Superwoman forays into writing

Lilly Singh AKA Superwoman, made her second visit to India. As part of it, she toured Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi to deliver humour, motivation and real talk from her debut book ‘How To Be A Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life’

Lilly Singh has reached global success and amassed more than 11 million subscribers through her signature brand of observational comedy and inspirational YouTube videos. As a role model to a lot of women around the globe, Singh also created her #GirlLove initiative to break the cycle of girl-on-girl hate and encourage positivity amongst each other.

Now Lilly wants to share the lessons she learned while taking the world by storm, and the tools she used to do it with her debut book ‘How to Be a Bawse…’. The book is narrated in Lilly’s hilarious, bold voice and packed with photos and candid stories from her journey to the top.

Excerpts

What was the idea behind penning the book?
I have been so grateful for the good, bad and truly unbelievable experiences I've had over the past years, that I felt a book was the perfect format to share those lessons with others. I've learned so much from smart people, who I admire along the way and wanted to share those stories with my audience. I hope it will inspire others to see beyond the mentality of “dreaming for their dreams.”

How difficult or easy was it to write a book?
As simple as it sounds, finding the time to write. Turns out that writing a book takes a lot of time! I had an idealistic image in my head about the writing process: I was going to take three months off, sit by a fireplace and then the book would be done. That was quite the fantasy given my schedule and commitments! I have learned that to write a book you have to find the time to do it and it isn’t going to play out the way you envisioned, but that is okay.

The ‘Out of the Blue’ chapters were very difficult to write, but I felt they were necessary to include. I want my readers to know that I’ve been through difficult times just like them and this is what I did to get out of it. Even now I choke up when I read these chapters since they remind me of when I was a totally different person. Overall, it was humbling but difficult to relive those experiences.

How long did you take to write this book?
It took me a year, basically birthday to birthday, from proposals to the time I finished my first manuscript. I did kind of know what I wanted to say because for a month or two I jotted down chapter ideas constantly in my phone.

I knew the direction of the book, but it wasn’t until I actually started to write out chapters that I realised what the analogy was going to be and what the actual steps to practice that guideline were going to be. When I start writing, I don’t want people to disturb me because I get into a flow for a few hours where I am constantly writing and writing, and the next day I will evaluate if what I wrote was actually good or not.

What has been your proudest achievement so far?
It is difficult to share my proudest achievement, but I have three moments that are extra special to me. First is my world tour and documentary, “A Trip to Unicorn Island.” Being able to travel the world, meet my fans and spread positivity was an unforgettable experience. Second is my Girl Love Rafiki Bracelet.

When I saw my design come to life, I was overwhelmed. The bracelets not only represent being passionate about Girl Love but doing something about it. Last is “How To Be A Bawse", of course! Writing my book has been a surreal journey.

How do you deal with negativity online?
I have a stick note on my computer that reminds me every day to focus on what deserves my attention. I know that negativity exists, but I choose to not engage with it and spend time on things that I want more of.

Can you tell us more about your #GirlLove campaign?
#GirlLove is a social initiative I started to end the cycle of girl-on-girl hate. The sad reality is that girl-on-girl hate is everywhere: at school, at work, and online. I wanted to create a community that encourages positivity amongst women because as women, we know how amazing other women can be. I want young girls and women to see that encouraging one another to achieve is a global win –we’re all in this together.

What are your future projects?
Right now, I'm most excited about ‘How To Be A Bawse…’ and I can't wait to meet fans on my tour this year to support it. I care so much about those who take the time to come and see me on tour, and want it to be a special experience for each and every one of them! I'm also focusing a lot on Girl Love.

It feels more important than ever for young girls and women around the world to lift each other up. I would also love to pursue more acting opportunities and possibly maybe my own film or pilot. Lately, I have been learning a lot about screenwriting, directing and producing. There are so many opportunities here which are really exciting!