Member Spotlight: Giulietta Passarelli

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Pen and paper and books were always so much a part of my childhood. Writing is important to me because reading is and has been. Books are adventures and I love bringing others to the magic of my world. And when you are idle, bored, or have no place to go, there’s a book waiting for you to take you someplace special which makes it important for everyone as a medium for the world. And it is said that every book read changes you in some way.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? A change of pace–coming away from your project to rest or change the walls you’re looking at–taking breaks are important. Quiet is good and necessary, but sometimes you need more than quiet or the change I’ve spoken of here.

What is your favorite time to write? Mostly the morning, daytime definitely. If I’m not overly tired, I can write at night too. Just depends. I just have to show up.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Probably not to give up. Not to look at how successful others are more than you and letting that bother you or make you want to quit because you’ve tried very hard and nothing seems to work. We shouldn’t compare though it’s hard not to. But most importantly is not to give up. Keep reading, keep writing.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Today there is more freedom to write about anything whether it’s about race, sex, any childhood or teen issues, or using any kind of hard language. Authors today write about the world’s problems too which educates us, makes us aware of criminal actions in the world and politics, and helps to support changing the wrong attitudes or hate in the world. It’s much freer and more expressive today. That’s exciting.

Giulietta Passarelli’s Heart Like a Wheel is out now.