Driven by the desire to share the truth—about the environment and her life, her trials and triumphs—M.E. Schuman wrote and published The Understory: A Female Environmentalist in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The memoir tells the story of a bright young woman passionate about the environment and improving the habitat and conditions for the native species of North America. Despite the obstacles created by human predators and unsupportive family members, Schuman fulfilled her dream of attending college and becoming an ecologist. Now she’s sharing her story with the world in the hopes that she can not only prove her right to be treated equally as a female scientist but also unveil the harsh truth of ageism and sexism in the workplace, especially in the federal government.
What Inspired Her
Schuman found her inspiration in her love of nature and our environment. In a word, life inspired her in all its pain and glory. Writing her memoir wasn’t easy: She had to revisit the loss and pain she’s experienced and explore and express her true feelings. Her memoir is her story of truth, and she hopes it will inspire other women like her to overcome similar challenges, such as inequality, in their own lives. A primary goal of her memoir is to correct the lies and shed the truth about our environment’s struggles. She also hopes her memoir will clear the way for her to utilize her love of writing fiction enhanced by scientific fact. She’s currently working on a screenplay of her book, and she looks forward to undertaking a series of environmental novels.
Her Publishing Challenges
Schuman’s biggest struggle with publishing her book was marketing it. When we interviewed her, Schuman created a spreadsheet of fifty non-profit environmental organizations to inquire about their interest in using her book as a gift for fundraising. Other ways Schuman has taken on the marketing of her book are through podcasts, radio shows, and her website. She blogs once a week to every two weeks on environmental issues. Reaching out to complete strangers and convincing them to buy or help promote your book can be a nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be. At 1106 Design, we’re more than willing to provide marketing assistance, and we have a host of resources on our blog and social media that have aided Schuman and numerous other authors. We also helped Schuman develop her book—overseeing the design, layout, and copyediting—and we assisted in the set-up of her POD printing sites.
Her Advice to Authors
Write! Let your heart guide you. Don’t ever let anyone dissuade you from your dreams. If the urge to write is there, do it as often as possible. It’s a part of who you are, so embrace it. For Schuman, the need to write came from deep inside her. She didn’t listen to those who told her she couldn’t do it. Now she has a published book and is excited to start her next publishing adventure. 1106 Design will be here to help her every step of the way. We exist to help authors achieve their dreams, whether through our hands-on services or through the information we share on our blog and social media. We’re always willing to go the extra mile. To learn more about our services, click here, or feel free to contact us.
The Understory: A Female Environmentalist in the Land of the Midnight Sun
Author: M.E. Schuman
Genre: Memoir
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Understory-Female-Environmentalist-Land-Midnight/dp/1737920603/ref=sr_1_1
Website: https://meschumancom.wordpress.com/
