Author Spotlight interview with Zoe Dronfield

When you’ve been through devastating life experiences, how can you use these experiences as a force for good?

Well, you write a book about it, don’t you?!

Sheryl Andrews recently interviewed Librotas client, Zoe Dronfield, to find out how she did this.

A victim of a high-profile attack in 2014, which nearly cost her her life, Zoe was determined to use this experience to change the lives of others.

Over the last eight years, she has campaigned to the government, pressed for changing legislation and been the voice of victims in the media.

And earlier this year, she finished and published her first book, Mind Over Manipulators, which has been endorsed by MP Jess Phillips, broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire, and (most recently) the well-known British musician and DJ, Fatboy Slim!

You can watch the interview below or listen to the audio here.

Whenever I work with a client who is writing a book about their personal journey, the biggest difficulty they face is how to make the book relevant to their readers.

Because, although it may be cathartic to write about your story and is part of the healing process, your book is never about you. It has to be interesting to those who feel compelled to read it.

The second biggest difficulty is having to relive experiences in order to write about them, and you need to remember that you are not defined by these experiences.

What were the biggest learnings for Zoe?

Here are some of the insights from the interview.

When you’ve been through a life changing experience, a book gives you the chance to tell your side of the story. Especially when, in Zoe’s case, the situation was sensationalised by the media and only focused on the attack and not the changes that came as a result.

Zoe started writing her book in 2014 but only wrote one chapter. It was only later when she decided to write the whole book that she started to explore the learnings from the situation and how it could help other people.

Ultimately, she wants to support those who are in a similar situation to her, so they can learn from her experiences, identify the red flags and do something about their situation earlier.

Although Zoe is already a sought-after expert in the media, her book has hugely increased her credibility.

A week before the interview with Sheryl, she was leading a workshop with the South Yorkshire police and using her book as a way to support more women through her new programme and events.

You can get your copy of Zoe’s book from her website and all good bookstores.

To find out how I can help you to write and publish your book, click here.