I wrote a book, you guys. That’s it, in the picture above. That’s ALL OF IT, all 211 pages, all 63,858 words. That’s all of it, because IT’S DONE. I handed it into my publisher on Friday.
Emily of Emily Takes Photos came over to my house on Friday to take pictures, and this is how I was feeling:
I believe we call that BAM!
And for those of you who are thinking, “You’re finished with the book already? It seems like it didn’t take very long!” You are right, my friends, it was quick, and I am tired. I left my job in January, and wrote the book in slightly under five months so it could get published next January, right in time for a new crop of baby brides (as Alyssa would say). A good question to ask right now would be, “How do you write a book in five months, while running a website, without being an insane person?” and I’d have a hard time answering that… because clearly I am a slightly insane person. But in general? You give yourself a schedule. You never miss a deadline. You write (almost) every work day (some days are just not writing days, face it). You don’t worry too much about making it good, at first, you just worry about getting it on paper. Then you worry about making it good, but not in an obsessive way.
Oh, and you get help. I’m dyslexic, and also have been known to take on a little too much at one time (achem) and go on small crying jags. So I knew I needed help and discipline. I hired my friend Kate, first ever reader of this website (Literally. I gave her the link the first day), and copy editor extraordinaire, to keep me on task. She picked up a chapter of the book every week, like clockwork, and edited it. She gave me feedback when I needed it, and told me to stop asking for feedback and get back to writing when I didn’t need it. She let me buy us both ice cream quite a bit, to dial down my stress. And here is the nutty thing… thanks to Kate (and Lauren, and Alyssa), I wrote the book without having a single massive meltdown. Whoa.
I’ve been struggling to find something really eloquent to say on the subject, and it turns out it’s not a subject I’m eloquent about. Frankly, it’s a subject I’m having a really hard time wrapping my head around at all. I wrote a book. A book that’s going to look like this:
Whoa. Yeah. That’s the cover. NotonlyTHAT? The book is listed on Amazon, and you can pre-order it already. What? Yes.
After I finished the first half, people would ask what I thought about the book, and I’d look into the middle distance and wave my arm around and say, “It’s not shitty.” And then I’d pause and say, “I really don’t have any perspective.” But in the last month a few things happened: I went to Mexico and re-read the book by the pool. Then we had some pre-engaged friends over asking me a lot of wedding questions, and I kept grabbing the manuscript, flipping through, and giving them a page to read. They’d read it, look up with a now-I-get-it, that’s-not-so-bad look in their eye, and say, “Oh, that was really helpful.” And that made me massively happy. Because what I really wanted to do was write a d*mn helpful book. A helpful, empowering book, that doesn’t make you crazy. And I’m pretty sure I did that. Plus, there are red shoes on the cover, so it’s kind of a win either way.
So what’s next? Well, right this second what’s next seems to be a massive head cold (which arrived the morning after I turned the book in, of course), and picking up the pieces of my life, literally and figuratively. I am telling anyone that asks that I am in Book Recovery right now. This week I’m helping out family, next week I hope to clean out our apartment (oh, and aforementioned awesome friend and editorial help Kate is insisting on taking me to see a movie… in the middle of the day).
But beyond that…. I’m really excited to turn my full energy to APW. This will be the first time in three years where APW is my full time job, and I can’t wait. I can’t wait to write more, to tweak content here and there, and to launch new wedding-related tools. And yes, this fall a new site will be in the works, but for now I’m happy to just be here, with you guys.
And a mother-f*cking-finished book.
Pictures: Me with the manuscript taken by David, Emily Takes Photos, The book cover, Emily Takes Photos
Congratulations!! It’ll be too late for my wedding, but I guess I’ll probably buy it anyway, and in the meantime I’m so glad to have found this site!
June 1, 2011 4:36 am
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EEKK!!! So exciting – congrats Meg!!
June 1, 2011 4:38 am
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Oh my goodness, I am so excited to get to be the third to congratulate you!! (Thought I might be first with my crazy Australian timezone, but no such luck!) Way to go and can’t wait to read it. Next book club book? ;)
June 1, 2011 4:42 am
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i second the motion for the bookclub! :) we can all read it and squeal over the awesomeness together.
June 2, 2011 7:28 pm
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I was going to say this, but you both beat me to it. Would that be weird, though? Would someone else have to gather the discussion questions? Fun for us, but fun for Meg? It would certainly sell some books! Plus, I love any excuse for a book club.
