Thank you for your lovely insightful emails!!! I have two questions. 1. who designed your book cover because it's one of the coolest I've seen all year???
2. And I mean this as a compliment, how do you muster and maintain the audacity to write a book? I want to write a book, many of my friends have told me that I would be good at that. I have the time, and the ideas, but most people I've talked to have been *asked* by a publisher to write a book. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I feel like having the audacity to be like "My Thoughts Are Worth Being Put On Tree Pulp!" is selfish/arrogant/foolish of me, even though when anyone else does that I'm like "YES AS YOU SHOULD GO OFF". Would love any quick thoughts you have on this! Thanks so much!
I'm thrilled you like the cover!! I love it too :) It was designed by the legendary Rodrigo Corral: https://rodrigocorral.com/
As for writing a book, two words: Pick Yourself!
I went to a Seth Godin event over a decade ago and he handed out little guitar picks with those two words on them and it's stuck with me ever since. We've been conditioned our whole lives to wait to be picked—to make the soccer team, to be accepted into college, to get the job offer, etc. Our world was built around the notion of gatekeepers. And sometimes, I get it, sure, it's helpful to get a little feedback from the world about whether your skills match or exceed the skills of those around you. But when it comes to art, I say: Pick Yourself! And honestly, it's never been easier with social media, self-publishing, hybrid publishing, etc.
The truth is I feel what you're describing a LOT. Who am I to say my ideas are worthy of a book? I spend a lot of emotional energy getting myself to a place of being unreasonable, unrealistic, and quite frankly, delusional, which I know is the right headspace to put work out into the world. It takes radical self-belief, which is hard to sustain. It's sort of like filling a balloon and when it's full I feel like I'm on fire, but it does slowly deflate and I have to work hard to keep it full.
Honestly, what's helped a lot is flipping through a lot of underwhelming books :) At a bookstore or at the airport or even looking at previews on Amazon, sometimes I read a part of a book and think, "This isn't saying anything interesting at all! I'm actually bored!" and it makes me feel that if that author had the confidence to put their work into the world, then I DEFINITELY should. (Mind you, none of this is meant to be mean-spirited, it's just a trick I use to reduce my own mental barriers to creating something of value).
Over here reading this thinking, "YOU'RE SO COOL, BREE." Even the crappy days bit. Then I got to the lines, "The best I can do is savor the good days and not beat myself up for the hard days. I remind myself that this is what being 'in the arena' feels like. I get myself a snack," and my brain jumbled up the order and I thought it was going to say, "I'm a snack," and I thought, "YES, YOU ARE, BREE!" But not in an inappropriate way! Obviously!
One fun thing I did today: I finally got a pap smear after putting it off for way too long. Huzzah!
ALSO I want to know which amazingly famous writer blurbed your book but I'm guessing you can't share yet. A massive congrats to you!!!
Hahaha why thank you, Maryn! Why shouldn't I both feel like a snack and have myself a snack! Thanks for making my day :)
Also, YES BIG HUZZAH for getting yourself a pap smear! Preventative screenings are the highest form of self care, imho. If you're feeling on a roll, don't forget an annual skin/mole check at the dermatologist!
I can't share the name which feels like a real middle school jerk move to share some news but then be all "but I can't tell you" but so it goes. Blurbs will show up on the jacket and on online retailer sites soon. Thanks for sharing in the excitement with me!!
Thank you for your lovely insightful emails!!! I have two questions. 1. who designed your book cover because it's one of the coolest I've seen all year???
2. And I mean this as a compliment, how do you muster and maintain the audacity to write a book? I want to write a book, many of my friends have told me that I would be good at that. I have the time, and the ideas, but most people I've talked to have been *asked* by a publisher to write a book. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I feel like having the audacity to be like "My Thoughts Are Worth Being Put On Tree Pulp!" is selfish/arrogant/foolish of me, even though when anyone else does that I'm like "YES AS YOU SHOULD GO OFF". Would love any quick thoughts you have on this! Thanks so much!
I'm thrilled you like the cover!! I love it too :) It was designed by the legendary Rodrigo Corral: https://rodrigocorral.com/
As for writing a book, two words: Pick Yourself!
I went to a Seth Godin event over a decade ago and he handed out little guitar picks with those two words on them and it's stuck with me ever since. We've been conditioned our whole lives to wait to be picked—to make the soccer team, to be accepted into college, to get the job offer, etc. Our world was built around the notion of gatekeepers. And sometimes, I get it, sure, it's helpful to get a little feedback from the world about whether your skills match or exceed the skills of those around you. But when it comes to art, I say: Pick Yourself! And honestly, it's never been easier with social media, self-publishing, hybrid publishing, etc.
The truth is I feel what you're describing a LOT. Who am I to say my ideas are worthy of a book? I spend a lot of emotional energy getting myself to a place of being unreasonable, unrealistic, and quite frankly, delusional, which I know is the right headspace to put work out into the world. It takes radical self-belief, which is hard to sustain. It's sort of like filling a balloon and when it's full I feel like I'm on fire, but it does slowly deflate and I have to work hard to keep it full.
Honestly, what's helped a lot is flipping through a lot of underwhelming books :) At a bookstore or at the airport or even looking at previews on Amazon, sometimes I read a part of a book and think, "This isn't saying anything interesting at all! I'm actually bored!" and it makes me feel that if that author had the confidence to put their work into the world, then I DEFINITELY should. (Mind you, none of this is meant to be mean-spirited, it's just a trick I use to reduce my own mental barriers to creating something of value).
And lastly, check out Amie McNee's Substack: https://amiemcnee.substack.com/ and her new book, We Need Your Art: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761126/we-need-your-art-by-amie-mcnee/ It's full of love notes that will keep your balloon full!
I hope you send me a copy one day :) I'm ready for it!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this reply, it's super helpful! I'll get to it!!!
Over here reading this thinking, "YOU'RE SO COOL, BREE." Even the crappy days bit. Then I got to the lines, "The best I can do is savor the good days and not beat myself up for the hard days. I remind myself that this is what being 'in the arena' feels like. I get myself a snack," and my brain jumbled up the order and I thought it was going to say, "I'm a snack," and I thought, "YES, YOU ARE, BREE!" But not in an inappropriate way! Obviously!
One fun thing I did today: I finally got a pap smear after putting it off for way too long. Huzzah!
ALSO I want to know which amazingly famous writer blurbed your book but I'm guessing you can't share yet. A massive congrats to you!!!
Hahaha why thank you, Maryn! Why shouldn't I both feel like a snack and have myself a snack! Thanks for making my day :)
Also, YES BIG HUZZAH for getting yourself a pap smear! Preventative screenings are the highest form of self care, imho. If you're feeling on a roll, don't forget an annual skin/mole check at the dermatologist!
I can't share the name which feels like a real middle school jerk move to share some news but then be all "but I can't tell you" but so it goes. Blurbs will show up on the jacket and on online retailer sites soon. Thanks for sharing in the excitement with me!!
Dear Bree,
A testament to your large-heartedness.
With admiration,
🙏
Thanks, as always, Rodrigo ❤️