A Work in Progress: A Memoir

A Work In Progress by Connor Franta is a thoughtfully good read & regular reminder to get up & do something, but not just with one palpable prompt, like an unexpected fap upside-the-head, but more than a few times & in a worthy way, like perpetual positive reinforcement.Connor’s book, aka AWIP ~ A Memoir is short & sweet, but packed to the brim with loads of good advice & insight from such a young man ~ not so much older than the 20-year day-job I recently quit & am now glad I did, in order to pursue my dream of being a full-time writer, as Connor would agree, ‘...you can make “now” the place you want to be.’' ‘Take a breath. Take a chance.’' ‘Regret is ignoring a path you should have taken.’' ‘Sometimes you just have to leap & have faith in yourself.’' ‘Own it. Own every aspect of who you are and present it to the world with the utmost pride.’I think Connor is some kind of guru or at least, a very old soul who has returned in this life to finish the journey he neglected on some level in his last life & he’s determined to be off & running, which is a great start to any profound & faithful story!I wish I would’a, could’a, should’a done half the things at his age ~ I heard & read about that Connor has accomplished in just 22 years. I can’t imagine what else he’s got up his sleeve & I will try to stick around as long as I can, just to follow his lead, by example, or maybe I should say, subscribe to his stellar standard of determination.I also like how Connor shared his early years in the homespun apple orchards of Minnesota, with some trials & tribulations of his youth, which helped me, understand on some level of half-remembered memories of just what & exactly how he chose to deal with everything & what he now believes to be true because of those debilitating experiences. But the best drive-thru advice he gives when leaving any town USA ~ as the most prominent one he satirically nicknames ‘the town of confusion’ ~ is to keep moving forward until you find your way!I’m glad I decided to read this very successful Vlogger’s book of secrets & as a result have a tremendous amount of respect for Connor Franta, who felt subsequently obliged or candidly pressured by a curious but fearful society to make-public his personal stats, which he really shouldn’t have had to do, but I’m glad he decided instead to share so much private information, partly for my inquisitive progression & half-full quiver, as well as for all the kids at-risk in the world who need a commendable role model, to kick-start their sometimes scared lives from idle into 1st gear!Still, Connor downplays the requisite identity issue by saying, ‘...this story isn’t about sexuality. It’s about overcoming our biggest fears.’And honesty is still the best policy, Connor & I give you an A+ on your thesis about essential self-discovery & your sublime subjective perspective ~ in your own words, ‘the way I see the world.' Nice!‘So what are you waiting for? Go. Get started.’1 of 5 (readers, that is) – Jack Dunsmoor, author of the book, OK2BG

It is really difficult to write a memoir when you are only 23-years-old. So rather than calling this a memoir, I am calling it a collection of tales from Franta's past with allusions to how he might approach what appears to be, heretofore, a very successful future. And he seems to be doing very well for himself: YouTube celeb, owner of a brand, up and coming gay man (who is out publicly) with strong ties to the LGBT community in both California and the rest of the country, and just a genuinely good guy. He is almost too good to be true.The coincidences I found as I compared my own life to the one he wrote about in his book, is that we have a lot in common. We are both from small towns in the upper Midwest. Both Roman Catholics impelled to attend university at private Catholic colleges. Both gay men trying to make our way in the world in spite of opposition. And the list goes on and on. I would like to meet Connor some day, if only to say that two men who started on similar paths ended up living such disparate lives. Some of us are born for fame, some of us play roles in the background.Though the book is a quick read and largely represents stories of Connor's past, it kept my attention over Christmas of 2015. I almost feel as if I know him in a strange sort of way. It is not a deep, descriptive knowledge, but more of a cursory introduction to someone I could see myself being very good friends with if we even crossed paths. Definitely worth a read, but don't expect a writing style that is unduly complex or hard to follow. He is young. His writing reflects that youth.

A Work in Progress- A Book You "Feel!" By Connor FrantaThere are most books that you read, but there are others that you feel. Connor Franta'sA Work in Progress , honestly, humanistically, and creatively, shows how a small townMidwestern boy struggled through many challenges of growing up, identity, sexuality, andloneliness to help other people through humorous, motivational and artistically creative You Tubevideos.If A Work in Progress could be read by everyone in the world, the world would be ahappier place! What I love immensely about Connor's writing is that his searches in life are notabout fame, money, or power. Connor Franta's ambitions are to help people find hidden talentsand abilities within themselves to make them feel happier and lead better lives! Connor'spassion for giving back to the community through his charity work, videos, and writings, anddoing the most good for the greatest number of people is echoed throughout his life's journey.The reader "feels" and shares his life's journey's, failures, inbetweens, and successes, through Connor's poetic words of kindness and his passion for photography. Award winning photos compliment Connor's empathetic writings throughout the book.A Work in Progress shows Connor Franta's masterful dedication to writing, photography,compassion, and empathy. The reader feels and shares the warmth, humor, and wit of a trueartisan craftsman author, much wiser than his years, with a love of writing, creativity, andinnovative discovery. Connor Franta will motivate the reader to love life, find his/her passion,and show how failures are necessary to make a person stronger. To quote Connor, "Let failurebe your teacher, not your judge." I encourage everyone to read this book! You may discover a very special talent within yourself. Connor provides wonderful encouragement and understanding in helping the reader fulfill his/her dreams. This book might change your life!

Great story, a lot of relatable situations. Great to hear that nobody is alone, and always keep pushing no matter what.

In this captivating yet intimate memoir, Connor Franta discusses the ups, downs and arounds of his life up to now. A Work In Progress is just that - unfinished, undiluted, and unadulterated honesty on Franta's part, teaching us the who-what-when-where-why-and-how s of growing up in the digital age of the 21st century. Franta's literary voice is so profound, so authentic, you feel an urge pushing you to read more. I really enjoyed this book, and took so much from it. I would definitely recommend.

This book is so aesthetically pleasing that it makes it very easy to read. Even though the pages are so carefully laid out this doesn't detract from the content - as he has written some pretty deep and meaningful stuff. If anything the creative images makes the book easier to read as it's hard hitting in a more subtle way.The seller was also excellent - amazing quality for a used book and the price point, and arrived well within the delivery date.

I enjoy Connor’s YouTube videos and he seems like a lovely person but I honestly found this book very dull. I guess 22 is very young to write and autobiography but it felt like there wasn’t enough content to be worth a book, it’s very short and every other page is a photograph. Nice stories but really didn’t catch my interest at all.

I've currently taken a lone trip from London to Greece by myself for almost a week, I recently lost my job and it was something i needed to do for me.I originally bought note to self because i saw the beauty in the cover and the first three pages, upon completing the book so quickly I proceeded to research Connor a little, finding out that he had another book! Instantly I bought it and downloaded it onto my Kindle and it was a brilliant decision.Connor, you are the outlook I needed to help me get through this hard time. I refuse to step back into another job that I hate, this is my time now x

It's an OK book, I enjoy Connor Franta's YouTube and Instagram accounts. I do feel as if he should have left it a few more years to actually talk about some bigger life stories. I say that because his life seems to have been pretty normal so there's nothing really eye opening besides the chapters about dealing with his sexuality. You'll enjoy it if you're a fan, otherwise I'd just stick to watching his videos if you don't know him that well.