Finish the Book First

July 10, 2026

A Note Before We Begin

Everything I share in The Business Behind the Book comes from my own experience as an independent author. I don’t claim to know everything, and I’m still learning every single day. What works for me may not work for every author, and that’s okay. My hope is simply to share the lessons I’ve learned while building my publishing business in case they help someone else on their own journey.

One thing I’d love to see us normalize as indie authors is finishing the book before we sell it.

Notice I said sell it.

Promote it all day long. Tease it. Build anticipation. Share snippets. Show your writing process. Let readers fall in love with the idea of the book before it’s ever released.

But don’t ask people to pay for something that isn’t finished.

As readers, we’ve gotten used to placing pre-orders for books that are still being written, still being revised, haven’t gone to an editor yet, haven’t been formatted, and don’t even have a final release plan.

That puts readers in a difficult position.

They’ve trusted you with their money, and now they’re waiting months—or sometimes years—for a product they’ve already paid for. Even worse, many times there’s little to no communication during that wait.

That’s how trust starts to disappear.

I feel the same way about book series.

Personally, I think a series should be completed—or at least substantially completed—before Book One is released.

Readers are tired of unfinished series. We invest in these characters. We become attached to their stories. We support Book One, eagerly buy Book Two, and then... nothing. A year turns into two. Two turns into three. Meanwhile, another brand-new series gets announced.

As a reader, that’s frustrating.

In fact, one of the things I hear readers say all the time is, “I’ll wait until the whole series is finished before I start reading it.”

Why?

Because they don’t want to fall in love with a story only to be left hanging indefinitely. They don’t want to spend years wondering when—or if—the next book is coming.

As authors, we don’t have to do everything readers ask. Creative decisions are still ours to make, but if we’re serious about building a sustainable business, we do have to pay attention to consumer (the reader) behavior.

When readers are waiting years between installments, momentum slows. Excitement fades. New readers hesitate to invest, and existing readers may move on to other books.

On the other hand, when you can release consistently, you keep the conversation going. Readers stay engaged, they’re excited for the next installment, and your series continues building on the momentum you’ve already created.

That’s one of the biggest advantages of having the series written—or nearly written—before you ever release Book One.

Set Expectations You Can Meet

One thing I intentionally avoid is announcing exact release dates too early.

I don’t like making promises I can’t keep.

If life happens, edits take longer than expected, or I decide the book simply isn’t ready, I’d rather delay the announcement than delay the reader.

Sometimes I’ll tell readers a season or even a month I’m aiming for, but I try not to lock myself into a specific date until I know I can deliver.

I’ve missed goals before. I’ve thought a book would be ready in a certain month, only to realize it needed more work.

That’s part of learning.

But I’d much rather say, “The book needs more time,” than have people wondering where the book is after they’ve already paid for it.

Readers are usually understanding when you communicate.

They’re far less understanding when they’re left guessing.

Customer Service Matters

Writing books is art.

Selling books is business.

The moment someone purchases from you, they’re no longer just a reader—they’re your customer.

Customers deserve communication.

Customers deserve honesty.

Customers deserve updates.

And customers are never wrong for asking where the product they purchased is.

If someone reaches out asking about an order, that isn’t an attack on your character. They’re simply asking for the thing they paid for. That’s reasonable.

What we shouldn’t normalize is arguing with customers publicly.

If someone has an issue with an order, don’t go back and forth in the comments. Don’t make a response video. Don’t post a vague status.

Take the conversation to email and handle it professionally.

Every interaction is an opportunity to either strengthen or weaken your relationship with that reader.

Choose to strengthen it.

That brings me to my next thought…

Your Brand Is Always Watching

As authors, we are our brands.

That means every post, every comment, every response, and every public interaction become part of how readers perceive us.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have opinions, and it doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself. It simply means you should always be mindful of where and how you express them.

I’ve seen conversations about authors losing opportunities because of things they posted years ago. The internet has a long memory, and it is very unforgiving.

If something belongs on your personal page, keep it there.

And if you do have a personal page, make sure there’s a clear distinction between your personal life and your business by leaving your personal life off your business profile.

Not every criticism deserves a response, and not every opinion deserves your energy. Sometimes the most professional response is no response at all.

Protect your peace. Protect your reputation. Most importantly, protect your brand.

Final Thoughts

Just my thoughts. Take what serves you, leave what doesn’t.

Now, these are simply my thoughts. I’m still learning this business every day, just like many of you are.

I’m not speaking from a place of having all the answers. I’m speaking from the perspective of a newer indie author who wants to build a business readers can trust.

For me, that starts with a few simple principles: