An award-winning journalist and memoirist, Schiller bridges personal narrative with systemic analysis across:
"I’m drawn to stories where the personal and political tangle like morning glory through a neglected fence." — Schiller on her editorial approach
We trace Rebecca Schiller’s journey from her roots in human rights activism to becoming a distinctive voice in neurodivergent storytelling. As co-founder of Birthrights, a UK charity safeguarding human rights in childbirth, she spent a decade advocating for maternal autonomy before shifting focus to writing. Her 2016 move to a Kent smallholding marked a pivotal turn, blending rural life with revelations about her ADHD diagnosis—a theme central to her memoirs Earthed (2021) and A Thousand Ways to Pay Attention (2022).
"The summer of striding out toward a life of open fields and sacks of corn, I brought a confused black hole of something pernicious but not yet acknowledged along for the ride." — A Thousand Ways to Pay Attention
In this 2021 personal essay, Schiller deconstructs romanticized notions of countryside living through the lens of undiagnosed ADHD. The piece chronicles her family’s transition from London to a Kent smallholding, juxtaposing the anticipated pastoral calm with the reality of neurodivergent overwhelm. Through vivid scenes of goat-herding mishaps and vegetable plot failures, she explores how rural environments can amplify mental health challenges rather than soothe them.
Methodologically, Schiller employs what she later termed "neurodivergent narration"—swift tonal shifts between lyrical nature writing and fragmented diary entries mirroring ADHD thought patterns. The article’s impact resonated beyond lifestyle sections, sparking Guardian follow-ups on neurodiversity in rural communities.
This 2022 Q&A dissects Schiller’s memoir-writing process during pandemic lockdowns. She reveals how diagnostic revelations reshaped her approach to structure, blending poetry with environmental reporting and fictionalized dialogue. Particularly groundbreaking is her discussion of "hyperfocus as research tool"—using ADHD traits to deeply investigate medical sexism in neurodivergence diagnoses.
The piece’s significance lies in its challenge to traditional illness narratives, proposing memoir as a form of grassroots health advocacy. It has been cited in NHS training modules on adult ADHD recognition.
In this 2023 interview, Schiller articulates her philosophy of "knitted-together careers" for neurodivergent parents. She critiques linear professional paths through her own trajectory: doula work informing health journalism, activism shaping nonfiction narratives. The article’s standout contribution is its framework for "ADHD-friendly pitching"—structuring freelance queries around hyperfocus cycles.
Schiller prioritizes stories reframing neurodiversity as generational opportunity rather than deficit. Successful pitches might explore:
Rationale: Her 2022 memoir details homeschooling strategies blending nature therapy with kinetic learning—seek pitches expanding these concepts.
She seeks reporting on women-led sustainability initiatives, particularly those addressing neurodivergent needs:
Rationale: Her Telegraph piece critiques romanticized "cottagecore" narratives—pitch data-driven alternatives.
Schiller welcomes hybrid personal/ investigative pieces:
Rationale: Her Q&A emphasizes "writing as diagnostic tool"—highlight pitches using narrative innovation.
Schiller received this accolade for her Guardian series on ADHD diagnosis deserts in UK farming communities. The judges noted her "unflinching yet hopeful" integration of statistical analysis with diary excerpts—a methodology now emulated in regional health reporting.
Her feminist pregnancy guide sparked a six-publisher bidding war, unprecedented for UK maternal health titles. The resulting book became required reading in midwifery certifications, bridging grassroots activism with medical education.
Rebecca Schiller had visions of a simpler rural lifestyle but the more she tried to find that peace the more she felt out of control
A Q&A with Author Rebecca Schiller on Her Neurodivergent Memoir
Work Matters: Rebecca Schiller - writer, doula, trustee & runs retreats
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