Make Believe: Poems for Hoping Again

by Victoria Hutchins

Overview

An exquisite poetry collection from the creator of The Daily Victorian that celebrates the hidden versions of ourselves, and unveils the healing power of nostalgia, imagination, and hope

“This is for anyone who doesn’t see deep feeling as a bad thing but would appreciate a warm and talented companion while they do it.”—Mari Andrew, New York Times bestselling author of Am I There Yet?

Maybe you're not old enough yet to believe in fairy tales again. But you can take a walk with optimism. You can hear her out when she tells you the universe is conspiring in your favor, and can keep your eyes peeled for signs that she’s right.

Victoria Hutchins’s debut Make Believe is a reclamation of wonder and an invitation to return to childlike joy, wielding nostalgia and memory as lenses to imagine a fuller life. These poems pave a path of reconnection to our bodies, our past, our desires, and our wonder—beckoning readers to discover a world worth holding on to.

Make Believe is for anyone who wants to take back the narrative of their life, whose body often feels like an enemy to their soul, or who might be struggling to stick around. This book will inspire readers to go out looking, heart in hand, for joy, purpose, and healing.

With Hutchins’s trademark sensory and evocative language throughout, Make Believe contains both viral spoken-word pieces and never-before-shared writing. Ultimately pointing readers toward transformation, Hutchins invites you to imagine: What would happen if you allowed yourself to believe again—in dreams and miracles, but mostly in yourself?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593735718
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/18/2025
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	33,842
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Victoria Hutchins is a TikTok and Instagram poet and yoga teacher with a social media community of over 1.5 million followers. Prior to her current career, Victoria was an attorney at one of the largest law firms in the world and then at a publicly traded tech company. She holds a bachelor of arts from Columbia University and a juris doctorate from Vanderbilt University. Victoria is always seeking beauty, hope, and truth in the mess of life. Her work is an invitation for readers to join her in the search.

Editorial Reviews

For anyone in search of wonder, hope, or just an understanding voice, Make Believe is a heartfelt exploration of the human experience.”—Whitney Hanson, bestselling author of Home and Harmony

“The world is so blessed that Victoria Hutchins chose a creativity-driven life for herself, because her first book is so clearly born from someone who thinks, believes, feels, remembers, dreams, and alchemizes creatively. In her tender, mesmerizing collection, Hutchins blends verse and storytelling into an art that will satisfy both poetry purists and those who hesitate to pick up a poetry book. Hutchins tightly holds the reader’s hand as she goes into the dark to explore painful subjects, then gives them a bright lantern on their way out. This stunning debut is for anyone who doesn’t see deep feeling as a bad thing but would appreciate a warm and talented companion while they do it.”—Mari Andrew, New York Times bestselling author of Am I There Yet and My Inner Sky

“What I love about Make Believe by Victoria Hutchins is the way it brings forth a sense of possibility, both for where we are and where we can go. It’s an invitation for both reflection and hope as we journey through life’s many cycles, dreaming of what the world could be. I love how, through both verse and prose, this collection captures those highs and lows, and it acknowledges courage amid fear. It’s warm and reassuring, and provides a chance to pause and find meaning in a fast-paced world. Poignant, imaginative, and healing, this work is a timely reminder of life’s wholeness. There’s a rhythm to this book I quite like, a rhythm that reminds me of the rhythms of life.”—Morgan Harper Nichols, author and artist

“A sparkling, riveting gut punch.”—Lyndsay Rush, USA Today bestselling author of A Bit Much

“Make Believe is the book that both my inner child and my adult self needed to read. When they say that the poets will change the world, this is exactly what they meant. Hutchins writes in such a way that you truly feel as though you are hearing from a dear friend. And that is just what this collection is—a sacred friend to all who need it.”—Brianna Pastor, author of Good Grief

From the Publisher