Have you ever met a fan of your work and walked away wondering… Was I a letdown?

I’ve been there (more than once). It’s a weird space to navigate. As fiction authors, we pour years of emotion, imagination, and experience into our books. Readers get to know us across thousands of words. And yet, when they finally meet us in person, we’re just… human.

That brief moment can never live up to the world we've created on the page. And that can feel awkward, even disheartening.

In this week’s podcast episode, “Managing Reader Expectations: What Every Author Should Know,” I share some simple ways you can handle those moments with confidence and grace.

These moments don’t have to shake your confidence. You can use them as an opportunity to make your reader’s day.

***

Free resources for you:

The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit

Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation

Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide

5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes