😬Be Realistic or Be Wrecked: Why Publishing Success Isn’t Instant (and Why That’s Okay)

 

Hard Truths from a Writer Who’s Been There, Done That, and Bought Their Own Book

Let’s cut straight to it:

If you're expecting to publish your first book and instantly become a bestseller... you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak.

I know, I know. Not exactly the kind of motivational message you might be used to hearing. But this is real life, and I promised myself I’d be honest on this blog—not just for your sake, but for mine too.

So here it is:
I didn’t know this in the beginning. And yes, I felt a little ridiculous realizing it after I hit publish.

📚 My Big (Naive) Author Dream

Let me tell you how it started:

I published my very first book and thought… “This is it.”

Like, the universe would feel the energy shift. Like readers around the globe would somehow psychically sense a life-changing piece of fiction had just dropped on Amazon and go:

“I must read this immediately.”

I imagined my inbox flooding with orders. I imagined reviews. I imagined interviews.
I imagined… a lot.

Reality?
Three sales.
One was me.
One was my mom.
One was a friend I low-key guilt-tripped into clicking “Buy Now.”

And there it was. The cold truth sitting in my KDP dashboard like a quiet little slap in the face.

🧠 The Truth Nobody Warns You About

We’re sold this dream of overnight success.

You see the stories all the time:

  • “Debut Author Hits NYT Bestseller List in 24 Hours!”

  • “TikTok Made Me Buy It!”

  • “Self-Published Writer Gets Movie Deal!”

And yes, those things do happen.
But they’re unicorns. Glorious, glittering, mythical unicorns. 🦄

Most authors—even some of the best ones—grind in obscurity for years.

Many more give up entirely because the harsh truth of publishing doesn’t line up with the fantasy they were fed.

So let me just say it out loud for anyone who needs to hear it:

You will most likely not be an instant success.

And you know what? That doesn’t make you a failure.
It makes you normal.

💸 Please Don’t Write to Get Rich Fast

This might be the most important part of this entire post:

Do NOT write a book because you think it’ll make you loads of money fast.

You will end up broke, bitter, and deeply confused.

Not because you’re not talented. Not because your book isn’t worth it. But because the math just doesn’t work that way anymore.

In 2025, everyone and their cat can publish a book.

Amazon alone sees thousands of new releases every day.

There are millions of books in every genre you can think of.

Competition is a raging flood and you’re a hopeful little raft trying to stay afloat.

That doesn’t mean your voice doesn’t matter.
That doesn’t mean your story shouldn’t exist.

It just means the odds of immediate financial success are slim.

And if your primary goal is to hit the jackpot right away, you will likely be devastated.

🌎 The Marketplace Is Massive

Let’s break it down with a little reality check:

There are millions of books on Amazon—yes, literally millions.

That’s just one platform.

Add in Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and indie bookstores?

The competition is almost unimaginable.

On any given day, your book is wedged between tens of thousands of others in your genre.

It’s not about discouragement.
It’s about expectation management.

And if you’re not ready to face that, it’s going to get real uncomfortable, real fast.

😬 How It Felt (and How I Got Over It)

When I realized my book wasn’t going to explode with sales, I felt embarrassed.
I felt discouraged. I thought:

  • “Is my book not good enough?”

  • “Did I do something wrong?”

  • “Should I just give up now?”

But then I reminded myself:

I didn’t start writing because I thought it would make me rich.
I started writing because it was the only way I knew how to make sense of the world.
Because stories have always been my refuge, my therapy, my fire.

So I picked myself back up, and I started writing again.
For the love of it. 🖤

And I kept promoting. And learning. And evolving.

And the sales started coming—slowly.

The support grew—organically.

And the work? It got better.
I got better.

🎯 Dream Big, But Don’t Bank on It

Look, I’m not here to rain on anyone’s parade.

By all means, dream as big as you possibly can.

Visualize the movie deals, the awards, the packed book signings. I do it too.

But please—don’t build your emotional and financial well-being on those dreams.

Write because you love it.
Promote because you believe in it.
Publish because you want to share it.

Let the success come when it comes—and it can come.

But if you hinge your self-worth or your joy on hitting 10, 100, or 1,000 sales in the first week?

You’re just setting yourself up for heartbreak.

🗣️ Real Talk: What You Should Do Instead

Let’s flip the script. Here’s what I wish someone had told me early on:

✔️ Set goals that are within your control.
Finish the draft.
Design a strong cover.
Build your author platform.
Post consistently.
Keep learning.

Sales? Reviews? Bestseller lists? Those are external. Focus on your work.

✔️ Celebrate the small wins.
First sale? Huge win.
First reader who wasn’t a family member? Monumental.
Finished editing? You’re a rockstar.

✔️ Write the next book.
If you love writing—keep going. One book will not define your journey. Ten won’t either. But your commitment? That will.

✔️ Find your people.
Connect with other writers. Join communities. Cheer each other on. We’re all trying to find our place in a very loud world.

💬 Final Thought: Dream, Then Wake Up

It’s okay to want the dream.

But don’t forget to wake up and work with what’s real.

Yes, someone might discover your book and fall in love with it.
Yes, you might go viral.
Yes, your story could change someone’s life.

But if you’re here solely to “make it,” you’ll likely end up discouraged and burned out before your potential ever has a chance to bloom.

So take it from me:

Write because you’re meant to write.
Publish because you want to share.
Promote because you believe in your work.

Let success surprise you.

But don’t let it be the only reason you showed up.

✨ P.S.

If you’re on book one, two, or even twenty—and you’re still waiting on your “big break”—you’re not alone.

And you’re not a failure.

You’re a writer.

And that’s already a rare and beautiful thing. ✍️

📝 Your Turn: How Do You Manage Your Writing Expectations?

I’d love to hear from you:

  • What was your biggest surprise after publishing your first book?

  • How do you keep yourself motivated when things aren’t moving fast enough?

  • What small wins have helped you keep going?

Drop your thoughts in the comments below or tag me on social media @MakitiaThompson — let’s support each other in this wild, wonderful writing life.

#Mindsindesign #Makitiathompson #Themiduniverse

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