I interviewed Essi Bagheri, author of Shattered Soul, on how writing your nonfiction story can change a life. Essi is somebody who has come through trauma and found a way through it. His story is the story of life-the way it knocks you down, lifts you up, pulls you apart and makes you not want to breathe again. But then you find a way…
Q: Can You Tell Us a Little Bit About Your Story?
I was born in Iran. My mom was not even 12 years old when she got forced into an arranged marriage. My father was 30 at the time. I was born when she was not even 14 years old. So many unfortunate things happen mentally, emotionally, sexually in my life. After the revolution, at the age of 13, I was brainwashed to blow myself up. But, I had a last-minute change of heart. So many unfortunate things happened to me, which we don’t want to go through as humans. It’s all in my Book. I had to shoot myself and was able to escape from country to country as a refugee. In 1988, I came to Canada. That’s basically where the story starts.
Q: Thinking Back to Iran, Your Education and Your Life, Where did Writing a Memoir Fit in?
15 years ago, one of my friends came to my place. She was having some challenges. I just started talking and sharing my story. She told me she was so inspired, motivated, and grateful. She said, “Essi, you just changed my life.” Then she said, you have to write a book about your life. Unfortunately, because of my mental state, addiction and alcoholism, I wasn’t able to at the time. I wanted to write a book for almost 15 years before I did.
Q: WhenDid You Start Getting This Inkling That, “Yeah, Maybe I Could Just Write a Book?”
Well, it was almost six years ago. I was getting back from my last treatment center. I had started seeing a counsellor and was really involved in 12-step meetings and a lot of other teams. When I started feeling resilient again, I started sharing my story. I did this In high schools and treatment centers. People would come up to me after and say, “wow, Essi you have changed my life.” I became more motivated to write my book and do everything else that I’m doing.
Q:So You Thought, “If I Wrote my Story Down, More People Could Access it. Therefore. I Could Change More Lives?”
That’s it. I realized that if I could help other people, I could have an impact. The feeling that I experienced from that was priceless. When you see someone else’s life change in front of your eyes, you want to do more because nothing is more impactful than that. I wanted to feel that more and more, and that’s what I continued to write.
Q: Your Memoir, it’s Your Life Story, but Underlying That, What is the book About? What are the Scenes Like?
E: I believe our story is not just for us. Our story is to share a lack of human connection. When someone reads my book or hears my story, it gives them hope. It gives them motivation. It inspires a person in a similar situation and place that they too can overcome this obstacle. There is dark in my book, but at the same time, there’s light.
Q: What’s That Promise That You’re Making to a Person When They Pick up and Look at Your Book?
E: I guarantee people will feel inspired. You will love more. You will be more grateful in life. These are the messages that I have from people who have read my book or heard my story so far.
Q:Is the Essi at the Beginning of the Book, the Same Person as Today or Different?
E: Oh, definitely a different person. When I was writing a book, I must have read it at least 200 times. I cried so many times because you go through all these things again while writing them. But, as a result, I can sit here and talk to you or other people with no regret, shame or any other worry. When you write a book, you learn about yourself; that’s my experience with writing a book.
Q: What are Some of the Challenges you Faced During the Process of Writing a Memoir? How did you Overcome Them?
People think, “Oh, a book. Yeah, I want to do that.” It’s simple, but not easy. A price has to be paid. You have to be motivated and willing to watch and see the results unfold piece by piece. It took me two years to completely finish the book.
Q: What has Writing This Book Done for Your Life?
It’s been unbelievable. When I finished my book, I went to New York, and I met like a hundred different media people. I had interviews and did a podcast. Then someone saw my book and wanted to do a screenplay (which is currently on hold). I’ve done a Ted X talk and had job opportunities and so on as a result.
Q: Do you Want to Talk a Little bit About any Advice you Have for Aspiring Authors?
E: Sure. Writing a book is one thing; promoting a book is a completely different ballgame. You have to be willing to put in the work required to reach out to the right people.
Q: What Are You Doing Now That Your Book is Published?
I can tell you that the most important aspect of my life today is to be grateful. I write five things every morning that I’m grateful for. Because either I’m in gratitude, or I’m in fear. I’m building a public speaking platform right now and am waiting for my TEDx out to go live.
Thank you. Essi.
When you write your story, you change a life-both yours and others. Get your copy of Essi’s book from Amazon and get inspired to share your story.
– Keep writing
Melody Ann
Author Nation is your go-to resource for becoming a successful nonfiction author, from planning to promotion and everything in between. Download the resource for the stage you are in.
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