June 2, 2011 9:57 pm
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Congratulations!! If the book is even half as good as the site, you’ll make plenty of people happy and (keep them) sane.
Also: I’m in publishing and know how exciting it is to look at a book and see your name on the front. Awesome, huh? Enjoy your movie and your Book Recovery!
June 1, 2011 4:49 am
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whoooooooooooo-hoooooooooooo! this is so huge and although it may sound weird, i am so proud of you! take good care of yourself during the post-book-partum and congratulations again!
June 1, 2011 4:49 am
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Oh SNAP!!! Just pre-ordered my book! Can’t wait to read it. Congrats Meg, and the entire APW team! Yay!!!
June 1, 2011 4:50 am
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Fantasticness!!!! Can’t wait to buy it!!!
June 1, 2011 4:51 am
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CONGRATULATIONS!
(And you can preorder on Amazon.co.uk too! INTL WIN!)
June 1, 2011 4:51 am
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Meg, that’s awesome, congrats!! I’ve been reading your blog since January and although your book comes out after my wedding in November, I’ll probably still be buying copies for any of my friends or family who are planning a wedding. Well done!!!!!
June 1, 2011 4:52 am
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Mazel Tov, Meg!! What an accomplishment. I cannot WAIT to read this, and will be pre-ordering it on Amazon today. It will be released when I still have 9 months of planning left, but I want it NOW. :)
June 1, 2011 4:53 am
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Congratulations Meg., and yay for red shoes on the cover :) Now you have to enjoy even more ice cream ! And… there is this book I have been wanting to send you, in thanks of all the support this community here brings, and for the breath of fresh air this place was during wedding planning and continues to be so now, but where to ?
June 1, 2011 4:53 am
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Email me, I have a PO box :) I need to put it online, clearly.
June 1, 2011 7:45 am
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Meg, you ROCK and are a complete inspiration. Now go take a nap. xo
June 1, 2011 4:58 am
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Meg, what an amazing achievement! Not only have you built this amazing community, but you’ve made a real live printed word book!!! I’ll be preordering that bad boy asap, and I might also buy an ice cream in your honour. Congrats, lady!!
June 1, 2011 5:02 am
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Congrats! too late for my wedding but i have plenty of pre engaged friends to buy it for!
June 1, 2011 5:06 am
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Congratulations, sweet Meg.
June 1, 2011 5:08 am
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MWAH!
June 1, 2011 7:47 am
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Congratulations! That is an amazing accomplishment!! Can’t wait to buy it for friends!
June 1, 2011 5:08 am
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Congratulations – what a huge f*cking accomplishment!!!!!!!!!!! (It’s so huge it called for a swear word!) Already married here, but I’m going to buy it and read it anyway. =)
June 1, 2011 5:17 am
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Three bazillion hell yeahs to you for finishing!!! It’s an amazing thing you’re doing. I of course will be buying copies, you know, on the off chance I ever decide to get married again. And because I love books; especially written by people I know (well, sort of).
You deserve a nap, a glass of wine, and a dozen cookies of your choice. Congrats!!
June 1, 2011 5:20 am
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You are AMAZINGGGGGGG. You wrote a mother f*cking book!
June 1, 2011 5:21 am
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Congratulations!! That is such a huge accomplishment. I can’t wait to read it!
June 1, 2011 5:29 am
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Congrats! Regardless it’s awesome, but I teach, and it’s finals, and I have lots of 6th-7th graders (because let’s face it the 8th graders don’t care) freaking out right now and the ones with learning differences are either extra freaking out or shutting down. THIS is going to be my morning pep-talk.
PS I OWN those shoes, they are super comfortable, and tomorrow I will wear them as a little salute!
June 1, 2011 5:29 am
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Awwww! I didn’t get to design that cover, just give advice pre-design, so it makes me happy that you have those shoes!
Pep talk!!
June 1, 2011 7:49 am
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Ohhhh, can you please tell me where the shoes are from?
June 1, 2011 8:04 am
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because I’m late in replying and you might not see the below – look below!
June 1, 2011 7:08 pm
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Where are they from!? I want them!
June 1, 2011 4:33 pm
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Payless (Seriously, here’s the proof: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/holiday-entertaining/holiday-party-accessories-almost-all-under-50-bucks-316503#photoViewer=1)
and how awesomely practical is that? They are very comfortable – but I doubt you’ll be able to get them in the summer…(PS I’m a 5 1/2 if anyone lives in the North Jersey/metro-NYC area and wants to borrow them.
