Member Spotlight: Lynne Hancock Pearson

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I never thought I could write something from start to finish, stringing words into sentences that became paragraphs that became stories. Once I figured out a process that allowed me to finish a novel, I was hooked on writing. I like the creative aspect, the “what if” in a situation, the tweaking here and there that turns a character into a villain or a hero. Writing is a way to connect and share experiences. I often read someone’s work and think, “I’m not alone. I’ve felt that way too.” I think processing our thoughts through the written word (whether we share them or not) is a great way to get out of our heads and relieve stress.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I know that writer’s block is temporary so when it hits, I do something writing adjacent. I might work on the description for the back of the book, or look up images to help me describe a setting or a character’s features. If I’m really stuck, I go back and reread something I’ve previously written but haven’t released. Twice now, that’s resulted in some incredible inspiration and forward movement on my writing.

What is your favorite time to write? I prefer to write early in the morning before the workday interferes and saps all my energy. I usually write from the comfort of my bed, with a cup of coffee on one side, and my cat on the other.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? It wasn’t advice, but I was asked to join a sprint group, so I did. Our group of seven meets online for an hour three mornings a week. We don’t all write the same thing and we don’t critique each other’s work. Knowing someone is waiting for me to simply show up without demanding anything more has significantly increased my productivity.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I am excited by the growing acceptance (and demand) for my genre. For decades, romance has been the redheaded stepchild of the publishing world. Yet it accounts for more than 30 percent of the marketplace (Romance novels float floundering publishing industry). I like to read books that end with a happy ever after. So writing books that end in a happy ever after is a natural extension.

Lynne Hancock Pearson’s Fabulously Flawed is out now.