The "Making a Difference with Writing" interview series

OK, so I've been posting a weekly series on the "Write the Damn Blog Post" process ever since early December. 

Then, a couple of weeks ago, inspiration struck: what if I could complement that series with a set of interviews with various real-life difference makers?  What if I could ask them about all the ways they use their writing to make a difference? What if I could get them to talk about their personal writing process?

In a flash of synchronicity, no sooner had I thought it than self love warrior Sui ("Sway") Solitaire put out an offer to be interivewed.  I couldn't pass up the chance... so here's the resulting interview.  I hope you find it useful.

Oh, and I'm looking for at least 3 more difference-makers to interview for this series. So if you'd like to be part of it, I'd love to have you! Please just contact me to let me know!

1 - Thanks so much for the interview, Sui. First up, some background.  What are the main writing channels that you use to connect with people and make a difference in their lives?  

Writing is the main medium I use to connect with my lovely warriors (my tribe). I have many layers of public, semi-public, and "private" writing that I share with my audience. In all those different layers, I simply share about my journey - my personal ways of growing, living, and loving - to help and inspire others.

The writing channels I use break down as:

• My blog (my most public writing): I share openly about myself, write articles and answer questions so I can help readers. My blog doesn’t go as deep as other vehicles, but it nourishes the rest of my work, because it's my most accessible writing.
• My newsletter (public, but still more intimate space): I share more deeply in my newsletter, where I write letters personally to the reader and invite their responses. It adds another crucial layer to my online communication, and I find that when I engage via email, people naturally open up.
• My Letter (semi-private, paid membership space): I’m more honest, open and raw in The Letter than I am in any other medium. Because people have opted in and paid to subscribe, I go deeper here than anywhere else. One of my readers said the tagline should be "Get your floaties; we're going in deep."  I share about things I’m still processing here, and when I share in this vulnerable way, it helps others reach their own epiphanies.
• My other offerings:  I have three main courses, which are all written, with email letter components, and sometimes written assignments and questions as well.  Love, You centres on love letters about how to love yourself more.  Nourishing explores how to eat in a kind and loving way.  Gratia is a “book and e-mail” bundle that also includes photographs and written meditations

2 - What about social media?  Which platforms do you use to connect with readers, and to what extent?

I mostly use Google+, because I've found it more nourishing than other social media sites. I use it to share ideas that are too short for blog posts, and ask questions to start conversations. I'm not on Twitter much anymore – probably because my madness is hard to contain in 140 characters!


3.    Do you use any non-writing media to connect with people?

I'll actually be venturing into doing more in-person work in the future. That’s something I've always wanted to do, but I'm between homes right now (i.e. I’m floating about until next year).

I communicate best either in writing or in person (two opposite ends of the spectrum!)  Phone and video aren't enough for me - I treasure real, human presence. I've done a few videos but they didn't resonate: I'd rather talk to someone's actual face rather than the shining blue light on my computer!


4.    How much time would you usually spend writing each week?

Oh gosh, that's tricky to answer, because I love my work!  Sometimes I work 7-day weeks and 10-hour days. Then again, sometimes I only work for  2-3 hours. I'd say I write for at least 1-2 hours each workday.

I deliberately don't push myself to write more now. In the past, when I was working on a big project, I really pressured myself to write thousands of words every day. But I realized that after three thousand or so words, my quality really starts to suffer. Plus, it's part of my self-love practice not to force myself to write gargantuan amounts per day anymore. :)


5.    Do you have a specific drafting/writing/editing process? Or do you tend to write organically with little editing?

Most of the time, I write off-the-cuff based on inspiration. However, I've had to discipline the flow of my "inspiration" - it doesn't come until I sit down, day after day, and simply write.

I don't edit much, other than checking for misspellings and grammar. Although I did hire the awesome Ellie Di Julio to edit Love, You for me. But that was because it was so damn long, and I wanted to make it as awesome as possible for the people who took it :-).


6.    The balance between discipline and inspiration is definitely interesting. So what do you do on days where you sit down to write and nothing comes out?

I've been writing practically all my life – I simply love words and expressing myself with language. I started writing online over 10 years ago.  From 2004-2009, I wrote at least 1 entry per day (sometimes up to 6) in my online journal. I probably wrote enough to fill several novels during that time, and I think that's what honed my ability to communicate with words.

I think it also helps that I write something different every day now. When I blogged daily, I had to execute any ideas I had right away – I couldn’t sit on ideas for months or years.  Now, I write so many different things: blog posts, letters, or things for other projects. So if I don’t have anything to write on a given day, I don’t beat myself up.  I hold onto whatever I didn’t write, and figure that when the ideas ferment  enough, I’ll create something more wonderful than if I’d forced it.


7.    What advice would you give to someone who wants to start blogging, but worries about their skill as a writer?

I would say, simply start. Don't worry about anything. There are tons of bloggers out there that started out as not-very-skilled writers. As long as you have something you're passionate about, you can blog or write just about anything.

Even though I’d already had writing experience before I started Cynosure, it still took me two years of practice and blogging regularly to get to where I am, and I continue to improve. Everyone starts out inexperienced, but if you love what you're writing about enough, you'll persevere.

Bio: Who’s Sui?
 
I'm Sui (Sway) Solitaire. I share my journey on Cynosure.  I help warriors and revolutionaries (such as yourself!) love themselves and their bodies more.   I invite you to get more goodness in your inbox, and absorb awesomeness from the blog!
You can also say hello on Google+  and Twitter.