June 1, 2011 7:07 pm
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Oh, that’s PRICELESS. I’m going to tell everyone the cover shoes came from payless. That’s kind of perfect, no?
June 1, 2011 8:02 pm
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yep. totally perfect.
June 2, 2011 7:29 pm
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So. Freaking. Awesome. I just pre-ordered my copy (through the affiliate link, too ;) even though I’m already married. Yay!!! Congratulations on this amazing achievement. I second everyone else… ice cream and a nap.
June 1, 2011 5:34 am
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Officially pre-ordered! The book will be released 9 months before my wedding, so pretty much perfect timing! The only other wedding book I have is Offbeat Bride, so I think this will be the perfect companion! Congrats Meg!
June 1, 2011 5:38 am
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That’s wonderful! It looks gorgeous, and I can’t wait to read it. I definitly agree it should be a book club book.
June 1, 2011 5:46 am
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Well obviously ;) Why do you think I started the book club?? Silly beans!
June 1, 2011 7:50 am
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Just thought I’d finally comment on a blog I’ve been reading for at least a year. Have to say, your blog is one of my favorites out there. Why? (DUH!) Because besides the pretty pictures, which don’t get me wrong I love, there’s some seriously serious real talk. I love the reclaiming wife posts, I love the way you examine all aspects of marriage and not just the occasion of the wedding itself and I love that it’s not all fluffed over but really, really real.
I’m not engaged, but will be buying your book for sure (will it be available on Kindle?). Besides wanting to read more of your witty, real talk. It is so awesome to see someone living out their goals and dreams right before our eyes.
Big congratulations to you.
June 1, 2011 5:49 am
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Yes! It totally will be.
June 1, 2011 7:51 am
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OH F*CK YES.
Pre-order Whaaaa!!!
June 1, 2011 5:55 am
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So effin excited and proud of you!! Congrats Meg!
June 1, 2011 5:56 am
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Congratulations!!!!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! I will have been married a month by the time the book is published, but I will give it to every single engaged friend, because seriously, the world needs practical weddings.
June 1, 2011 5:56 am
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Congratulations Meg! A friend of mine told me that she is engaged today, so I consider this a sign that pre-ordering (a thing I normally reserve for Adele cds and Joseph Gordon Levitt movies) is a necessity.
June 1, 2011 5:57 am
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OH man. That rocks. Congratulations!
June 1, 2011 5:58 am
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It’s beautiful, both the big pile o’ paper and that gorgeous cover. (Red shoes!)
You know what else is beautiful? That big happy grin. Congratulations, Meg.
P.S. I love how the message of the book – creative, affordable, meaningful – is just a fancier version of the old APW tagline of creative, thrifty, sane. In some ways APW has come SO FAR since it started, and in other ways (the best ways) it hasn’t changed a bit. Which is a huge achievement in itself. So thank you.
June 1, 2011 5:59 am
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WHOA! I hadn’t realized that! That’s super awesome. I didn’t get to pick the subtitle (authors never do), and they didn’t know the old tag line. So, fate, yes?
My working subtitle was “Planning a wedding that won’t leave you in the poorhouse or the madhouse.” Because I’m funny.
June 1, 2011 7:53 am
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Woo hoo! Congratulations, Meg! So very, very awesome.
June 1, 2011 6:00 am
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Congratulations, Meg! It’s not going to be published in time for my wedding, but I’m going to buy it and gift it to my friends when they become engaged.
I can’t wait to be able to read it! How exciting!
June 1, 2011 6:00 am
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Yay! I’m sad that I won’t be able to read it before my October wedding, but so happy for you! You have accomplished something amazing. Your website has been a source of inspiration and sanity for me ever since last winter, when I proposed to my boyfriend and found you by googling “Wedding Industrial Complex.” Thank you!
June 1, 2011 6:04 am
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Wahoo! While I’m more than thrilled that I found this site pre-wedding, I’m jealous of all the baby brides who will get all that advice in book form as well. Lucky them!
June 1, 2011 6:05 am
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AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! CONGRATS.
this is so freaking exciting!! YAYAYAY. I think I will pre-order it. Though I really enjoy walking into a bookstore on the pub date and buying it off the shelf. BUT, since you get an extra what-what from amazon links, I will do the amazon thing. that’s how much I like you.
June 1, 2011 6:09 am
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Oh no! Maybe you should wait! We also need people to go to their bookstores and ask them to carry it! There is something for everyone… :)
And you know, while you weren’t directly quoted, you *inspired* several sections.
