It's Book Review Time!

 Interview with Nada Manley, author of Secrets of the Beauty Insiders

Secrets of the Beauty Insiders is Nada Manley’s first book. The Florida resident is a recognized fashion and beauty writer with over 1,000 magazine articles to her credit. She is also a former beauty editor with more than a dozen years of experience.

Lauren Smith. How and when did you become so interested in beauty?

Secrets of the Beauty Insiders

Lauren Smith: What did you do to prepare for writing Secrets of the Beauty Insiders? 

Nada: I really had to organize my contacts and dive into that full force. I had been working with some of these beauty professionals for years, so I started contacting them all about participating in the book. There was a lot of research and a lot of phone and email time before I could really begin writing. 

Lauren Smith: How much time do you spend each week on beauty/beauty issues to be an expert? What do you do? 

Nada: I read press releases about new products, read trade publications that cover beauty, and do my own research online and at home. I test several new products a week, and write reviews of many of them on my blog. And I speak to other people in the beauty industry on a regular basis, to find out what’s new and what’s right around the corner. These days, with a baby, I probably spend a couple of hours a day staying current, but I used to have much more time. 

Lauren Smith: What do you hope to achieve with your book? 

Nada: I hope that it will be a resource that women will be able to turn to for reliable advice on almost any beauty topic. If they can refer to it whenever something comes up, and walk away with a solution or a product recommendation, then I’ve done my job. 

Lauren Smith: What’s the most common beauty problem women face? 

Nada: I think most women struggle with developing a good, reliable, effective skincare routine. There is so much misleading information out there, and new “miracle” products being launched almost daily, that it really is confusing. 

Lauren Smith: How long did it take you to write the book – (was it longer or less time than you expected)? 

Nada: From start to finish, it took a couple of years, but I took much of that time off. I would say I actually spent about six months diligently working on the book. It took a little longer than I expected because the concept evolved and I changed the original focus of the book as I went along. 

Lauren Smith: Did you seek the support of a writer’s group or class? 

Nada: Actually, I was part of a writer’s group before tackling the book, but after I got really busy writing it, I found that I needed the time more than I needed the support of the group, and I took a leave to focus on completing the book. 

Lauren Smith: What surprised you the most about this process? 

Nada: I was surprised that, even though I was doing something I was so passionate about and had dreamed of doing my entire life, it still took discipline. When you work from home, you still have to drag yourself to the computer every single day and make yourself write! 

Lauren Smith: What tips would you offer to anyone writing for the first time? 

Nada: Just dive into it without planning too much in advance. Sometimes trying to plot it all out can get overwhelming and you just give up, but if you start writing, your project will take shape.

Lauren Smith: What can we look forward to in your next book? 

Nada: It’s tentatively titled “Beauty and the Bump,” and it’s about beauty during pregnancy and in that wacky first year after having a baby. 

Lauren Smith: Is there anything we haven’t covered that you would like to include? 

Nada: I think the key to being successful as a nonfiction author is to write about what you love, not just about what you know. Pick something that you are passionate about and become an expert at it. Then the writing just feels like an extension of you. 

Lauren Smith: Thank you for taking the time to be part of this interview!

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