If you are a young woman interested in self-help, 22-year-old Anna Brase from Edwardsville, Illinois recently wrote and self-published “Ambition in Action” within the last year, a short self-help book written specifically for the demographic.
As a WKU alumna, Brase said she studied biology and neuroscience and had no background in English or journalism before writing her book.
Brase said she decided to write a self-help book because the ones she had been exposed to were written by older men, and she could not relate to them. She set out to make something both relatable and easy to read with “Ambition in Action.”
She said that “Ambition in Action” is a short self-help book that motivates young women to be the best versions of themselves they can be through tips and tricks and step-by-step examples.
Brase said she started writing originally for her little sister, Alison, who is starting college in the fall. She said her sister asked Brase for advice, and Brase said she wanted to share what she did to be more successful in college to help out young women.
Brase said she likes being busy and works a full-time job as a territory manager in her hometown selling medical equipment. She also works as a model and does marketing for Team Fredbird, the mascot for the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Whenever I have free time, I just try to book my schedule up,” Brase said.
Brase said that after work and during her free time, she would write. She said it took her around two months to complete her initial draft of the book.
“I never had a passion for writing until I saw how many people could benefit from this,” Brase said. “I’m just really passionate about everything I do; if I really want something, I’m going to put 110% into it.”
Brase said she went the self-publishing route. She said she hired an editor who was very helpful during the entire process, including self-publishing. She also hired an artist to design the cover art for the book.
Brase published through Amazon and bought her own International Standard Book Number, a 13-digit book identifying number, so she can sell it on other websites. Brase said she is currently working on getting the book into local bookstores in St. Louis, but it is a lengthy process.
“It doesn’t matter how much money I’m making off of it,” Brase said. “I just wanted to publish the book to get it out there and help others.”
Brase said she told no one she was writing the book, even her boyfriend, whom she lives with. When she was writing, she said her boyfriend thought she was working since she does work on her computer for her job. She said she told her mom, who she said was her biggest supporter, before anyone else.
Brase said it was rewarding when she finally revealed the book was published.
“I felt so much love and support from everyone,” Brase said. “It was the best.”
Brase said her dad was one of her biggest inspirations for writing the book.
“Just seeing him when I was growing up, he worked really hard,” Brase said. “The minute it was published and I got my first copy, I went and gave it to my dad.”
Brase said when she gave the copy to her father, he was in total shock. She said her dad was speechless and kept staring at the book and then staring at her in an ongoing cycle for at least a few minutes.
Brase said another inspiration was an attorney she worked for in Bowling Green, Matthew Baker. She said he always motivated her and told her she could do anything she set her mind to.
“He has inspired me to be the person I am,” Brase said. “He’s a successful man himself and he’s always had the most inspiring words for me.”
Baker said he read Brase’s book and thought it was extremely well done.
“You can just sort of feel how motivated she is and how excited she is,” Baker said.
Baker said he thought it was “remarkable and incredible” that Brase had written a book. He said Brase was a full-time student when she worked for him and worked many hours for the firm while being an active member of her sorority and working for the St. Louis Cardinals.
“She managed to do it all and make it sort of look effortless,” Baker said. “When I heard she had written a book, I thought ‘How many hours in a day are there?’”
Baker said his reaction to Brase’s book release was that anything Brase sets her mind to, she is going to get done.
Brase said she didn’t tell anyone about the book because life happens and things fall through. She said she wanted to keep it to herself because she didn’t want any setbacks.
“I wanted to put my heart into it and not hear the noise of everyone else,” Brase said. “I wanted to focus on the real reason for writing the book, which is to help others.”
Brase said it was a rewarding feeling when she finally revealed the book was written and published. She said she revealed the book’s release through an Instagram post.
Brase said she has more book ideas for the future, especially geared more toward college students.
Hannah Pickering, a senior from Nashville and one of Brase’s close friends, said that “Ambition in Action” is a different take on a self-help book. Pickering said that in other self-help books, she gets lost in all the advice and stories. However, she said Brase’s book is concise and gets to the point.
“I love that she’s my age and relates each point to daily life,” Pickering said via text.
Pickering said she and Brase met through their sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, during a Greek Week event called tug, which is essentially tug of war. Pickering said they were on the same rope and got really close after that event.
“She was always just so supportive,” Pickering said. “We always made it a good time.”
Pickering said the aspect of the book she most liked was that Brase wants to kick readers into action. She said that’s reflected in chapter titles, such as “It’s Not Supposed to be Easy” and “Stop Being Scared.”
“Her book is a good reality check in the best way possible,” Pickering said.
Pickering said she feels Brase wrote the book so women everywhere can see their potential.
“Anna takes it even further than that because she wants to empower women to push past that potential and step into a version of themselves they’ve always dreamed of becoming,” Pickering said.
Pickering said she plans to implement the different aspects of the book into her life. She said the idea she’s taking away from it is that sometimes, you just have to focus on yourself.
“There’s just a lot of confidence she puts within you in this book,” Pickering said. “Just reminding myself that I’m here for a reason and I’m doing this for a reason.”
Pickering said that her first reaction when the book was released was shock and that she was proud of her.
“Just knowing her is an honor, but to be someone she calls a friend is even more of an honor, and I just look up to her in so many ways,” Pickering said.