Arianna Patterson had no idea when she turned in a children’s coloring book for a graphic design project at the University of Kentucky that it would kickstart a business.
“I really did not want to do that project, for real,” she said in a Zoom interview, laughing. “I really just threw it together.”
Her professor told her it was portfolio-worthy—a surprise to Patterson after her rushed approach to the work. So she explored Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, which allows authors and entrepreneurs to self-publish their work. “You can upload your files, and then you can sell it to anyone, anywhere, across the world,” she said.
Patterson began selling kids’ books, like her graphic design project, but said she always wanted to expand into journals. Write what you know, goes the common wisdom for writers, and Patterson did.
A Kentucky gymnast about to enter her sixth year of competition for the Wildcats, Patterson now operates a successful side hustle on Amazon publishing Gymnast Journals. Her journals, which feature brightly colored covers designed by Patterson and interior pages that track weekly goals, nutrition, rehab exercises, and scores over the course of a season. They retail for $22.99. Those who use them seem to love them; nearly all her…
