The Business Of Being An Author

By Zelly Ruskin

I thought the hard part was going to be finishing the book. Then I published.

The image of an author is often one of someone chewing a pencil, with wads of papers beneath their chair. Maybe they’d be deep in thought, or frazzled—or both. In today’s world, they are sitting uninspired at their computer. One of my favorite GIFs is Popeye’s Olive Oyl typing ferociously on a typewriter. She’s in the zone. 

As exciting as the buildup to my debut launch was, I couldn’t wait to get back to that place—those bursts of creative thought. It’s not that I’d been blindsided by what came after my novel’s release, I’d just underestimated how completely it would drain my mental and physical bandwidth.

In the months leading up to my book launch, nearly every waking hour focused on organizing and coordinating production schedules and interview opportunities. My publicist’s team guided me through the logistics, but there was still plenty on my shoulders. The planning was exciting and filled with promise. There was a sleeplessness and a buzz through my bones as if I’d consumed a Venti at every Starbucks on every other corner—though I never touch the stuff. As my launch day neared, the partying began: book signings, events, festivals, podcasts, interviews and so much more. Exhilarating.

Despite my stay-behind-the-scenes personality, I pushed myself out front and learned to hide my shaking limbs when speaking in public. Selling myself and my book felt unnatural, but talk I did. Small talk shrank to one topic—I wrote a novel—usually punctuating it with a bookmark pulled from a pocket.

Each post-publication morning began with checking numbers (not exactly fun for someone who doesn’t mesh well with math and algorithms). For days, the Amazon author page had to be refreshed on the hour to check updated stats—was the book selling? Was it ranking near the top? The results emotionally dictated the rest of the day. But sales were decent. Bookstagrammers were mentioning the book. Reviews were (mostly) favorable. After a few months, the doubts and fears of putting my work out in the world subsided a little.

That’s about when my publicist emailed, “it’s time to wrap this campaign.” I stared at the screen in a kind of lost-in-a-crowd kind of shock. For days, I had that feeling you get after carrying a load of packages to UPS—awkwardly empty-handed on the way out. More to the point, it was that flat, post-event planning useless feeling of what-do-I do-now? I opened the spreadsheets I’d created to prepare for this emancipation—now just meaningless blurs of colored columns. The how-to-market-your-book manuals got dusted and re-piled, their covers left unopened. I tried to produce something—an essay, a newsletter, an Insta post—but the quiet in my head was overwhelming. The confidence and excitement that had sustained me were nursing a full-blown panic attack.

What no one tells you is the hardest part isn’t finishing a book. It’s becoming the book marketing and business expert you’d never asked to be. Instead of writing my next novel, I was figuring out Amazon and Facebook ads, pitching podcasts and in-person interviews. Even with a Godsend like Canva, I could get lost in the abyss for hours trying to scrape out engaging social media content. I lost steam. Hit a wall. Couldn’t market a grain of salt, let alone my book. I questioned if I should’ve done this at all.

Then a funny thing happened: courage weaseled its way in. I hadn’t come this far—or delivered this book to readers, to hide. Marketing and the business end will never be a favorite, but putting myself out there and connecting with readers has turned out to be the delicious reward of self-promotion. It’s fantastic when someone says they like your book, and you look into their eyes and know they mean it. It’s extraordinary when someone relates to your book—especially one like Not Yours to Keep, which contains emotional triggers around loss, fertility, and mental health, and it was a gamble how readers would react.

But they did react. Many opened up and shared deeply personal stories about adoption, infertility, and more. One woman described a situation in which she took custody and raised her younger sibling. Others spoke of discovering siblings they didn’t know existed because of adoption. Another woman shared the impact of having a mother who was an adoptee. Birth mothers talked about what they’d been through. Some saw themselves in the characters. Others said the novel helped them gain a new perspective—or a little hope. Their responses have warmed my heart.

Speaking at books clubs has become one of my favorite parts. The conversations are thoughtful, unpredictable, and fun. People are lovely, and their questions show just how deeply invested they are in the story.

That’s the gold. It’s what makes this author forget the labor of birthing their book and want to do it again.

In fact, I did something daring: I gave myself permission to take a vacation from book business to craft the next book. Another domestic suspense. Like Not Yours to Keep, it explores how our parents shape who we become, who we choose in our relationships, and how we parent. But this time, someone will die. That’s a cliffhanger, not a spoiler. You’ll see what I mean in Fall 2026.

At least this time, I know what to expect after the launch. Whether I’ll handle it with more grace or success remains to be seen. It will still be harder than writing a book–but now I have the tools. More importantly, I’ve discovered I can survive the spreadsheets and algorithms, the marketing and selling—if it means reaching people, and teaching them something in an entertaining way. Most of all, I’ll keep putting my stories out there, as long as they keep resonating and making readers feel. 

—

Zelly Ruskin is the award-winning author of Not Yours to Keep, her debut novel published by She Writes Press in October 2024. She writes domestic suspense that explores the secrets families keep—and the resilience that carries them through. A former social worker and adoption consultant, Zelly is also a (sometimes) artist and a passionate volunteer for brain aneurysm awareness. When she’s not devising twisty plots, she’s likely traveling or hiking—where the next idea often finds her. She lives in New York City with her ridiculous doodle, Strudel.

NOT YOURS TO KEEP

SheKnows.com “The 19 Best Books We Read in 2024” * Zibby Awards Winner: Best Family Drama Category * Shelf Unbound 2024 Best Indie Books NOTABLE INDIE * 2024 Somerset Awards short list for Literary and Contemporary Fiction

Called a “sensational debut” by Rea Frey, this psychological thriller delves into themes of reproductive rights and healthcare, confronting the complexities that define family—or the risks that lose it all.

Billie Campbell, a Massachusetts adoption specialist grappling with fertility issues, dreams of adopting a baby, but not just any baby—her pregnant client’s baby. While her longing threatens to send her down a dark path, her husband, Tyler, is keeping secrets: he’s full of doubts about becoming a father, and he’s also trying to figure out who is sending him upsetting anonymous texts and photos. On the other side of town, Anne, a woman scarred by childhood abuse, obsesses with a second chance at becoming a family with the two people she regrets ever having let go of: the baby she gave up for adoption twenty years ago and the man of her dreams.

Their lives become entangled when the client’s newborn is abducted, and Billie becomes a prime suspect.

Amid the chaos unleashed by the abduction, Tyler uncovers a link between the person tormenting him and the abduction—but now Billie has disappeared too. The race to find both her and the baby is on; but will they find them before it’s too late?

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips, On Book Marketing