Life Lately: Volume 10 – The Book

by | Dec 11, 2020 | life lately, life | 0 comments

BACKSTORY

Since starting Lipstick & Ink, I’ve been able to reconnect with my inner writer, the part of me I suppressed for the majority of my 20s. You see, I’ve considered myself a writer since I was able to pick up a pen. And I’ve wanted to be an author ever since I read Little Women, where the main character, Jo, writes a book of her own and becomes a published author. 

As a kid, I loved to dream up short stories and jot them down in my wide-ruled notebooks. I typed up my first “book” in the 6th grade titled A Life Too Short. Then, in college, I wrote another piece of fiction work titled Wilted Love and seriously considered getting it published. Instead, I kept it hidden on a flash drive because I didn’t think I was qualified enough or good enough as a writer to be published.

MAKING MY DREAM A REALITY

One random night in late 2018, the idea of writing and publishing a book revived within me. At that moment, I decided to make it a reality. In January 2019, I announced to the L&I community on IG Live that I was going to write a book. Since then, I’ve been mulling over the topic, outlining like a mad woman and questioning again if I was worthy of being published. It’s been a real rollercoaster.

When 2020 arrived, I committed to getting my manuscript written. It was now or never! I even wrote my goal down on paper and pinned it to the wall in front of my desk as a constant reminder to myself. Then the pandemic hit and all of our lives turned upside down. Simultaneously, I started a new role at work and found myself working 12 hour days during the months of March, April, and May. With work taking up all of my time, I lost the energy to write my book. Once again, I tucked it under all of my other priorities. 

Throughout the summer and into the fall, I’d revisit my outline and write little snippets here and there when I got random bursts of inspiration. Little did I know that those small steps would lead to big outcomes. I was able to get clarity about my message and what themes I wanted to write about in each of my chapters. At the same time though, I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself to write, as I was trying to be mindful that this year was not normal. Because of that, I didn’t come close to meeting my goal of finishing my book this year. But what I did do was get serious and put in place what I needed to be successful. 

In October, I decided to take action and hire a book coach (shoutout to The Studio Press!) who could help my writing along the way and hold me accountable. Ashley-Ann encouraged me to put myself out there and talk about my book. I announced on my social channels that the book writing process was officially beginning. I shared my why behind the book and what I’d ultimately be writing about. If you missed it, you can watch the video below!

BOOK UPDATE & ANTICIPATED LAUNCH DATE

Working with Ashley-Ann has been a game-changer as I’ve made my book a priority, writing one chapter a week. This is something I hope to continue until the first draft is complete. As I write this post, the draft of Part 1 of my book (Chapter 1-3) is complete. I am moving onto Part 2 and beyond thrilled as I’m clear in my mission. 

While it’s been exciting to envision what the future will look like once this book is published, it’s also been a challenging and frustrating process to write it. If I could compare it to anything, it truly feels like I’m on a rollercoaster, riding all of the highs and pushing myself through all of the lows. As I write this book, I’m revisiting all of the memories and experiences I had from certain times of my life that got me to where I am today. It’s bringing up a lot of emotions but it’s liberating writing them all down.

I also hired a book designer, the amazing Amanda at XO Art & Design! We’re going to start working together next month to bring our vision to life.

I plan to have the draft of my book done by the end of February (fingers crossed) with an official launch date sometime in fall 2021. I will continue to provide behind the scenes on Instagram Stories (follow along here) and updates here on the blog and in my email newsletter (sign up for that here) because I want to take you along the journey. I think it’s important for you to see all of the ins and outs of what comes with writing a book. It’s a wild ride, guys!!!!

Thank you for all the support and excitement along the way – it truly means more to me than you could ever know!

Pink lipstick stain

Welcome to Lipstick & Ink®, your home for everything career and wellness inspired. I’m Kelly, a Chicago-based marketing tech professional, writer, career coach, speaker, and events host.

Whether we’re working together on your career aspirations, refreshing your professional documents, or keeping your mental health in check, I encourage you to own your power and make your mark – one lipstick stain at a time.

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