Author Q&A With Lynn Lok-Payne

Lynn Lok-Payne is an award-winning author, blogger, and mindset mentor whose life story is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, purpose, and radical self-reinvention. It was in the aftermath of unimaginable loss, her husband’s unexpected death followed three weeks later by a house fire, that led her to writing. At first, writing was therapy, but it slowly turned into a mission to help others navigate transitions, shift their inner critic, and step through life tr boldly into their next chapter.

Lynn is the author of five books that span the full landscape of personal transformation, from daily motivation and positive self-talk to gratitude, mindset, and lasting change. Her work has earned her the Reader’s Favorite and an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award. She is an avid reader and loves to travel to new locales and attend concerts. Meet Lynn:

Did you always want to be an author? No, I never thought I would be an author. I came to this career through tragedy. My husband unexpectedly died, followed by a house fire just three weeks later. I was completely broken, lost, and fell into deep grief. My sense of safety and security disappeared. After several months, I woke up one morning and decided (yes, it was a conscious choice) to start living again. This didn’t happen quickly, but slowly, I started to feel more like myself.

There are a few things that pulled me through besides community: gratitude, acceptance, and writing. First, gratitude. Becoming aware of the good in my life and the simple, ordinary moments, like talking to a friend or seeing a hummingbird, made me grateful for what I had. Second, there is acceptance. No matter how much I wanted to go back to my old life, it wasn’t possible. I had to accept what is, my current circumstances, to move forward. Thirdly, writing. At first, it was my therapy. Writing let gave my emotions a voice to help me to understand, process, and accept all that had happened.

Eventually, my writing turned into something more positive which led to my first book, Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up! which is part memoir, part self-help. It’s the tools I used to reinvent myself, rediscover joy, and start living again.

What is your most recent book, and what inspired you to write it?

One Minute Motivation for Mindset, released this past April. I wrote because I wanted to give readers simple and quick mindset resets; something they could do in 60 seconds or less. Many people are so busy and overwhelmed that they don’t have time to read a full book. This book helps them to start taking control of their thinking to make small changes, one shift at a time.

How do you hope your book will uplift readers?

I hope it helps the reader to become aware of their inner critic because, without awareness, nothing can change. The little changes we make each day have a big impact on our future.

What are you most excited about with this book? I believe the most important conversation we have is the one that’s happening in our minds: our self-talk. Also, our mindset creates our reality and future. These messages are what I am most excited to share because even little changes can create a better life.

How do you handle setbacks and criticism? Setbacks are a part of life. Often, there’s a lesson in a setback or challenge. Maybe what you’re doing could be done differently, or maybe now it’s the right time to pursue it. Trust that there’s a reason for it. Maybe it’s appeared to make you stronger, better. Or that’s there’s an alternate path you should take. Trust in the timing.

Criticism is hard to hear, however, don’t take it personally. Sometimes it’s helpful and at other times it’s not. Know that it’s just someone’s opinion which doesn’t make it true. Also, look at the source. Is this person knowledgeable on the topic?

How do you structure your day and make time for writing? I write in the morning because that is when my creativity is at its highest. Writing is about sitting in a chair and just writing. Know that the first draft usually isn’t great. It’s the rewrites that make it better. Editing is where I spend most of my time. If you want to write, be consistent. Even just five or ten minutes a day counts.

What do you find most fulfilling in the career that you’ve chosen? When someone tells me how my book changed their life for the better. That’s the best reward I could ever ask for.

What book uplifts you? There are so many of them. Fiction: The Midnight Library, Once Upon a Wardrobe, and The Paris Wife. Nonfiction: The Power of Now, The Four Agreements, and Gifts of Imperfection. Children’s: What the Road Said.

Anything else you’d like to share with your readers? Write reviews. Most people don’t take the time to review a book. I’m an avid reader, and I write book reviews on Books Uplift, Goodreads, BookBub, and Amazon. It’s important to help other readers know what a book is about. Sometimes the book description isn’t enough. The review can be just a sentence or two, nothing complicated. Even just a star helps, but something written holds more weight than just a star.

Get to know Lynn and check out all her books via her website.