Member Spotlight: Kim Shegog

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Stories are ultimately about people–their thoughts, motivations, actions, etc. Writing helps me to better understand people, and it’s an important medium for the world to build empathy. Reading the written word also allows for the reader to create their own building blocks to fill the empty spaces–so it’s also relationship building between the writer and reader.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? Change my view. Talk a walk, wash dishes, revisit my bookshelf. Also, I tend to take deep dives into old family photo albums.

What is your favorite time to write?

When I have the house to myself–whatever time that may be. Late nights are most preferable.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? “Humility, concentration, and gusto” as said by Marianne Moore. Many thanks to poet and friend Suzanne Cleary for introducing me to that quote. In fact, I still have the button with those words on it by my computer.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? So many stories and storytellers. I love reading stories, especially those that in other days and times have been relegated to the sidelines. As I writer, I see interest by people–people are curious and appreciative, and I am grateful for that.

Kim Shegog’s Crossing Over is out this month with Clemson UP.