My Author Journey: Writing My First Book
(Posted on Thursday, May 16, 2019)
Here is my journey in writing my debut parenting book, They Say, Not Your Average Parenting Book
For the full synopsis and to preorder now: Mascot Books-They Say
My Dream
Although I always knew I wanted to help people, I didn’t always imagine myself writing a book. My eagerness and passion to help was one of the main reasons I went to college and graduate school to become a school counselor. I just didn’t know that my help would one day be in the form of writing.
When I became a mom, I felt a lot of emotions—happiness and joy but also a tremendous amount of guilt and a lack of patience. Being a new parent is beautiful, a miracle even, but it was hard. I kept hearing all of the things I SHOULD be doing—and I wasn’t doing. This made me question myself. This is where my dream was born! I felt driven to share my feelings with other parents out there. I thought, Am I the only one? Are others feeling this way too? Maybe it will help to hear that they aren’t alone.
So I started to write about the crazy parenting experiences, the joyful experiences, and the downright hard experiences. It was therapeutic to write and get it out on paper. Many times I cried while writing, or while reading back my stories. In the end it helped me navigate the world of parenthood, and I hope my book, my end result, will help someone else in this way too.
My Process
Many people ask me, how did you write a book with three kids? Honestly, I just took my time. I mainly wrote during nap times. It took me about three years to write and another year or so to edit and publish. It’s like my fourth baby. I put my passion into it, I cried tears over it, and I believe in it.
My Hopes
My hopes for this book are that reading my story can help other parents feel less alone and to help them be confident in the way they decide to parent. After all, I strongly believe, no one knows what works for our children and families better than US!
They Say is a guide from baby through the preschool years which provides lots of ideas, but also encourages parents to trust their instincts. I strongly believe that there is something for everyone in my book. I touch a lot on dealing with “mommy guilt,” about self-care as parents, and on staying positive and believing in ourselves, with lots of reminders that there is no such thing as perfection and this is OKAY!
My Fears and Reservations
I have personally grown as a result of writing this book. I have had fears along the way. There are plenty of reservations when you put your whole life out there on paper for all to read, but I have learned how to push past them. Reading my stories, writing about the way I feel as a parent, and focusing on all the things I have learned has helped me grow in more ways than I could have ever imagined. This book is uncensored, honest and full of the feelings and emotions I’ve experienced so far in my parenting journey. To be fully transparent, one reservation is that I worry of what others will think of the book and about me… but, I believe in the end it’s all worth the risks if it even makes a difference for one person. If it even helps one person see they aren’t alone, if it even helps one person see they are worth it, if it even helps one person feel more confident in themselves as a parent, then I have succeeded.
I wish I had a book like this when I was pregnant and when I had my first child. There is so much advice out there that it gets overwhelming. A book like this would have helped me see what to expect from the view of a mom and to know that even in my worst and hardest moments, I wasn’t alone.
If you are writing a book, or writing in general, and you are experiencing road blocks, fears, or reservations, remember this:
Don’t let your surroundings define you. Don’t let what others say or think prevent you from going for your dream! There is a reason that passion landed in your heart.
Remember: You can thrive no matter your environment. Don’t ever question whether you are “good enough,” “bright enough” or whether you have enough resources to do something. If you want something bad enough, you CAN make it happen.
I leave you with a quote from Aristotle, “There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”
Order They Say- Not Your Average Parenting Book today by clicking here and you’ll receive your copy as soon as it hits the warehouse—well before it’s available through Amazon and B&N!
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Learn more about me and my blog: About Lauren
You may also enjoy: I Wrote a Book! Here’s How…