Member Spotlight: Craig A Cline

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing produces words. People around the world can then read, think about, and act upon those words — incredibly important exercises in which we can personally participate.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I’ve been fortunate not to get writer’s block. When I’m ready-to-write, I just get to it. It helps to be mentally focused on the job at hand, and to just “keep on going” — until I feel satisfied with what I’ve accomplished.

What is your favorite time to write? In the early morning hours, when I’m “fresh.”

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? I’ll offer my fellow authors a bit of advice which “relates” to writing. We typically write in order to be published. I had a dismally poor and very expensive experience with a publisher — from which I disconnected, subsequently taking legal action. Suffice it to say that what I learned from that dismaying experience, and pass on to other authors, is that you must be very careful in what you sign. Even if you think you understand the publishing contract, it’s my opinion that such contracts are very unilaterally drawn. That is, they’re weighted very heavily in favor of the publisher. So, if you encounter a “bad situation,” be apprised that there may be little, if anything, you can actually do about it. I had an excellent attorney representing me, but our efforts proved, ultimately, to be a huge waste of time and money.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Today’s age is fraught with problems of universal dimensions; afflicting most everyone most everywhere. The plethora of problems gives writers manifold opportunities to address them — to help “We the people of the world” find the solutions we can work on together — in common cause.

Craig A Cline’s GoldenRuleism/Living A GoldenRuleism-Guided Life is out now with MindStir Media.