Member Spotlight: Susan McGuirk

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? The appetite for reading has not diminished. We are hardwired in our DNA to need stories. That’s why children ask, “Tell me a story.” The forms change, but the need doesn’t. Young people, especially, need validation that they are members of an ongoing chain of humanity through the power of story.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? The one that worked well for me when I was stuck was to find faces for my historical fiction characters on old photo sites. Suddenly they came much more alive to me. They floated in my head all the way to the end.

What is your favorite time to write? I like to write in the morning into the early afternoon. After that I need a walk.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? You do not need permission to attempt writing. All you need is an idea to give it a try. Anyone, anywhere, anytime.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Technology taketh away but also giveth. One rewarding aspect for me has been to support my novel, Dear Missing Friend, with a newsletter on Substack. It’s called The Storied Sisters Society and I write about historical fiction heroines each week. It’s been fun and effective and Substack is a welcoming community to write in.

Susan McGuirk’s Dear Missing Friend is out now with Sea Crow Press.