When you help people write their books, you get to share their excitement when the project is finally birthed. Sometimes those books allow family and friends to share the story of a person who has played an important role in their lives. And sometimes, those books contribute important new perspectives to the world at large. That’s what Shani Raviv has done with Being Ana: A Memoir of Anorexia Nervosa.
Being Ana is written with insight gained from ten years in recovery after a decade of disorder. The writing process wasn’t easy. In order to create a compelling book that didn’t just tick off incidents chronologically, Shani, who considers herself fully recovered and believes that it is possible to heal completely, had to come to terms with the themes in her life that influenced both her condition and her recovery. As a result of profound and often emotionally depleting personal scrutiny, Shani’s book offers a unique take and a deep and holistic understanding of the complexity of anorexia, which she views as a survival mechanism gone awry.
“No wonder you’re a fan,” I hear you saying. “You’re the writing coach. You’re biased.”
You’re right. I am. I loved working with Shani and I love her book. But I’m far from the only one to recognize her talent and wisdom. Being Ana‘s accolades include:
• Next Generation Indie Book Awards: It was a winner in the Memoir (other) category and finalist in Women’s Issues.
• Foreword Book of the Year Awards: It was a finalist in the Memoir and Women’s Issues categories.
• National Indie Excellence Awards: It was a winner in the Women’s Health category and a finalist in Addiction & Recovery and Memoir.
Congratulations, Shani. I know there were many moments during the writing—and seemingly endless rewriting—process when you doubted yourself and your book. And look at you now!
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