Member Spotlight: Maci Daye

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Written communication often has more precision and nuance than other forms of communication. I feel a relationship with the writer, not just the prose.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? While some people swear by outlines, I get my ideas out first and then see how to package them. It takes longer, but it frees me from the pressure to know what I want to say before I write. I also abide by the “crummy” first draft rule. I may use only 10% of the original, but I find that freeing myself from the pressure to write well unblocks me. If writing even a draft feels daunting, I’ll start by editing passages I’ve written or gathering citations.

What is your favorite time to write? My clarity, energy, and focus are best in the morning. Also, I often start writing while I’m asleep. If I begin immediately upon rising, I can capture some of the sentences I’ve crafted in my pre-wake sleep.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? This response contradicts my first answer. However, the advice to create a structure for the book, meaning chapter headings and subtitles, gave shape to the book and organized my writing. I could still write freely, but I made progress by parking my ideas in the appropriate sections.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? The technological support of Google, the thesaurus tool, and Grammarly, are a great help to modern writers. I could gather comps quickly, find citations, fact check, and improve the text before sending it to my editors. I have awe and deep respect for authors who wrote prodigious works without these advantages.

Maci Daye’s Passion and Presence: A Couple’s Guide to Awakened Intimacy and Mindful Sex is out now with Shambhala.