Life and Work with Paige Kellerman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Kellerman.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My love of writing started at a very young age, but I didn’t throw myself into it, until I decided to leave my career as an insurance underwriter. As a new mom to twins, I found myself face-to-face with lots of nap times and even more commentary about what was going on in my life. Not knowing what I was getting into, I started a blog and slowly built an audience. Simultaneously, I began writing my first book, At Least My Belly Hides My Cankles. When it was ready, deciding to forego the traditional publishing route, I self-published my first book. It debuted in the top twenty books for parenting humor on Amazon. Taking that as the boost of confidence I needed, I continued to do what I love: blog, write jokes on social media, and write more books.

Two years after my first book was released, I published my second, The Beer’s Folded and the Laundry’s Cold, my love letter to being a stay-at-home mom and wife. I managed to send it out on Amazon a few, short days before i gave birth to my fourth child. Life got busy.

But not too busy to keep writing. Currently, I spend my days chasing after all my kids, our dog, a cat, and my goals. When I’m not coming up with new jokes and launching them onto the internet, I’m working on a third book of humor, Thirty Is the New Thirty. I also have another project that’s still in production but can’t see the light of day yet. In the meantime, I’ll be budgeting, refereeing the kids, and trying to figure out what to make for dinner.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like any other author, the biggest challenge in getting my work out to the world is self motivation. When you’re a writer, especially someone who crafts weird jokes that may or may not work online, making yourself sit down and get the work done is no small feat. No one tells you to get it done. No one pays you. Except for a crazy pipe dream of success, there aren’t any incentives. The love you have for your work has to be the primary motivator. I’ve never had anyone tell my I can’t do what I do. If I slack off and stop writing for a bit, I only have myself to answer to. It’s good and bad.

To anyone starting out, the best piece of advice I can give is to simply do it. Don’t overthink your writing. It’s easy to call yourself an “aspiring writer,” and sit around planning the book, blog or joke you’ll write. But don’t throw away progress in pursuit of perfection. Start writing whatever it is you want to write. Worrying whether people will like it or whether it’s good only stalls progress. It’s always better to have a finished manuscript that’s flawed, than have a manuscript that you could never bring yourself to finish because something in your head told you it wasn’t “enough.” Like I always tell myself, “You know what will happen if you don’t publish this. But what would happen if you do?” I keep writing and publishing because I need to know the answer to that question.

Please tell us about more Paige Kellerman as an Author-Humorist.
At this point, my name is my brand. What I hope is that, when people see the name Paige Kellerman, they think, “humor.” I put it into everything I do. Even if I’m writing on a serious topic, I’ll still try and make you laugh. I can’t help it. It’s also what motivates me. If I can make just one person laugh or alleviate stress in their day, even for a moment, it’s worth it to me. I try to craft humor that takes the mundane of every day and makes light of it. Because, no matter our differences, we’re all still doing boring things like trying to remember to take the trash out on the right day. Primarily, I’m a joke writer, author, and someone who loves helping consult with other writers on their own books and projects.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Absolutely! I’m the oldest of ten kids, and I was also homeschooled. When I was younger, neither of those two things were very common, so it made for a different childhood. Being the oldest made me a natural leader and gave me the sense of being extremely capable. My parents did a great job of not only teaching me to write and love it, but also repeatedly made sure I knew that I was smart, independent, and could accomplish what I wanted to in life. They both went back and got their masters in two separate fields after they had ten kids, so I look up to them.

Pricing:

• At Least My Belly Hides My Cankles -On Amazon 2.99
• The Beer’s Folded and the Laundry’s Cold – On Amazon 2.99 -On Audible 14.95

Contact Info:

• Website: www.paigekellerman.com
• Email: paigekellerman@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paigekellerman_writer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPaigeKellerman/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaigeKellerman

Image Credit:
Paige Kellerman

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