AtlasBooks Distribution Blog

On a number of occasions I’ve had the privilege of witnessing authors see a completed book for the first time. This is one of the benefits of working at Bookmasters where a majority of our operations are under one roof.

Sometimes, if an author lives near enough or has reason to be near our little haven in Ashland, Ohio, they will stop by our campus to pick up some of their books. I’m not sure why, but this moment always puts me a little on edge. Though I trust the quality of what we do (of course I do! I’m not just saying that for the blog), I guess there is always that nagging feeling that the author will be disappointed.

However, at least in my experience, I’ve never been given reason to worry. Everyone is always happy to hold that completed product in their hands. I imagine they probably go home and break out the fine tooth comb and start a list of things they would change, whether it be grammar or wording, or layout choices, color choices, how their hair looks in the author photo on the back cover….the list could go on.

But I think there must be something almost magical about seeing your book for the first time, once everything is completed (the same goes for eBooks, too).

Perhaps it is like a mother seeing her baby for the first time. Most babies come out puffy and wrinkly with squished heads and bleary eyes. But to the mother, they are absolutely beautiful.

A book carries some similarities: you put a lot of work and effort, and dare I say it, labor into getting this thing ready. You put a lot of planning and preparation in the project. How it turns out is a reflection on you personally. You are nervous about how you will handle it now that it is out in the world.

Where are you at with your book project? Are you still getting the words down, a final book still months away? Are you on the edge of publishing, putting together the final pieces? Has your book already been published and is out there in the big wide world trying to make its way? How did you feel when you first saw your book? We would love to hear your comments.

Photo: Amanda Dowdy, with permission