Member Spotlight: C S Brown

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing has given me a way to explore my own mind. I’m continually surprised by what I just wrote, often wondering where it came from. It must have been stewing in the backwaters of my subconscious for a while to have emerged as a complete thought. There is more in my head that I know, and it deserves to be seen — even if it is dark and scary. As for why writing is important to the world. Obviously, some writings are more important than others, but reading is important regardless of subject. People need to read, it is not a passive form of entertainment, but an active immersion into a conversation. By writing, we provide half of the intercourse. By reading, each person develops a unique exchange, creating something new for both the reader and all those who interact with them later. I guess I think that writing is important because the growth that comes from reading is important. As writers, we provide fuel for the flames of understanding.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? This section (un)intentionally left blank. Just kidding. But I would wager that everyone here knows exactly how it feels. I have only one cure for writer’s block. I write. It sounds silly, but hear me out. When I find myself drawing an absolute blank, not knowing where my story is going, I start a new chapter. Now I just start typing. It will be a mess, might not have anything to do with what came before, and could easily be the worst words ever penned. It doesn’t matter. I am not attached to my words. I am happy to edit, rework, or even delete the altogether. I always know that if I did good today, I can do better tomorrow. Thus, I write to clear my writer’s block, knowing there is a 100% chance that I will delete what I just wrote. But it started the river flowing. Now that the logjam has cleared, I can rid myself of the dross and move on. Always, somewhere in the mire of my unstructured writing was a seed. Some germ of an idea that when freed from the bog, can flower and bloom within the context of my story. One day of writing crud usually leads to days of excited discovery as my friends and companions (my characters) continue on the journey with me.

What is your favorite time to write? I do best in the late afternoon. I am finally fully caffeinated and (hopefully) have finished my chores. With nothing left to distract me, I can settle into my recliner with a laptop and two napping kitties. There, my mind leaves the desperate plodding of reality ty fly across the landscape of imagination.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Write. That’s it. Nothing else. Just write. So many people tell me they don’t think others would care about what they have to say. I say, don’t let other’s opinions dictate your words. If you feel it is worth writing down, it is. Someone, somewhere, will agree. So write. Everyone has a story. Tell it.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Honestly, the biggest excitement for me is unrelated to modern times. I find that I write for me. My technique is to have a starting point, and a target. From there, I dive in. Along the way, I learn about my characters the same way my audience does. By reading. Someone appears on the page, interacts with this world that is coming to life under my fingers, and shows me who they are inside. None of that was planned. I discover my creation as it grows. If you think discovering new friends in a book is exciting, wait until that new book is yours.

C S Brown’s Signifying Nothing: A Tale Told by an Idiot is out today.