Breakup License

"Things I Wish I Said" is a powerful memoir poetry book detailing Sydney's journey from breakup to liberating herself from societal expectations. With this book, she empowers humans to see themselves in wholeness and celebration for choosing themselves.

WHY DID I WRITE THIS?

Narratives around breakups are often rooted in tragedy rather than the complexities of seeing yourself/your exes in wholeness. This book smashes these narratives through witty words, nostalgic reflection, and sacred rage. Upon hearing Olivia Rodrigo's "SOUR", I started to reimagine what breakups meant to me. This led to late night writing sessions where I grieved for my past self. While processing a mutual breakup from two years ago alongside a current breakup, I decided to write this book.

This 55 page chapbook is part memoir, part comedy-, and part reflection. Much like an album, this book follows the story of breaking up with your old self. A series of playlists will help us count down to launch day. As part of this campaign, you'll get to see sneak previews depending on the reward you buy into.

WHO IS THIS FOR? 

It's for humans healing from a breakup regardless of how long ago it was. This is for people who have decided to choose themselves after choosing their ex-partners' needs for so long. This for those who feel rage at their ex-partners for lying to their faces, yet still want the best for them. This book is for humans wanting to reclaim themselves after a breakup, but still feeling the nostalgia of their relationships. "Things I Wish I Said" is for every human who wish they could say what they really want to express to their ex-partners, but cannot for whatever the circumstance may be.

WHY AM I'M QUALIFIED TO WRITE THIS?

Following my breakup with my first love, I went through the five stages of grief in an non-linear way. My ex-partner came in and out of life creating chaos for me, so I decided to write this book in order to pick up the pieces. While processing this breakup, I had been invited to a Decoupling in Polyamory panel with Poly Pages where I had shared nuggets of wisdom to others on decoupling. After that, a few friends had gone to me seeking advice on how to reclaim themselves and relationship space post breakups throughout 2021. Upon hearing "Driver's License" by Olivia Rodrigo, I created this book so others could resonate with the stages of grief much like I did with her song.

OUR BUDGET 

The breakdown goes as followed for this project: 

Editing and Manuscript by Grindstone Writing: $2,500 

Printing: $150 

Publishing Intensive by VP Wright: $97 

Remote Styling by Hannah Colen: $250 for 6 hours 

USA Copyright: $35 

Props + Costumes: $270 

Marketing and Fundraising by The Funderista: $1,000 

Misc. (covering anything in production that may come up): $948 

MUA by Corrie Murray: $150

THE TEAM

I'm raising $5,400 to cover the costs of: paying non-cismen especially those of color for their services (editing and remote styling). I could not do this without the team of wonderful people supporting me. Below are the bios for the team involved within this  project.

Editor: Julia Nagatsu Granstrom

Julia Nagatsu Granstrom (she/her) is a Japanese American writer from Seattle, WA. She is a winner of the 2019 SAG-AFTRA Annual Table Read for the Northwest Screenwriter’s Guild. Julia has previously written for the upcoming second season of Divine Shadow, an action web series produced by Flying Gecko. After graduating from the University of Washington with a B.A. in English: Creative Writing, she leveraged parrot-sitting into a government job writing satellite contracts for NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Association). She returned to screenwriting at the Film School and shifted gears to work at a local credit union to soak up benefits, money, and general community atmosphere while moonlighting as a Production Assistant.

Remote Stylist: Hannah Colen 

 Hannah Colen (she/her) is a Korean-American portrait photographer based in Pittsburgh, PA. She is passionate about Asian-American representation within her work and considers herself a mental health advocate. Much of her work surrounds being vulnerable and open with oneself and others.

“I’m incredibly excited to collaborate with Sydney! We met after I attended her ‘Honoring Yourself’ workshop and I’m so glad to have become friends ever since. Having been through a difficult break-up myself this past year, I knew that I wanted to contribute to this project in any way I could. As a lover of all things design and fashion, I’m overjoyed to work as a remote stylist! I’m truly excited to see this book come to life, and believe that it’ll help so many other individuals who are also experiencing rough times post-breakup.” 

MUA: Corrie Murray

Corrie Murray (she/her)

I was attracted and excited to work on this project because the aesthetic and vibe is right up my alley.  Colorful, expressive makeup is my favorite to create. I think one of the best ways to get over a breakup is to put on some makeup that just screams, "I don't need you anymore!" 

PHOTOGRPAHER: DEVON DADOLY

Devon (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in the Philadelphia area. They focus on intimate portraiture and have experience working with survivors and folks in recovery. You can follow their work at @atimeb4now on Instagram.

AUTHOR: SYDNEY RAE CHIN

Sydney Rae Chin (she/her) is a sexuality edu-guide empowering humans to breakup with societal norms to reclaim their wholeness through intuitive guidance. She holds a degree from Emerson College in Media Arts Production with a minor in African American and Africana Studies. Sydney aims to hold space for misogyny affected individuals, especially survivors. She is a proud third generation queer polyamorous Chinese American person; these identities inform the type of projects Sydney takes on.  She currently resides and works in Lenapehoking, which is the stolen land of the Lenni Lenape people.