What's a "Successful" Author?!

Plus timely updates from Zibby Media and the Zibby-verse Tour

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a “successful author.” Is it just the numbers: the Bookscan figures, the Amazon rankings, the total downloads? Or could it be that all of that is getting in the way of feeling what real success looks like?

Really. I think the fact that anyone is willing to spend six to eight hours of their life reading anyone else’s thoughts, words, imagination, and dispatches from the soul is a miracle. Likewise, it’s amazing that any of us find an author’s work given how oversaturated the market is — such an oversupply of product. We should be celebrating every single reader we get!

And yet, authors are quick to look to more successful authors — he hit the list! she sold a million copies! they got a major book club! — and feel terrible. Less than. What a waste. I’ve done all this and got tied up in knots. No more obsessing. I missed the plot.

Here’s what I’ve learned. (You know, in the past three weeks.)

True success isn’t measurable. True success is looking a reader in the eye and accepting their kind words about your book. True success is being in a room of people who all value the art you produce and are cheering you on. True success is not giving up, withstanding countless rejections, and finally doing it, that thing that’s been nagging at you forever. True success is trying. Again and again.

I want to send every reader a thank you note. And I do, when they email or DM me! I am that grateful. I think, perhaps, we all should be? Less than 10% of books sell more than 1,000 copies. But 100% of books mean the author actually did it. Let’s celebrate that. We could all be happier and create even better books next time. So if you’re an author and have experienced any of the above, rejoice in your success where it matters. And readers, help authors feel that fabulous feeling. Pride.

Three Events Next Week

If you’ve been following along on Instagram (hope you are! @zibbyowens), you’ll see how fun and amazing my recent events have been in Boston, Houston, New York, Connecticut, Palm Springs, and northern California. (And yes, I’m a little tired. Haha.)

Tonight is sold out at Zibby’s Bookshop with Alexandra Potter. (You snooze, you lose.) So is tomorrow night’s book club with Anna Quindlen, but you can join on Zoom if you’re part of Zibby’s Book Club! If you aren’t part of the book club but want to be, click here.

MIAMI. Wednesday, March 27th at 7:00 pm at Books & Books in Coral Gables with Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. RESERVE HERE or pop by! Send to your friends in Miami!

PALM BEACH. Thursday, March 28th from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm at The Palm Beach Bookstore with Dara Levan. RESERVE HERE or pop by! Send to your friends in Palm Beach!

BRIDGEHAMPTON. Saturday, March 30th at noon at the new Bridgehampton Commons Barnes & Noble with Joanna Rakoff. RESERVE HERE or pop by! 27 East just did a whole write-up about it! Send to anyone in the Hamptons!

Zibby Media News ICYMI

(In Case You Missed It - learned that one late)

Thrilled to welcome

Audrey Ingram

and her new novel THE SUMMER WE RAN to the Zibby Books family!

Excited that Swan Huntley, author of our forthcoming I WANT YOU MORE (pre-order here from Zibby’s Bookshop), wrote a memoir we’ll also be releasing!!

Here’s our next Zibby Books release, “unveiling” April 2nd! WEDDING ISSUES by Elle Evans. Pre-order here from Zibby’s Bookshop.

Sneak peek! Here’s our latest cover reveal for EXPOSURE by

Ava Dellaira

, developing (am I funny or what?!) September 10th. Pre-order here from Zibby’s Bookshop.

There’s a new logo for Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books as we reboot to twice a week. I kept up the seven-episodes-a-week pace for four years and now I’m going back to two. But they’ll be great!! Don’t forget to subscribe and listen!

Also, if you’re considering buying a book, I’ve probably interviewed the author!! Search my past podcasts and transcripts of 1,800 authors. Just enter their name in the SEARCH BAR WITH THE MAGNIFYING GLASS ON UPPER RIGHT and browse from most recent on back here.

I’ve picked my next six book club picks!! Do you want to order them all and have them sent automatically from Zibby’s Bookshop!?!?

These novels and memoirs by

Susan Lieu

,

Julia Alvarez

, Genevieve Kingston,

Annabel Monaghan

,

Alison Espach

and Ann Leary are amazing!!

Trying something new here. Would YOU want to host a regional book fair with the books we select for summer reading?! We can send you the books, the swag, and everything else from Zibby’s Bookshop so you can invite YOUR friends to stock up on June 6th. What do you think??

Who is ready for another retreat?! I am! Once Asheville is over, it’s on to California. We’ll be sharing the details soon. Where else should we go? Suggestions for great hotels for retreats?!?!

Have you shopped our Felix Doolittle collab yet?! This is the cutest stationery ever. Get custom book plates, business cards, greeting cards, notecards, and more! The best for the bookish. Obsessed. Shop here.

And yes, there’s still more like Zibby Classes, our writing community, and more. Explore www.zibbymedia.com and find all! And any minute we’ll have all the books from my Instagram series “Books on the Floor” ready for purchase on zibbymedia.com.

Thanks, everyone!

Warmly,

Zibby