Simon Says... Have Faith in Your Future.
On getting the first copies of my book + writing a Sunday 'NYT' feature.
Welcome to Simon Says, a weekly newsletter from Rachel Simon about writing, not writing, and sort-of-, kind-of, I’m-putting-words-on-a-page-but-let’s-be-real-they’re-garbage writing. For current and aspiring writers, but everyone else is welcome, too.
On Sunday, I came home from the airport (we’d been in New York for a friend’s wedding) to find the first copies of my book waiting on our doorstep. I’d read over a million digital versions of the book and knew what every design detail looked like, but getting to hold real, physical copies of Pickleball for All in my hands was a totally different beast. It was tangible, undeniable proof that I’ve done it—written a whole freakin’ book and put it out for the world to read. And holy crap, it felt amazing.
Holding the copy, seeing my thousands of words printed and my name on the spine, made me feel something I haven’t felt much throughout this whole, months-long process: hopeful. Not just for the book’s success, I mean (I’ve always been hopeful people will buy it!), but for my future as an author. Seeing the proof that I am capable of writing a book, one that’s good enough that a major publisher is putting it out and expecting tens of thousands of strangers to read, made me believe, truly believe, that I have more in store. That I can be an author of two books, five books, 10 books. That I have hundreds of thousands of more words inside of me.
I am hard on work on my novel, and while it is far from an easy process (I have many, many false starts and bouts of writer’s block), I have faith in myself that I’ll get it done. After all, I already did it once. I’ll do it again.
Work Updates:
I had my first story in a Sunday print edition of The New York Times! It’s about the growing trend of pickleball-themed weddings (yes, really), and seeing it in print was the absolute best.
I also interviewed the author Megan Giddings about her eerily prescient new novel, The Women Could Fly, for Shondaland; wrote about the rise of kids’ pickleball for Parents; rounded up the best lawn mowers, patio heaters, and ladders for Real Simple; and highlighted bestselling cooling sheets and Amazon wedding gifts for People.
Less than two weeks until my book comes out! If you’re in Raleigh, get a ticket to the Pickleball for All launch event at Quail Ridge Books on Aug. 30.
Speaking of which, I have a bunch of exciting press opportunities for the book coming up in the next week or two! I can’t wait to tell you all about them.
This Week in Pop Culture:
Oh my god, that For All Mankind season finale. Guys!!
The news about Lauren Ambrose being cast as adult Van on Yellowjackets is perfection.
Kurt and I started Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal, and it’s as insane and incredible as I’d heard. Watch it, but make sure you go in blind—you won’t want any spoilers here.
This Week’s Gratitude Moment:
Coming home from our trip to New York with copies of the Sunday New York Times in my bag to find the first copies of my book on our doorstep? That was as big a “holy shit” moment as it gets. I’m so grateful.
Thanks for reading, as always. Talk soon!
-Rachel