Member Spotlight: Ellen McGinty

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I believe we were made for stories. Language has the ability to heal and inspire wonder. It overcomes barriers and finds beauty in the broken, cosmos in the chaos, no matter the genre. I love that about writing. I don’t think story is optional for the world. I think it makes the world a little more whole when it’s falling apart.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I have three methods: forest bathing, rewriting, and cleaning. Being out in nature usually cures it. If not, I write the same idea from different character point of views until I find one that inspires a new angle. And lastly, if nothing is working, I clean. I don’t enjoy cleaning so that usually doesn’t last long and then I’m at the keyboard again SOON!

What is your favorite time to write? Mornings! Writing with coffee is my ideal atmosphere and it’s hard to get decaf in Japan. So, mornings it is.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Keep writing the next story. Don’t give up. Don’t spend all your time marketing. Don’t despair when in the query trenches. Just keep writing the story on your heart. The words and practice reps add up…and they build your confidence. If I’d put this into practice earlier, I’d have more books out today.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I think we are entering into a new age for indie authors, hybrid, and a changing publishing landscape. I’m excited about the world of audiobooks and more ways for readers to access stories.

Ellen McGinty’s Saints & Monsters is out now.