Feathered Quill Book Reviews

 #Authorinterview with Dr. Jane Sofair

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Katie Specht is talking with Dr. Jane Sofair, author of The Beauty World Through the Lens of a Psychiatrist.

FQ: Tell our readers a little about yourself. Your background, your interests, and how this led to writing a book?

SOFAIR: After completion of medical school, I trained to be a psychiatrist. Originally planning to enter the specialty of family medicine, I believe I was attracted to the study of the human personality and all its offshoots, in health as well as disease, thus the choice of psychiatry. Outside of medicine, I have always been interested in literature, the arts, and sports.

Author Dr. Jane Sofair

FQ: Have you always enjoyed writing or is it something you’ve discovered recently?

SOFAIR: I have always enjoyed writing, absolutely! Early on in my writing career, I participated in academic research and survey studies for peer-reviewed journals. But during the pandemic, I found a voice in columns of a humanistic nature- for instance the role of hope in healing, the importance of learning to wait for things as a life skill, and most recently a reflection on one of the most basic of phrases in the English language- "pause and reset."

FQ: Tell us a little about your book – a brief synopsis and what makes your book unique.

SOFAIR: The book is a hybrid memoir- it's a little about me and a lot about other surrounding issues and my perceptions. The memoir glimpses into the years 2012-2014 when I worked in Connecticut, and how, there, I randomly picked up a second business as a beauty consultant. Somehow, I felt that the combination of being a psychiatrist by day and beauty consultant by night, was simply too intriguing and unique to pass over as a writing opportunity.

FQ: What was the impetus for writing your book?

SOFAIR: When I signed on as a beauty consultant, my mind immediately flashed over to the late Barbara Ehrenreich who went undercover as an investigative journalist in her book, Nickel and Dimed. I never went undercover, but was, nevertheless, confronted with the task of integrating two very distinct cultures- that of psychiatry and of retail beauty- in a (hopefully) professional manner.

FQ: Please give our readers a little insight into your writing process. Do you set aside a certain time each day to write, only write when the desire to write surfaces, or …?

SOFAIR: I love this question! I have read that many great writers set aside a dedicated writing block each and every day. Since I also work a day job, it has made more sense for me to designate between 2 and 2.5 days per week for writing. If it felt like a chore that day, I would stop, never forcing anything during the writing process. I wanted the material to flow with spontaneity, lightness, and intention. But even before I first sat down to write, please know that there was lots of prep time, as I am sure is the case for all authors.

FQ: What was the hardest part of writing your book? That first chapter, the last paragraph, or something else altogether?

SOFAIR: No doubt the hardest was the very first chapter reflecting on my teenage years growing up in the greater Boston area. That was intense. I spent the most time refining the initial chapter, always balancing openness and humor with restraint.

FQ: The genre of your book is a hybrid memoir. Why this genre?

SOFAIR: The genre is a hybrid memoir- a personal story, my perspective on psychiatry and the beauty industry, and an encapsulated self-help guide. For me, the challenge is to balance enough self-disclosure to capture the reader's interest while sharing areas of expertise.

FQ: Which do you find easier, starting a story, or writing the conclusion?

SOFAIR: There is no question that I always find it easier to start the story. For me, nailing down the first paragraph is the key to setting up the whole book, any written work for that matter. It is from there, from the heart, that the narrative unfolds.

FQ: What is your all-time favorite book? Why? And did this book/author have any influence over your decision to become an author?

SOFAIR: I don't know that I have a single favorite book. A few of my favorites- A Little Life by Hannah Yanagihara- I thought it a brilliant epic novel and could not put it down. I really like everything of Dr. Abraham Verghese and I think Kristin Hannah is also a superb writer. I love all her work. I also enjoy Adriana Trigiani. Basically, I enjoy contemporary fiction.

FQ: If you were to teach a class on the art of writing, what is the one item you would be sure to share with your students and how would you inspire them to get started?

SOFAIR: I would have the students read William Zinsser's On Writing Well. And I would encourage the students to write about what they know and what they might have experienced. I would also encourage them to write with empathy for their reader. That means paying attention not just to content but the compositional aspects. One of the best inspirations for a writing project is to have a really interesting conversation with others.

For more information about The Beauty World Through the Lens of a Psychiatrist, please visit the author's website at: www.janesofair.com/