Elif Shafak is a world-renowned and multi award-winning author. She has written 18 books in both English and Turkish, and her work has been translated into 54 languages. The Forty Rules of Love was a game changer for me, and The Bastard of Istanbul moved me deeply. Elif is a Fellow and a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature, has received over 65 prestigious awards (I counted them!). Elif is also an activist for women’s and LGBT+ rights and is a two-time TED global speaker.

On This Episode of When Women Win:

Elif and I talked about why storytelling matters. We discussed Elif’s upbringing by two strong women, her mother and grandmother. As an only child who moved around a lot, she grew up entertaining herself with books and started writing stories at the age of 8. We talked about discrimination against women authors and the steps necessary to end it. Elif explained how to be a voice for the voiceless and how writing is one of the most powerful ways to fight injustice and inequality. She also shared practical tips for how YOU can become a writer, as everyone has a story to tell. Bonus! During our chat, we revealed the launch date of her next book… That’s right, you’ll hear it here first!

Notable Quotes:

• “Literature allows us to travel into the soul, psyche and mind of someone else.”
• “Whatever you do in life, you need emotional intelligence through reading and writing.”

Book Recommendations:

I recommend reading any of Elif’s bestselling books – head to her website https://www.elifsafak.com.tr/home and take your pick! You can also check out her oeuvre on Amazon.

Talking Points in This Episode:

• Elif’s family background
• Why Elif became an author
• Female writers in patriarchal societies
• The writing process
• How do we get men to read?
• Cognitive diversity

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so do drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey. Your feedback is so appreciated!