Naima B. Robert – Release the Book Within Why I Work Muslim Women to write their books
AI: Summary ©
AI: Transcript ©
Release the book within,
an audiobook
by Naima b Robert,
dedicated
to all the ladies in release who decided
that their dream was nonnegotiable.
A note,
Why Muslim women?
I think what you're doing is so important,
Giving a voice to the voiceless.
This was a comment made by a fellow
participant in an online event, when she heard
about my work helping Muslim women write their
books.
I knew she meant well,
but that didn't stop me from wincing at
the assumptions that lay behind the compliment.
I thought of my clients,
the many women I have worked with over
the last 4 years,
academics, housewives,
coaches,
community activists, Arabic teachers, homeschooling moms, entrepreneurs,
therapists,
devoted daughters, and so much more.
Were these women voiceless
before they came to me?
Did they
need me to liberate them?
And that was when I realized
why I felt uncomfortable
with the compliments I mentioned.
The assumption that the women I have chosen
to serve with my work as a book
coach are victims.
Every one of them in need of saving
from whatever oppressive patriarchal shackles they may be
bound by.
But my clients
are not victims.
And they have other concerns besides the usual
subjects that mainstream publishing
and the media seems obsessed with. A jab,
women's rights, patriarchy, and oppression.
My clients
are concerned about
healing from childhood trauma,
about helping Muslim women reconnect with the Quran,
about helping humanity embrace the simple life,
about reviving the prophetic sunnah, about inspiring teachers
to fall in love with teaching again,
about empowering Muslim parents to talk to their
children about *,
about helping Muslim women deal
infertility,
about examining the effects of growing up as
a child of immigrants, and so much more.
Search for these topics on Amazon, and you'll
see that by and large,
publishers are not investing in this niche.
Perhaps because there's not enough money in it.
Perhaps
they don't even know it's there.
But we do.
And that is why I am passionate about
supporting Muslim women who have a story to
tell, a message to share, or knowledge to
share with our community.
I am passionate about helping them get the
clarity and confidence they need to effectively
plan, struct
book that will resonate with readers and be
of benefit to the community.
I'm passionate about equipping them with the knowledge
to publish their books, the skills to market
them, and the ability to build their networks
to get their books out into the world
where they belong.
Our stories matter.
They deserve to be told,
and they deserve to be heard
and shared
and celebrated.
And if we will not do it,
who will?
The time
is now.