Member Spotlight: Penny K Nolan

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I write children’s books. It’s important to get children excited about reading when young so they have a better chance of continuing as they grow, and hopefully becoming authors, too.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I tell myself that I will only have to write for five minutes. Of course, it always ends up being much longer, but it’s the permission I give myself that gets me to sit down and write. If I’m blocked, I try not to think and just let my fingers type anything. It can be pure gibberish, but it seems to get my brain moving. and then I’m fine.

What is your favorite time to write? Morning is the magical time to write when I’m rested and full of energy. And it’s a great way to start the day, feeling happy knowing I got in some good writing. Then I handle the rest of the day better going forward.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? It’s simple, don’t give up! Most people write, submit, get rejected, and give up. But if you keep going, you’ll figure it out along the way.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Kids, and adults, need fun books to lift them up. There’s great satisfaction in helping others.

Penny Nolan’s Jess and the Monstrous Mess, illustrated by Elmira Eskandari, is out now with Lawley Publishing.