The Life of a Debut Girl

Earlier this year, my then-publicist told me to prepare for a year like never before. They never elaborated on whether this was something to look forward to or dread, but they were right in that it’s been a ride, y’all.

I want to preface everything I’m about to whine about (yes, this is a whiny post) that I’m overall happy with my publisher. They flew me out to a giant conference so I could meet a bunch of librarians and booksellers, and give out 100 ARCs. The production team is doing absolute magic with the insides of my book (seriously, they’ve played with some contrast pages and it’s just… perfect). And I love my editor. I LOVE my editor. Arguably, my editor sees the vision for this duology clearer than I do. No wonder she just won herself a Hugo.

My whining is with the publishing ecosystem, not my publisher. So, whine I shall.

For a business built upon black letters on white pages, publishing is very visual. A more experienced author would drag me aside and say duuuuh didn’t they teach you anything in beginner author class? And I would probably make excuses because I fell asleep in beginner author class, but I was led to believe that the quality of those words on the white pages would be the determining factor in whether or not people pick up your book. Don’t judge a book by its cover and all that. And I’m happy to report that… it’s not really like that.

Like most things in publishing, this is one of those questions that people answer with “well, it depends” and then list about two dozen factors upon which it depends. But a week ago, while scrolling my Instagram feed (I was deliberately trying to shut off my brain), I came across a beautiful ARC. Folks, I mean BEAUTIFUL. This ARC had a different cover from the actual hardcover. It was beautifully coloured, had gold foil—a work of art. I couldn’t stop staring. My heart sank. Not because I didn’t want that beautiful ARC to exist, but because it was a stark reminder of just how important it is for a book to stand out. I simply can’t compete.

Think about it. Influencers receive hundreds of books to review and highlight on their accounts. How do they choose the books that make the cut? Do they choose a regular, black-text-on-white-paper ARC, or do they hold the piece of art and go on to flip through its pages? The same goes for a reader. Aside from the reader who shows up to a bookstore for a specific book they’ve already decided on, an eye-catching cover will draw more customers to pick up the book and read the jacket copy. Two books can be of similar quality on the inside, but nine times out of ten, the one with the better cover will attract more attention.

And this is all on top of the sci-fi shrinkage.

Every store I go to has a dedicated SFF section, but while fantasy seems to be growing, science fiction is shrinking. I have no trouble finding Martha Wells, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Scalzi, Weir, etc… but many newer authors are not on the shelves. I can request the books, but that only works if I already know the book exists. The indies are better, often pushing newer authors, and for that, I am grateful, but it doesn’t fix the overall problem. Folks who wander into a bookstore looking for any sci-fi will probably walk out with the usual suspects because newer authors are simply not there, and they are certainly not on the tables, which, let’s be honest, probably get the most foot traffic around them. Bookstores keep track of this and then stock more of the already well-known authors. They gotta sell books. It’s a business. You can’t sell a book no one knows about. And so, the vicious cycle of selling what gets seen and seeing what’s selling well continues.

Both of these whining points highlight one thing: the problem with visibility in the very literal sense.

I need readers to see my book to know it exists, and for them to see it among hundreds of other, equally good, thoughtful, and exciting books, I need flash. I need gold foil and beautiful art. I need sparkle. I need pearls (how does one affix pearls to a book jacket, I ask, whilst holding a hot-glue gun). I don’t have pearls. I am not that kind of showgirl.

Science fiction, as a genre, is also extremely competitive. One visit to Publishers Marketplace will reveal just how few debut sci-fi authors are being acquired (Sidebar: a neat trick is to disguise your science fiction as speculative fiction. That makes it sound smart and sophisticated). Of the sixty-plus authors in my debut group, only six are science fiction writers, and I believe two of those are science fantasy writers. It feels, more and more, that writing science fiction is a sure way to never get published, or, if you are so lucky as to get picked up, to never get visibility.

As I begin preparing my next book to pitch to my publisher, I also start drafting my apology letter to my editor.

It’s another science fiction novel.

We’re going to talk about the singularity

One of the POVs is a thousand-year-old tree.

I’m sorry. Here you go. I hope you like it. It’s actually about ultramarathons and mommy issues.

I could do the sensible thing and go and write fantasy or literally any other genre. I’ve tried horror and wasn’t terrible at it. There is hope for me yet. If there is a twelve-step program to rehabilitate me into a functional literary writer, please point me in that direction. The problem is, I’m stubborn and science fiction is my first love in the whole wide world, and I refuse to relegate it to the one that got away. I wake up every day and pray that, even without sparkles or gold or pearls, someone will pick up my book.

I stand by it. I think I’ve written a solid book, a quieter book, a darker book, and I trust my editor, who fought for it to get acquired and then let me to keep all the weird bits. I might be slightly delusional here, but I firmly believe that you need to be just a little delusional to make it in this business.

Does that mean everything is doom and gloom? I don’t think so. People still find the next read mostly by word of mouth. So, the next time you read a book, ESPECIALLY if the book is by a newer or lesser-known author, please take to social media (or friend circle) and tell people about it. Rate the thing. Rave about it. Please. We so need it, because when a debut author doesn’t do well, very often they don’t get a second chance.

And speaking of new authors who have books coming out and might have flown under your radar, may I introduce you to my sci-fi cohort of 2026:

Sierra Branham

Author of Love Galaxy, a romantic sci-fi thriller about a girl who finds herself in waaaaay over her head when she joins an intergalactic dating show! Come for all the drama of reality TV, stay for the delicious murder mystery.

I had the absolute privilege of reading an earlier draft of this book, and it kept me guessing the entire way through, and might have even gotten me into reality TV.
If you want to stay up-to-date on all Love Galaxy news, follow her on Instagram!

Jesse Aragon

Jesse is the author of The Demon Star, a science-fantasy novel that blends demonic brain parasites, space gods, and unlikely alliances in a gruesome and cinematic story! You can find Jesse and the absolutely breathtaking cover of The Demon Star on Instagram.

I feel like this book was written for me, and I’m ready to be both horrified and mesmerized by it when it releases!

Portia Elan

Portia Elan is the author of Homebound, a story that transcends time and place, spanning millennia and uniting a unique cast of characters with a video game. This book is giving me serious Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow vibes, and will probably have me weeping as I read it.

The UK version can be found on Goodreads, and you can follow Portia on Instagram if you want to stay on top of all Homebound news.

T.A. Chan

T.A. Chan is the author of One Last Game, set to be released into the world in September 2025, but did you know that she will also debut with a YA sci-fi in spring 2026? The Celestial Seas one-line pitch is: Moby Dick in space, but with more whale chasing and less cetology history lessons.

I, for one, am thrilled to see more YA sci-fi out there in the world. I know for a fact that my 16-year-old self would have been all over this book in a blink of an eye. Stay up-to-date with all whale-related news on T.A.’s Instagram. 

Jasmin Kirkbride

Jasmin Kirkbride is the author of The Forest On The Edge of Time, a sci-fi eco-fiction about two sisters who are thrown through time into very different eras and must find a way to change history and save the future from ecological disaster.

I am already in love with the cover, and the premise had me hit pre-order in under a second. You can keep up with Jasmin on Instagram!

….and finally, me!

The Iron Garden Sutra is now on Netgalley! Review, request, and recommend, if you feel like it! I would greatly appreciate it! Or add to it your TBR on Goodreads.

Thanks everyone who made it to the end!

Aaaaand scene!