Member Spotlight: Mary Helen Berg

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing is the great connector! The many forms of the written word–poetry, lyrics, journalism, fiction allow ideas to be expressed in ways that every single human can relate to. Despite our different languages, cultures, ethnicities, politics, there is some form of writing that connects us all.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? If just can’t see where to go with a character or story, I like to free write, usually by hand. I write as fast as I can without stopping or editing and just spit words out. Sometimes, this shakes something loose, but at the very least, it calms and clears the mind. If I’m stuck with a story, I put it in a drawer and work on something else. I think it’s important to be able to walk away if I can. That allows my brain to relax, and a solution sometimes pops into my mind when I’m not even thinking about that story. At the very least, letting the story “rest” allows me to come back with fresh eyes. Taking walks also helps! (What doesn’t help is banging my head on the desk.)

What is your favorite time to write? Definitely in the morning! After two cups of coffee and a walk with my dog. Then my brain is clear and ready to settle down.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Build a community of other writers. Be willing to start a revision with a blank page. Your approach and journey can be different than anyone else’s and that’s OK. Don’t give up.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Honestly, I think this is a challenging time to be a writer or any type of creative, as our work is undermined, overshadowed, or even stolen, by AI. I’m excited to see how human creativity meets these challenges and how the art form evolves Writers will always have the drive to write, document, interpret, and re-imagine our world. (In fact, we imagined many of the things happening today long before they happened!)

Mary Helen Berg’s Enough to Share, illustrated by Sue Todd, is out now with Tielmour Press.