Dani Shapiro

On her Facebook page, Dani Shapiro describes herself as “novelist, memoirist, teacher, wife, mother, friend, yogini and a bunch of other stuff, too.” I would add another word to that list. If words paint pictures then she is also an amazingly wonderful painter.

Although she has written two memoirs, plus her most recent book called Still Writing, which is both a guide for writers and details her own experiences as such, she still considers herself first and foremost a novelist.

It was as a novelist that she began her career over twenty years ago. Returning to Sarah Lawrence after taking time off to evaluate her life, she entered the graduate writing program with great ease. As one of her mentors Grace Paley put it: “You’re a writer, Honey. Go through that door of the graduate office; they’ll know what to do with you.” And they did. She produced her first novel Playing with Fire while completing the graduate program. Her career was off and running and she hasn’t stopped since.

“It has surprised me as much as anyone how I have moved in and out of other genres. Each is challenging in its own way. I love writing novels, but the most challenging thing about fiction is finding it. With memoir it comes right up and almost bites me. Fiction is a waiting game, waiting for all the pieces to line up behind that first idea that actually makes sense.”

Writing is her life and her life is her writing. Her pieces tend to be personal but like all writers, she draws the line at revealing everything.

“The plight of the memoirist,” she said, “is that it’s all up for grabs. But there are lots of things I don’t write about: my son is off limits and my husband is largely off limits as well. Because my first memoir Slow Motion dealt so much with my early life and my family, people assume I tell everything. But I don’t.”

But what she does tell is done in way that one comes away wanting to spend as much time with Dani and her writing as you possibly can. She is a loyal friend, an inspiring writer, and a devoted teacher.

“I’ve taught for many years. It’s part of how I support myself, part of my literary life. It’s a delicate balance. Very early on, I wanted to be a writer who teaches and a teacher who writes.”

Still Writing will become a bible for those wanting to write. It is both inspirational and autobiographical. Reading it is like being in one of Dani’s workshops where everyone in the room is trying to make a piece of writing the best that it can be.

Her writing has received countless accolades, stunning reviews and many appearances, including a guest spot on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday to discuss her memoir Devotion.

Right now she is in between books. “I’m traveling, speaking, teaching, and reading. And waiting – waiting for that next idea to emerge.”

And we know it will and the result will be well worth waiting for.