70,000 Words Are Written & The First Draft Of My Book Has Been Submitted!!

Whoop, whoop shimmy shimmy (a million x those dancing red dress emojis I love so much) because I’ve submitted the first draft of my book to my editor Jillian Young at Piatkus/Little Brown (Hachette) and I’m currently feeling all of the feels: elation, excitement and absolute relief!

This book means so much to me so making my deadline (I’ve not missed a single one in my career yet and wasn’t about to start now) and writing something so personal packed with advice and tips to help fellow wannabee mumbosses feels rather life-affirming if I’m honest.

It’s a dream come true.

I feel honoured to not only share my own journey from setting up my blog on my kitchen table to becoming a personal brand (with my experience and tips accumulated in almost 7 years), but also the wisdom many fellow accomplished mum and dadbosses within, as well.

I started writing the book back in January and I’m going to take my own advice and share the pride I feel at having written my manifesto whilst juggling a busy blogging career and caring for kids and a sick relative. This book is mumbossing in action, and it’s brought me so much joy, and respite from what has been quite a traumatic year. One filled with tremendous highs career-wise and immense lows, personally.

I’m still healing from the adversity of it all, really.

I’m rather like a hibernating bear squinting at the sunlight seeping in who is slowly veering from its cave. It’s rather odd as I currently feel both delicate and vulnerable yet stronger than ever.

Art has saved me once again.

I wrote this book at night whilst the house slept, finding therapy in giving to others, in taking the onus away from the sadness of my own personal events by returning to what nourishes my soul and could give me breathing space away.

Similarly, I started this blog after suffering from a traumatic birth and along with a move closer to family and the help of a therapist, Toby (who also features in my book), my blog gave me the creative space I deeply craved, a platform in which I could rediscover my voice and identity at a time I felt lost and broken.

From the first day of writing this blog back in 2010 to today, Honest Mum serves as a vehicle in which I can process and make sense of the world whilst giving me a place IN the world itself: a home I’ve created and curated where I feel I belong.

There is nothing more liberating than carving that space for yourself, online.

So what is next?

Once I receive notes from my wise and wonderful editor, I’ll crack on with my second draft.

That first mound of clay is now down, words on the page, the foundation laid and soon it will be time to restructure, carve, edit and polish.

I was a screenwriter and director pre-blogging and vlogging, and can safely say the magic happens in the rewrites. I adore the development process, the feedback from those you trust, who are invested and serve the story as much as you do.

Then of course, there will come a time I have to step away, to stop rewriting and editing and let go, releasing my book out into the world. Scary but worthwhile times ahead.

I love the words of Seth Godin (who also features in my book) who reminds me that release is the purpose,

‘If it weren’t for the ups and downs, we could just stay at home and keep our work in the attic. We put it into the world precisely because of the challenge’.

Before long, I will be welcoming that challenge, hopeful my book connects, resonates and inspires others to fire up their laptops and write. To trust they have the ability and strength to set up that business they’ve always dreamed of, that they can find themselves again, that confidence will come…

I will of course continue sharing my book journey with you, here.

The cover shoot is coming up next and the pre-order link will be live in no time at all, and well before the book hits the shops in March next year.

Wow. A whole new chapter await. Literally.

And breathe.

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