Writing a Powerful Memoir
Description: Conference host Alexa Bigwarfe faciliates a conversation with Keri Mangis and Shahira Niggin Qudrat on writing a memoir that has an impact on readers.
Format: Panel Discussion
Level: This presentation is for all levels.
Alexa Bigwarfe
Author, Publisher and Summit Producer
Alexa Bigwarfe is a wife, mother, author, publisher, speaker, and author coach. She has published numerous books of her own and for many other writers and entrepreneurs through her author coaching and hybrid-publishing company Kat Biggie Press (katbiggiepress.com). Kat Biggie Press is dedicated to sharing women’s works of inspiration, self-help, and books that make the world a better place. Her children's book imprint, Purple Butterfly Press, publishes books of encouragement, inspiration, self-love, and healing for children and parents. She is also the founder and producer of the Women in Publishing Summit. Follow her everywhere on instagram @katbiggiepress and on youtube for publishing tips at https://www.youtube.com/writepublishsell.
Keri Mangis
Author, Speaker & Podcast Creator
Keri is a curious seeker and truth speaker, an Earth Realm explorer and Soul Realm mediator, a philosopher and boundary-free visionary.
On the surface, Keri Mangis might seem a gentle yet candid introvert. But peel back a layer and you’ll uncover an inquisitive explorer of inner and outer realms. Peel back another layer and you might see a brave visionary pioneering her own brand of spiritual revolution. She has studied or taught yoga, Ayurveda, herbal medicine, energy work, aromatherapy, Buddhism, Hinduism, Tantra, Christianity, and other spiritual teachings and healing modalities. A Minneapolis-based writer and speaker, her work has appeared in Elephant Journal, Urban Howl, The Sunlight Press, Grown and Flown, Rebelle Society, The Good Men Project, Stitch, Literary Mama, and elsewhere. Embodying Soul is her first book. Keri also has created a podcast entitled Awaken your Power. In this podcast, she seeks to redefine power from something we try to get from the outside world to something that we cultivate from within.
Shahira Niggin Qudrat
Author and Speaker
Shahira N. Qudrat is the only cross-cultural leadership guide and business consultant working on diversity and equity initiatives. She recently launched a book called Authenticity in America that tells her own story of juggling multiple cultural identities. When she is not working Shahira enjoys spending time with her husband, five children. You can always find her reading books that broaden her lens on the world.
In her work, Shahira especially enjoys working with Multicultural American women who desire to excel in corporate leadership while defusing cultural blocks and self-limiting beliefs and juggling dual-identities. She specializes in simple half-day training sessions to the development of large-scale initiatives such as executive development programs, running focus groups, launching community relations activities or consulting on recruitment strategies.
Mentioned in this video:
2 very different memoirists
Shahira Niggin Qudrat – talking about difficult topics; creating a social space for the conversations you want to have: Authenticity in america: https://amzn.to/2TlynmP
Keri Mangis – the healing art of memoir and how we can use our personal stories for healing the collective heart; Embodying Soul – https://amzn.to/2wa5AJO
Shahira’s parents came to American from Afghanistan when she was a young child. Her experience as an Afghani native, a feminist woman, and a Muslim – she felt her story really needed to be told. A duality.
Keri’s duality – the person I thought I was versus the person I wanted to be. How she was in a period of the “dark night of the soul” – a loss of sense of purpose and worth in the world. Felt she wanted to be more authentic in the world – if she wrote her stories and shared them, she would be able to live with a greater sense of connection
How they decided to write their memoirs and for what overall purpose.
How they determined the approach for their memoir.
The lessons they learned while writing.
Truth versus fact in a memoir. How do we cover fact vs. more of a global truth.
How to navigate triggering memories.
Knowing which stories are for public consumption.
Tips for writing the Memoir
I bought both of their books after this recording. 🙂
Resources:
The Loft Writing Studio – in Minneapolis https://loft.org/
Shahira’s TedEx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSbycy3Imo
Reexamine, Redefine, Reclaim Your Multi-American Identity | Shahira Qudrat | TEDxCherryCreekWomen
[bctt tweet=”This #memoir panel with Shahira Niggin Qudrat and @KeriMangis is really powerful. Don't miss this one. #womeninpublishing #womeninpublishingsummit #womensvoices #amwriting ” username=”womeninpublish1″]
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