they have run out of resources: money, time, or favors, pack it in.
If they received many rejections and bad reviews — as opposed to merely being ignored — pack it in.
If they no longer believe in their book, pack it in.

Not every book is a winner and all books have an expiration date when it comes to focused marketing. Never throw in the towel too soon, but don’t beat a dead horse, either.

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 5,850,000 page views. With 5,600+ posts over the past 14 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs  by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum