If I could remind writers of one thing, it would be this: for the vast majority of us, our careers will be defined not by a single book, but by a body of work.

We put so much pressure on a debut, or a rebrand, or a standalone, or a series ender, any single work. The industry encourages that pressure, too. And the current climate makes everything feel awful and uncertain, which adds to the stress, pressure, and fear.

But your work does not exist in a vacuum, and it does not expire as soon as it's released. It becomes part of the landscape of your stories, each one a piece of your narrative.

All you can do is work on the next piece.

Remember, authors are time travelers. Your work will be in your past and still in someone else's future.