No unboxing video

So, yes, my book was just published. If you count the books I ghostwrote, this is my seventh.

A box of books arrived a few weeks ago. I wasn’t home at the time, but I told my son, who was at my house, not to open it – because of course authors are supposed to do an unboxing video.

But I find I’m just not interested.

Yes, I worked on this for four years.

Yes, I’m very proud it was published.

Yes, it’s very nice to open a box and see all the books neatly stacked up.

But it matters a lot more to me what the book does for people.

I care if you read it.

I care if it helped you.

I even care if you wanted it to do something for you and it didn’t — I’d love to hear about that.

All those people who reviewed it and said “I wish I’d had this when I was writing, it would have saved so much time and avoided so many mistakes” — that matters to me.

The woman whose husband shared the book with her, after which she called me and said “I have to work with you”: that matters to me. Not because of the consulting gig. Because she has an amazing idea, and I get to help that idea get out into the world.

The unboxing video would be about me and how wonderful I am.

The comments about the book are about you and what it did for you.

And long after the boxes of books are opened and sent to people who need them, that’s what will make the book an effort I’m glad I made.