June 1, 2011 7:54 am
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Maybe a happy medium? Pre-order your own from Amazon and buy from your favorite independent for friends. That’s my game plan.
June 1, 2011 10:03 am
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I love you.
June 1, 2011 12:10 pm
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I will talk to our local awesome bookstore near the farm. Lots of people come to our little town to browse around after a day of wedding venue hunting (barn weddings are big by us). I think I can convince them to stock a few copies to start out with. Hooray!
June 1, 2011 4:35 pm
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Yessss!
June 1, 2011 8:04 pm
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Aaaaand ordered. What a great day! High five everyone you see today. (I’ve almost never been refused a high five from a stranger, try it!)
June 1, 2011 6:14 am
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I wish it was available NOW! Le sigh. I’ll probably buy it even though I’ll be married by then. And if I like it as much as I think I will, I’ll probably gift it to engaged people I know.
Way to go Meg!
June 1, 2011 6:14 am
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Pre-ordered and set up to ship directly to the newest baby-bride in my circle, my new sister-in-law! Too late for my wedding (married almost a month already! where did the time go?), but I will happily steal it off her shelf when she’s done.
(And maybe we can have a little sisterhood of the traveling book? I love that!)
Congratulations! And YAYYYYYYYYYYY
June 1, 2011 6:16 am
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Yes! Already planning my travelling book!
June 1, 2011 6:20 am
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Shush ladies! We need people to buy more copies so I can write another about marriage!
I know, capitalism, boo ;)
June 1, 2011 7:55 am
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Can’t wait to buy it for my next engaged friend! (Meanwhile I’ve just been sending engaged people the link to this site!)
June 1, 2011 6:16 am
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This is just f&#!ng fabulous. You Meg are an inspiration.
Next up: book tour! (Canada puuuuleeeease!)
June 1, 2011 6:17 am
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Yes, Canada! :)
June 1, 2011 7:35 am
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Whoa whoa! Canada is a big place! We should be more specific… Like Ottawa!
June 2, 2011 5:20 am
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Or Montreal? :) (I am not actually in Montreal, but it is a 3 hour drive away…)
June 2, 2011 7:07 am
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I’m in Toronto, but hell ya to a road trip to Montreal to party!
Seriously Meg, it’s like going to Paris for waaay cheap. Come!
June 2, 2011 8:01 am
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I’m so jealous! I want to write a book!
June 1, 2011 6:19 am
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AAAWESOME!
You look super blissed out.
And I hope you feel better- quite familiar with the head colds after milestones.
June 1, 2011 6:21 am
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Yay! Is it bad that I don’t want to start wedding planning until I get the book? Seriously though, my mother needs it.
June 1, 2011 6:23 am
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Well HOT DAMN WOMAN! GO YOU!!!! SO excited to get this book for my couples!!! :) Congrats!!!!! And book tour?! Chicago?! Yes!? Please?! :) xoxo!
June 1, 2011 6:24 am
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Yes. You’re welcome! January.
June 1, 2011 7:56 am
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A huge congratulations to you, Megan. I’m so excited to see your words in book form. And Christy, I’m with you on voting for a Chicago book tour date! Let’s go together to the reading and bring Meg some champagne :)
June 1, 2011 8:07 am
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Congrats, Meg!!
…and the list has begun of all those I want to get this for….
Wear red shoes while high-fiving people in celebration! – cause, really, who could resist that joyous smile! Well freakin’ done!
June 1, 2011 6:28 am
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YAAAAAY!!! *happy Kermit arm-flailing*
Congrats Meg and APW! So exciting, and I’m totally buying the book… even though I’ll be a married lady by then. (Eeep!)
June 1, 2011 6:30 am
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KERMIT ARM FLAILING!
June 1, 2011 7:57 am
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Oh, Meg!!! Congratulations! Will be giving this as a gift to everyone I know who gets engaged, or who is dealing with the pre-engaged woes (I already send them here). You are amazing!
June 1, 2011 6:31 am
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Congraulations! I actually welled up a little when I read this which is weird because I’m generally not a real human. ;) I’ve been reading from the beginning and this makes me uber happy. Uber.
June 1, 2011 6:33 am
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Hooray! Yeah, still going to read this even though my wedding will be two months in the past. I think it will be my gift to any engaged woman I know, along with a link to the blog.
The cover looks awesome!
June 1, 2011 6:38 am
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