Bella Thorne is a lot of things. She’s an actress, a director, a former Disney star, and a social media force who basically broke the internet when she joined OnlyFans. But in 2019, she did something that caught a lot of people off guard. She released a book. Not a ghostwritten memoir or a glossy "how-to" guide on being famous, but a raw, messy collection of poetry. People had a lot of opinions. Honestly, most of those opinions were pretty harsh. But looking back at the life of a wannabe mogul poems, there’s something about the collection that demands a second look, especially if you’re interested in the intersection of celebrity culture and genuine mental health struggles.
It’s easy to roll your eyes. I get it. We live in an era where every influencer thinks they have a profound book in them. Yet, Thorne’s work isn't trying to be "The Waste Land." It’s erratic. It’s colorful. It’s literally printed on different colored pages with hand-drawn doodles and scribbles that look like they were pulled straight from a diary hidden under a mattress.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Poems
The biggest misconception is that this was a calculated PR move to "rebrand" as an intellectual. If you’ve actually sat down with the book, you know that’s not true. It’s too chaotic for that. The life of a wannabe mogul poems functions more like a public exorcism of Thorne’s past. She tackles things that are genuinely heavy—dyslexia, sexual abuse, the stifling pressure of the Disney machine, and the grief of losing her father.
Most celebrity books are polished until they lose all texture. This one is the opposite. It’s jagged. Some poems are only three lines long. Others are rambling streams of consciousness. Critics at the time, including some from major literary circles, slammed it for lacking "form." But that misses the point entirely. The lack of form is the point. When your life has been managed by agents and handlers since you were six years old, "form" feels like another cage.
The Reality of Growing Up "Disney"
You can't talk about these poems without talking about the trauma of being a child star. Thorne has been vocal about how she was the primary breadwinner for her family at an age when most kids are learning long division. That pressure leaks into every stanza.
She writes about the physical toll of anxiety and the way Hollywood treats young women like disposable assets. It’s uncomfortable to read. Honestly, it should be. We often consume celebrity gossip as a form of entertainment without acknowledging the human cost. When Thorne talks about her "wannabe mogul" status, she’s poking fun at her own ambition while simultaneously acknowledging that for her, success wasn't a choice—it was a survival mechanism.
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The Dyslexia Factor
One thing that makes the life of a wannabe mogul poems particularly interesting from a technical standpoint is Thorne’s dyslexia. She’s been open about how she struggled to read and write growing up. For someone with that background to release a book of poetry is a massive "screw you" to everyone who told her she couldn't.
The spelling isn't always perfect. The syntax is weird. But there’s a visceral energy in the way she uses words. It’s like she’s wrestling with the language itself. In a world of AI-generated content and perfectly curated captions, there’s something refreshing about seeing someone’s actual, unvarnished thoughts on paper, even if they aren't "literary" in the traditional sense.
Why the "Mogul" Label is a Double-Edged Sword
The title itself is a bit of a head-scratcher until you realize the irony. Thorne is a mogul in many ways. She has millions of followers, multiple businesses, and a high-profile career. But the "wannabe" part suggests a deep-seated insecurity. It’s that feeling of having everything but still feeling like a fraud.
We see this everywhere now. The "hustle culture" of 2026 has made everyone feel like they need to be a mogul. Thorne just happened to put that anxiety into verse. She captures that specific Gen Z/Millennial burnout where you’re constantly performing your life while trying to figure out who you actually are behind the screen.
Breaking Down the Themes
- Abuse and Survival: She doesn't hold back on the trauma she faced. It’s presented without the "triumph" arc we usually see in memoirs. It’s just... there.
- The Industry: Hollywood is portrayed as a predator. It’s a place that eats kids and spits out "brands."
- Loss: Her father’s death in a motorcycle accident is a recurring shadow. It’s the event that clearly fractured her world, and the poems act as a way to talk to him.
- Love and Toxicity: The poems about relationships are often frantic. They capture that "all or nothing" intensity that defines young, public romances.
Is It Actually "Good" Poetry?
This is where things get tricky. If you’re looking for a mastery of iambic pentameter, you’re in the wrong place. But if you define poetry as the most direct line between a feeling and a page, then yeah, it’s effective. It’s raw. It’s loud. It’s messy.
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The literary world is often a gatekeeper. It decides what counts as "art" and what is just "celebrity noise." But the massive sales of the life of a wannabe mogul poems suggest that it resonated with people who don't usually buy poetry books. It reached girls who felt misunderstood, kids struggling with learning disabilities, and anyone who has ever felt like they were playing a character for the world.
There’s a specific poem where she talks about the "mask" she has to wear. It’s simple. Maybe even a bit cliché. But coming from someone whose face was on billboards before she could drive, it carries a weight that a "professional" poet might not be able to replicate.
The Cultural Impact of Celebrity Vulnerability
Since Thorne released this book, we’ve seen a wave of other celebrities trying to be more "authentic." Some feel fake. Thorne, for all her controversies, rarely feels fake. She’s almost too much at times. This book was the blueprint for that "unfiltered" aesthetic that has dominated social media over the last few years.
She paved the way for others to speak out about the dark side of the entertainment industry without a PR team scrubbing the edges. You can see the influence in how younger stars like Olivia Rodrigo or Billie Eilish discuss their mental health. It’s less about being a role model and more about being a human being who is hurting.
Actionable Takeaways for Aspiring Creatives
If you’re looking at Thorne’s journey and wondering how to apply it to your own life or creative work, here’s the real talk.
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Stop Waiting for Permission
Thorne didn't wait for a PhD in Literature to write a book. She had something to say, and she said it. If you have a story, write it. The "quality" matters less than the honesty. People can smell a lack of sincerity from a mile away.
Embrace Your Limitations
Use what makes you "different" as your strength. Thorne used her dyslexia and her chaotic energy to create a visual style that was uniquely hers. Don't try to hide your flaws; make them the centerpiece.
Vulnerability is a Tool, Not a Weakness
In the business world, we’re told to be stoic. But real connection—the kind that builds a brand or a following—comes from being real. People didn't buy the book because they wanted great poetry; they bought it because they wanted to know Bella.
Diversify Your Voice
You don't have to stay in one lane. You can be an actress, a business owner, and a poet. Don't let a "category" define what you're allowed to produce. The "wannabe mogul" mindset is about exploration, even if it’s messy.
Own Your Narrative
If you don't tell your story, someone else will. For years, the media told Bella Thorne’s story for her. This book was her taking the microphone back. It wasn't perfect, but it was hers.
The legacy of the life of a wannabe mogul poems isn't about the words on the page as much as it is about the act of publishing them. It’s a reminder that even when you’re at the top of the world, you can still feel like a "wannabe." And that’s okay. The goal isn't to be a perfect mogul; it’s to be a real person in a world that constantly asks you to be a product.