Member Spotlight: Jenn Bouchard

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing has given me a community both of readers and other authors. We need connection so much right now. The possibilities are endless: bookstores, libraries, book clubs, pop-ups at community gathering places, you name it. Books and writing provide infinite ways for us to connect.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I go to public spaces where there is a lot of interaction and conversation. Cafes, coffee shops, the beach, even a hotel lobby bar. Isolating myself at home rarely works. My books are dialogue heavy, so I need to be inspired by people and how they move and act in the world.

What is your favorite time to write? I can’t write late at night; even if I manage to get a second wind, I’ll never be able to sleep. My characters keep me off. I generally have to stop writing by early evening. Any other time throughout the rest of the day is fine.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? I keep a couple of writer’s quotes from events that I was lucky to attend in my phone to return to whenever I need a boost. Author Angie Kim said, “Don’t let the best thing in your life become the worst thing.” Author Elin Hilderbrand said, “Consistent is why I am here right now.” Both have stayed with me for years.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I love the fact that we are able to connect with each other so easily. Social media is so much pressure, but I am glad we can find out about each other’s’ books and events.

Jenn Bouchard’s Palms on the Cape is out now with ‎Black Rose Writing.