Writer and filmmaker Sophie Sartain is the co-director and producer of the documentary Seeing Allred, which premiered at Sundance and is on Netflix. Among Sartain’s credits is her ITVS-funded film Mimi and Dona, named one of the best TV shows of the year by The New York Times. Her documentary Buried Under Years of Dust is currently playing in film festivals and will be broadcast on PBS in early 2027. Sartain is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and New Day Films. She’s Next is her first book.

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

In the beginning, my title for the book was “Smile, You’re a Girl.” I liked the title because it evoked the world portrayed in the memoir, where my female classmates and I were given the message to be pleasant and agreeable at all times, to wear a mask of sorts even if, for whatever reason, we didn’t feel like smiling. However, I also liked the title She’s Next because it is chilling and a key phrase in the book. Ultimately, with the input of friends who read the manuscript and my editors at Atmosphere Press, we settled on She’s Next as a more fitting title for the book.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

When I first saw the book cover, I thought, “Yes!” My heart rate spiked … in a good way. It was wonderful to see it as something real and tangible, not just in my head or on my laptop. As someone who makes films, I often feel this way when a designer first delivers poster ideas for a film I’m working on. I think, “Wow, we made something out of nothing, and now it can be in the universe.”

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

Many writers have influenced and inspired me. I find myself drawn to memoirs, as a combination of true-life experiences and storytelling. In this, there is overlap with the documentaries that I make. The phrase “truth is stranger than fiction” may be a cliche, but it works for me. I especially love stories of people whose lives take unexpected twists and turns and they somehow manage to come out okay and as their true, wonderful, unique selves.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Even though the book was only recently released, I have already heard from survivors of the kind of sexual abuse that I went through. The connections we have because of our shared experiences are powerful. Readers have noted that even though She’s Next is dark and harrowing, it ultimately ends in a place of hope. This is what I wanted to convey from the start, as I traced my journey from confusion to clarity.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

It would be a compilation of 1980s pop hits: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Born in the USA,” “Jack and Diane,” and all things Madonna.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

I loved working with Atmosphere Press. They held my hand every step of the way but also made it clear that I was in the driver’s seat the whole time. With a story as personal as mine is in She’s Next, this made a huge difference. I also appreciated Atmosphere’s enthusiasm and upbeat approach to publishing. They cheered me on through each milestone and, I gotta say, it felt nice.

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