Member Spotlight: Shannon Ann Grissom

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing is such a vital medium! First and foremost, the words need to emerge. They should not be bottled up or stored. They need to be released. I’ve bottled them up, and it’s not a pretty sight! In that release, we are letting go of more than just words. We are touching the lives of people who need to hear what we just imparted. As a result, those recipients are gaining insight, inspiration, entertainment, and more. We are on the receiving end of this beautiful circle of rejuvenation when we read. A loop that would be a heavy void if the writer decided to keep it all inside. Oh yes, writing is so important!

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I love setting the timer for half an hour and writing longhand. It primes the pump and unclogs the channel to my muses. A long walk and a chunk of chocolate work well too!

What is your favorite time to write? Huge grin, my favorite time to write (or do anything creative) is 3 am. That’s almost yesterday! My day starts with a cup of coffee and with Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages and everything flows from there.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Just write! Get it down first and edit it later. When I futz with things before I have completed the first draft, I run the risk of “fixing” passages that were not broken.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I’ll admit what excites me most is instant gratification! In today’s age, resources and tools are readily available. The Authors Guild is a great example. I also love that connecting with other writers is just a click away. I continue to learn so much and be inspired by those that have gone before me.

Shannon Grissom’s Sock Monkey Oracle is out now with Beyond Words.