Member Spotlight: Maxine Rose Schur

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I write to learn what I’m thinking, what interests and excites me and troubles me. Writing for me is a kind of working out of a puzzle. I start with a “what if” scenario then challenge myself to create a story from that with characters I believe in and care about.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? Research is a great way to cure writer’s block. When I’m stuck, I start reading books or articles related to what I’m writing. I almost always find some intriguing fact that re-ignites the creative spark.

What is your favorite time to write? Daytime.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go. –E.L. Doctorow

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? The ability to use the Internet for fast research.

Maxine Rose Schur’s Pigs Dancing Jigs, illustrated by Robin Dewitt and Patricia Dewitt-Grush, is out now with Lawley Publishing.