Welbeck swipes Elman's self-help dating advice

Welbeck has landed a self-help book on dating by award-winning life coach, boundaries expert and author Michelle Elman.

Editorial director Isabel Wilkinson acquired English-language rights for the UK, Commonwealth and Europe from Hayley Steed at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. The Selfish Romantic: How to Date without Feeling Bad about Yourself will be published on 5th January 2023.

The book “combines Michelle’s expertise in boundaries and body positivity and her ideals of inclusivity and intersectionality to offer the essential guide to navigating modern dating”. Its synopsis states: “Nearly every question life coach and queen of boundaries Michelle Elman is asked relates to one subject: dating. Including unravelling myths about single life, changing your dating mindset, dealing with ghosting, text etiquette and taking relationships offline, The Selfish Romantic will teach you how to empower your love life like never before.” 

Elman said: “I am thrilled to be working with Welbeck again to spread the message that no matter what you look like, you deserve to have a full love life. It’s time to throw out the advice that you need to change yourself in order to be successful in dating. Instead, you need to be more direct about who you already are to attract someone who is interested in you. Race, size and disability are topics that are shied away from in dating books, and I think it’s important to discuss them head-on; otherwise, it’s easy to think you are alone in the problem. I believe that dating and relationships are separate skills, and The Selfish Romantic gives the dating stage the legitimacy it deserves. It’s not just a means to an end but a phase you can actually enjoy.”

Wilkinson added: "I am so pleased to be continuing to work with Michelle with this essential, empowering and inspiring new book. As we have seen with The Joy of Being Selfish [Welbeck], her work as a boundaries expert has inspired a whole generation of readers to create time and energy for themselves. Now, with The Selfish Romantic, she returns with an even more powerful message that will revolutionise and empower our love lives.”