October 2025: Jen Hatmaker's ‘Awake’

About this sermon

Tune in for this very special #JenHatmakerBookClub episode where Jen gives unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to her own writing process and the creative collaboration that brought Awake to life. In this conversation, Jen sits down with Lauren Wein, Vice President and Editorial Director for Avid Reader Press, to explore the journey of shaping Awake—from the first spark of inspiration to its debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Together, they discuss the profound impact of trusting intuition in creative work, the delicate balance of authenticity and privacy in memoir writing, and the deep satisfaction that comes from collaborative storytelling. Whether you’re a writer, reader, or simply curious about the art of book-making, this episode offers an intimate look at the heart and craft behind Awake—and the one truth Jen hopes every reader carries with them. Thought-Provoking Quotes: ● “One of the things that Awake is about is learning to trust yourself and trusting your body. I feel like that is how I edit. It's like a tuning fork. I sense when something is like, need more or need less. It's physical.” – Lauren Wein ● “Every story deserves authenticity.” – Jen Hatmaker ● “In the war of ‘you versus you,’ nobody wins, because you're very hard on yourself. You have a very critical inner voice. When you hear somebody tell you something that you maybe sensed about yourself but you didn't quite know, it ignites something, it confirms something that maybe you sensed was there but the voice was too small because the other voices were just louder.” – Lauren Wein ● “Finding your voice is a journey.” – Lauren Wein ● “When this book was first announced, it was erroneously referred to as a tell-all, which was upsetting to all of us because that is absolutely not what it is. What was very important to you (Jen) was honesty, not telling it all, but being truthful and respecting other people's privacy. Now that is the hardest line to walk when you're writing your own story because your own story is not your own story entirely.” – Lauren Wein ● “Trust your intuition in creative work.” – Jen Hatmaker Tags: Jen Hatmaker, Awake, Lauren Wein, Avid Reader Press, Memoir Writing, Book Club, NYT Bestseller, Writing Process, Editing, Storytelling, Creative Collaboration, Authenticity, Vulnerability, Trusting Intuition, Behind the Book, Publishing Insights, For the Love Podcast, Jen Hatmaker Book Club Resources Mentioned in This Episode: ➢ For the parents who are slogging through May – https://jenhatmaker.com/blog/for-the-parents-who-are-slogging-through-may/ ➢ Margaret Riley King - https://www.wmebookdepartment.com/team/margaret-riley-king/ ➢ Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottleib - https://amzn.to/4pUADj8 ➢ Wild Game: My Mother, Her Secret, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur - https://amzn.to/4nywiRc ➢ Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous - https://amzn.to/4o6rHpt ➢ Awake by Jen Hatmaker audiobook - https://amzn.to/4gU7v7P ➢ Lights on a Similar Path: ‘Awake’ Readers Reflect On Finding Their Way - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-64/lights-on-a-similar-path-awake-readers-reflect-on-finding-their-way/ Guest’s Links: Website - https://editors.simonandschuster.com/editor/wein-lauren/ Twitter - https://x.com/desideratasaur Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lauren.wein.1/ Connect with Jen! Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.