Member Spotlight: Mary Lahaj

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I started writing song lyrics and music. After trying to improve my lyrics, I had to write an academic thesis. After trying to make the characters in that thesis people I knew and not just leaders with dates attached to their names, I worked for ten years and still couldn’t get that thesis to sing like a novel. Three years ago, I was finally able to turn that academic topic into my family history and include my memoirs. My book, Bird on a Wire, tries to do many things – just like me.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? Never give up on a dream and keep writing.

What is your favorite time to write? In the morning with my companion cup of dark roast.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? If you are interested in learning more about your identity, interview your elders. Write about what you know.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? The easy communication of this life-changing event. People I know far and wide have heard that I published my book on Amazon and are able to purchase it. It’s amazing.

Mary Lahaj’s Bird on a Wire is out now.