Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It: A Guest Post by Brooke Averick

Who needs love when you’ve got romance novels? At least, that’s what Phoebe Berman believes. But with one month until she turns thirty, she’s determined to gain some actual life (and love) experience in this relatable coming-of-age story about figuring it all out. Read on for an exclusive essay from author Brooke Averick on writing Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It.

 

Meet Phoebe Berman: despite being a hopeless romantic, she’s about to be a thirty-year-old virgin. With one month before her milestone birthday, she’s determined to finally lose it . . . if her own anxiety doesn’t slow her down. The can’t-miss debut novel from podcaster and comedian Brooke Averick.

I was born a yearner. I’ve spent the past twenty-nine years falling in love with fictional characters, binging romcoms, and amassing enough celebrity crushes to build an army, so naturally, I consider myself an expert in the realm of fictional romance. Unfortunately, my expertise in these areas does not translate to real life. At all. Because the thought of actual, real-life intimacy makes me anxious enough to throw up (and I have, many times), no matter how badly I may want it. 

I spent a lot of time longing to see a character with similar issues represented in the romance space, and eventually, I got tired of waiting. And so Phoebe Berman was born. Phoebe fears the one thing she wants the most: love. As you can probably tell, she is a deeply personal character, and I didn’t have to do a lot of searching to find her voice. I think it was always there, waiting for the day until I felt brave enough to start writing.

As confident as I was about Phoebe as a character, I didn’t know where to start when it came to turning her into an entire book. I majored in early childhood education in college and spent the following years as a preschool teacher turned internet personality. Was I qualified to write a novel? I was riddled with self doubt and imposter syndrome… and then I wrote my first sentence- the dedication. 

For the nervous pukers.

If anyone was qualified to write this book, it was me. And so I started writing, and I didn’t stop until Phoebe got the love story she deserved.

Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It comes out exactly one week to the day from when I’m writing this. Unsurprisingly, I am nauseated. There’s a part of me that feels like I’m sharing my diary with the world. But really, despite how personal this story may be, it is not about me. It’s a story about someone who knows what they want but can’t seem to stop getting in their own way. It’s a story for the hopeless romantics, the anxious, the obsessed, and the friend who feels like they're always one step behind everyone else. Phoebe appeals to the flawed, messiest parts of all of us, and I truly believe there is something in this story for everyone. It is a book about all of us. 

Writing this book changed my life, and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.