Member Spotlight: Pamela Statz

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I love reading, so I selfishly need writers to keep telling stories. And I wrote Thorn City because I had this collection of characters mucking about in my brain and I was compelled to write about them.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? Just sit down and write (funny how this actually works). Listen to brown noise. It’s mesmerizing and blocks out distractions. And, writing prompts are magic. My amazing writing teacher Emily Chenoweth has a fabulous Substack called Good Ideas where she shares writing prompts twice a week. They’ll make you think about your stories in a whole new way. Sign up here! writingisagoodidea.substack.com

What is your favorite time to write? I usually need to clear away some tasks before I can really concentrate, so I generally write in the midmorning. During the work week when I’ve finished up for the the day, I sometimes go to a dive bar that I love, grab a booth, a pint, and some fries, and write away.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Don’t research. You’ll end up spending hours down internet rabbit holes. Once your story is solid, you can layer in details later. When you’re first writing a scene, it really doesn’t matter how much a microcopter costs, or if you need a license to fly it, or how the thing works. If you keep it in your story, you can address the minutia while editing.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? The ability to share your work in so many mediums is exciting – in print, ebook, and audiobook, plus all the other ways you can bring a story to life on social media, in videos, photography, and animations.

Pamela Statz’s Thorn City is out now with Ooligan Press.