How do you accept delays?

“It was a dark and stormy night.” I wonder how many stories start out with those words. The fact is that things don’t always go according to plan. It happens in life and it happens with book launches.

My husband was meant to come home last night. Instead, he had to sleep on a bench in Bloemfontein. Why? Because last night really was a dark and stormy night.???

Severe weather prevented the plane he was meant to board from landing. In the early part of the evening, I joked about the fact that the unfolding events sounded like the 2004 movie, “The Terminal” starring Tom Hanks. This movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, was inspired by the true story of the 18-year stay of Mehran Karimi Nasseri in Terminal 1 of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, France.?

The idea was only funny before I found out that Colin was not coming home. Concern replaced my humour. After spending two days presenting a sales training course, my husband was stranded at the airport. The closest hotels were fully booked and finally, when one of the team managed to book him accommodation, there were no Uber vehicles available to get him there.

Am I happy that the delay forced my husband to sleep on an airport bench? Not at all. I worried about his safety. I got very little sleep myself, waking up every few minutes to check on the updates. Despite my frustration, it was not a safe time to land, and having him home safely was more important than our comfort.

Not all passengers accept the news of a delay gracefully. We've all seen those movies where passengers yell at front-line staff. We can almost feel the spittle from their tantrums land on our cheek. As if their frustration can change weather patterns.

In the same way, many authors don’t accept delays gracefully. Self-published authors often ignore requests to have a book professionally edited or discard requests to launch a book later. Like airlines, transitional publishers have policies to safeguard their reputation and won't comply with these demands.

While I am an advocate of self publishing, I know that not all the authors who choose this model have a business minded approach. They have a date in mind and are hell bent on sticking to it.?

Often, authors think that having someone close to them or an English professor they know who has read the book multiple times is adequate editing prior to a book launch. They don’t understand that an editor is not just about checking grammar. Editors know how to cut through the confusion and make your message clear in a way that the market will respond to.?

I too have succumbed to launching prematurely, so I understand how our emotions can drive us. Over time, I have learned to make decisions in a more strategic manner, but I still have to sometimes harness my passion and, dare I say, my ego, and redirect my energy to better serve my launch strategy.

In a way, a premature launch would have been akin to me asking my husband to rent a microlight and fly home in the storm last night. I honestly would rather have him sleeping on the bench, because it is far safer.

In the last two weeks, I had two authors ask me about launching their book in December, giving themselves around two weeks to plan something that has taken them months, and in some cases years to write.December is a time where the market gets flooded with new books. Books that a publisher who took the time, effort and resources to build a campaign around before the date of their book launch.

Both of the authors who approached me have no launch plan. One author ignored my advice. The other author listened to my reasoning. You need time to build excitement for your book. Spend this December building a social media strategy. Create an email list and communicate about your upcoming book launch. Hire an event planner. Send copies of your book to influencers. Create a book trailer. Your book is part of your business plan, so treat it with the same commitment as any other business idea you want to have succeed.

Just like airlines have safety checks for aircraft, an author needs to have a book launch checklist.

That is something I am doing for my new book “Escaping the Well of Silence.” A select handful of speakers and coaches are beta-reading the book and sending feedback.?

I have rushed my book launches before and know that it is not the best idea. Sometimes it is better to choose to be in that uncomfortable space that my husband is in. On the bench…because we have a bigger goal.

Is your legacy worth investing in?

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Kim is a multi-talented South African author, speaker, trainer, coach and publisher who has been helping authors, entrepreneurs and knowledge workers build their brands for over 20 years.

With a passion for bringing wisdom back into the art of storytelling, Kim has touched the hearts of many with her medieval fantasy series, while also empowering aspiring authors to turn their dreams into reality.

Kim's super power lies in using crushing events to transform not only herself but also the hearts and minds of others.

Tap into her wealth of knowledge and expertise in building successful book-preneur businesses. Whether you're an aspiring author, entrepreneur or brand manager, Kim's insights and experience will help you create a strong foundation for achieving your goals.