Member Spotlight: Ilana R. Wieder

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing is important to me because I get to share my values and my vision of the beauty I see in this world. Writing is an important medium for the world because stories serve as both a mirror and a window. As a mirror, writing helps readers see themselves in a story and be comforted or strengthened by the knowledge that they’re not alone in their experience. As a window, writing allows readers to travel to new places and open their hearts to other people’s experiences. By reading good stories that we would not, otherwise, experience we become more empathetic and inclusive.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I find that the root cause for writer’s block is stress. Before sitting down to write, I like to take a few moments to breath and meditate to relax my mind. If I find myself stuck in the middle of writing a piece, I pause my writing and go do something else. I practice yoga, take my dog for a walk or make myself a cup of coffee. I find that most of my ideas flow effortlessly when my mind is relaxed and I can stay in the moment.

What is your favorite time to write? My favorite time to write is when my sons are busy with their homework. Sometimes, it means I have to pause my writing to help them with their homework but most of the time, we sit side by side, each of us busy with our own “homework assignment.” Another favorite time for me to write is in the middle of the night; when everyone in the house is asleep. In the middle of the night, I find myself able to access all the creative energy flowing in the air and have laser-focus in my writing.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? I remember listening to a webinar where Jane Yolen’s advice was the acronym, B.I.C. She went on to explain that to write a book, you need to keep your Butt In Chair. Writing is a discipline and like most disciplines, the more you do it, the more it becomes a routine, the easier it gets. Now, the writing itself might not always come easy. The words might not always flow effortlessly. But if you make it a discipline to put your B.I.C. – it will become easier to make it a part of your daily schedule. The more you make writing a routine, the better your writing will become. Just know that writing is rewriting. Don’t expect your first draft to be your last. If becoming a published writer is one of your deepest desires, just keep going and know that eventually, it will happen. Best of luck!

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? What excites me about writing is that I get to share my values and my imagination with young readers. I get to have a small positive influence in their lives by sharing knowledge they might not have been able to access. I get to inspire the young reader’s own imagination, letting them know they’re not alone and opening their hearts to new experiences and traditions.

Ilana R. Wieder’s Shira the Singing Puppy, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, is out now with Kar-Ben Publishing.