Member Spotlight: Gloria Galloway

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? For me, those questions are interwoven. Whatever the genre we write in, our stories touch people’s lives. Like the child who dreams of being launched to the moon in a rocket ship, or perhaps donning a cape and saving the world. The possibilities are endless, and I’m so blessed to be a part of fueling a reader’s imagination.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I don’t write linearly. With Amber’s Way, I wrote the beginning, then I wrote the ending because they were clear in my mind. I also jot down ideas as I’m writing. It can be a sentence or two, or even an entire chapter. I make a separate document for these fragments. For instance, I wrote my character’s first impression of the cute boy she meets before I even named him. I then expand on that sentence, or follow that chapter with another one. I find this helps me go back to the block where I usually find the road has been cleared.

What is your favorite time to write? I’d probably say–any time, not confined to any place. I believe that writing isn’t limited to sitting in front of my laptop. An idea can strike at any time. I’ve been known to use my phone to record my thoughts. I can’t tell you how many times an idea has come to me and it’s so perfect, I’m certain I won’t forget…

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? I’ve gotten a great deal of advice over the years. The one I’ve heard most often is–write what you know. Don’t get me wrong, it is good advice. However, do we really “know” aliens, or dragons, or things that go bump in the night? The best advice I can impart is…let your imagination run wild.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? The information highway! Anything we want to know can be retrieved at the tap of a button. I like to say that I enjoy my sessions with my psychologist, Dr. Googleit. The first question my publisher asked upon reading my manuscript was, “Is she a doctor?” Followed closely by “Is she a lawyer?” The answer is no to both. I simply did my homework.

Gloria Galloway’s Amber’s Way is out now with SelectBooks.