Who Are You To Write Two Memoirs?
I’ve had that question posed to me, most often from my editor. God love her for always asking the tough questions so that I can ensure both my writing and I are in the best shape for readers. Famous people typically have no more than one memoir. So who am I to write two? As a writer, you have to know your art, your heart and be able to answer the tough questions.
Ten years ago, when I was struck by the inspiration to write memoir, my muse showed me three books. I followed her lead. As I neared publication of the first book, I began to doubt myself, and, based on my editor’s question, opted to put books one and two together. I took that newly merged manuscript into a multi-month group critique course. It did not go well.
Firstly, the book was nearing tome status. That was never my intention and I heard about the burden of reading it from my classmates. Secondly, the stories had distinctly different energies to them.
An Accidental Awakening is a memoir time capsule. It includes one year of my life; one of the most transformative years of my life. It is complete in its journey.
The forthcoming Awakening on Purpose is the follow-up book. It’s what naturally arises once you’ve experienced a spiritual awakening. It is the answer to the question: What is my life’s purpose? The book includes haibun (a Japanese form of prose and haiku) that delineate each chapter. That style of writing did not suit the first book. Basically, my heart always knew this book needed to stand alone.
And then there were three! Which had me asking the question: Who am I to write a third memoir? Again, the energy of book three is not the same as the first two. It dives into the world of dreams and dream cultures. It follows my year of dream yoga.
Could I have stitched all three together? Certainly. However, I don’t believe that would have done the stories justice or served the reader. Since I self-published my book, I get to make the call.
There’s no cookie cutter approach to your craft. You feel it. And I believe in particular women write memoirs that address a certain suffering or struggle. It’s not the autobiography of old where we learn the birthplace of Alexander Graham Bell and then follow the formative years of his life. Not that there’s anything wrong with autobiography, but today’s memoirs are evolving to meet the demands of the times.
We are writing stories that tell the reader they are not alone in their suffering. We invite compassion onto the page along with deepened understanding of our human condition.
So write one memoir. Or write five. Find an editor who asks the hard questions and compels you to test your craft and trust your heart. Create your art and gift it to the world as an antidote to suffering.
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About An Accidental Awakening
She lost her career to a spinal injury. She lost herself to motherhood. Then Stephanie’s best friend invited her to join a year in yoga, which turned out to be more than she bargained for. An Accidental Awakening is yoga off the mat and into life as she is thrown into qigong in the snow, fire ceremonies on her lawn, walking on hot coals, tapping her sixth sense, chanting, ranting and crying – all while making meals and tucking kids into bed in-between. Using the chakras as a roadmap and yoga, her vehicle, Stephanie takes readers on a year-long adventure down an ancient path toward healing.
Told in a style that the New York Times describes as “self-help memoir,” An Accidental Awakening offers readers the tools and inspiration they need to transform their lives: to find family in yoga and yoga in family.
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About Stephanie Hrehirchuk
Known to raid her grandparents’ garden as a child, Stephanie has a life-long love of local food and vibrant nutrition. She has over 15 years of experience in personal training, nutrition, and wellness, with an additional 10 years in yoga, meditation and complementary therapies. Stephanie is the author of Anna and the Earth Angel, Anna and the Tree Fort, Anna and the Food Forest, and Nourish: Ayurveda-inspired 21-day Detox. She was a regular contributor at Gaiam, with articles published at Sivana Spirit, Finer Minds, and Elephant Journal. Stephanie donates 10% of the profits of Nourish to Fuel for School, a Calgary Board of Education initiative to feed hungry elementary school students so they can focus on learning. Stephanie has a tree planted for every print copy sold of her Anna series of children’s books.
Stephanie’s website: https://stephaniehrehirchuk.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieHrehirchukAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHrehir
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/stephaniehrehirchuk/
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