Saying Goodbye to Your Book

A couple weeks ago, I ran a workshop for my agency sibling while we were on a writing retreat called Rebuilding Your Creative Confidence. 

After my presentation, I got a great question about bouncing back when a book dies on submission. 

"How do you move on from a project you love that didn't sell? How do you still believe that you're a good writer when no one will buy your book?"

I shared one of my favorite techniques -- writing a goodbye letter to your book -- and everyone loved it so much, I knew I needed to share it with you, too.

When You Need to Move On

Writing a book is a long process.

You pour countless hours into your characters. By the time a book is done enough that it's either going out on submission to find a publishing home or it's reaching release day, you've often become quite attached to the story and, especially, the characters.

For many authors, we've spent so much time with the characters that they feel like real people.

So when you reach a moment where you will no longer be working with these people, it can be hard emotionally. 

It's a flavor of grief that most people will not understand. 

Instead of ignoring those feelings, it's helpful to give yourself a place to process them.

Enter: The Goodbye Letter

Write a letter to your book and thank it for everything it's done for you. 

Thank your book for helping you grow, for keeping you company, and for all the ways it inspired you.

There is no wrong way to write this letter.

You can write to the book as a whole. To specific characters. 

You can give the story permission to find a different author or invite the characters to go into whatever form of retirement you know they'll most appreciate. 

If you tortured your characters on the page, this could be a good chance to apologize and give them the coziest post-book life to make up for all the important "character growth" you put them through. 

Whatever you choose to include, let it come from the heart. No one will ever see this but you. 

 
Why This Works

The act of writing this kind of goodbye letter to your characters allows you space to reflect, process your feelings (it's common to cry a little--or a lot--writing these types of letters), and create a sense of emotional closure that the publishing industry doesn't naturally provide. 

It's a way to transform insecurity, double, frustration, and disappointment into genuine appreciation. 

Not silver lining BS, but actual, genuine appreciation for everything writing that story did for you. 

Because there is a 0% chance you're the exact same person you were before you started writing that novel. 

The act of digging into character and exploring story uncovers and reveals so much of our inner world. 

Putting yourself out there to query for a new agent, submit to editors, or publish the book into the world is a deeply brave act of vulnerability.

So tend to yourself. 

Give yourself space to acknowledge and appreciate all you've done.

And if this was a book that kept you company or gave you a much-needed distraction during an emotionally challenging time in your life, that deserves to be honored and respected. 

If you've watched Schitt's Creek, writing this letter is a bit like those very final moments between Ted and Alexis. It's bittersweet as they go their separate ways, but also so lovely and tender.  

 
When to Use It

There are two major times when I personally use this goodbye letter technique and when I suggest it to clients.

1 - When you've reached the end of a submission period and the book didn't sell (and you need to move on to something else) 

2 - On release day for a book that did sell 

The release day version is very similar to what I already discussed above, with one little twist. 

I like to treat the goodbye less as a retirement and more like sending a child off to college. 

You're sending the book out into the world to meet new people and have new experiences.

After spending years tending to the story, you can no longer protect it from the world. 

It's out there, trying to find its right people. 

With my upcoming adult debut (With All My Haunted Heart - out Sept 8th), part of my release day ritual will be spending time with my journal to write this letter.

I'll talk about my hopes and dreams for the book. The types of readers it might encounter. The people who will resonate with different characters and the connections it'll forge. 

I'll thank the book for bringing me so much joy during an incredible dark period of my life. For carrying on the name of my late son. For being a vehicle to tell a tiny piece of his story. 

And yes, I will probably cry. 

But it'll be the good kind of cry. A needed release. 

And if you're writing this letter to a book that died on submission, the closure and catharsis you'll gain through this process will free up space to fall in love with your next story.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're bidding farewell to a book that didn't sell or launching your novel to the broader world on release day, adding this goodbye letter to your process is a simple yet powerful way to find closure and purpose in an industry that's so often filled with uncertainty. 

So gather up a notebook, have tissues near by, and give yourself permission to say a loving goodbye. 

Happy writing,
Isabel 

PS - If you're ready to write more, meet deadlines without burnout, and build the confidence to handle any publishing plot twist, I can help.. Click here to learn more about coaching and schedule your free enrollment call. 

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