A short interview wherein one of my favorite authors answers three questions about the writing life.
Question: What’s your Go-To source when you need inspiration?
My experiences in the Tennessee State Parks have been the inspiration for several articles. But I’ve found that the most important thing is to just get out there, do something fun, and start meeting people. I’m always pleasantly surprised at the article ideas that I happen upon simply because I was out of the house.
Question: What’s the greatest challenge you face when starting a new writing project? How do you work through it?
My greatest challenge is writing the first draft. After completing my research, the process of turning what I’ve learned into an article is daunting. I always create outlines of the piece before I begin writing, and I rely heavily on to-do lists where I break down the process of writing a rough draft into small, concrete tasks. It also helps me to remember that I always find this phase to be the hardest part of writing, and I remember all of my past projects where I successfully completed the assignment.
Question: What one piece of advice can you offer to a writer who has yet to tackle the publishing world?
When you want to pitch a story to a magazine or website, write your best pitch, and just send it. Don’t fear rejection. In fact, never hearing anything from an editor about your pitch is harder than getting a “no” from them, and sometimes, the editor will give you some feedback on why the pitch isn’t a great fit for them. That is immensely useful.
About the Author
Maggie Gigandet is a former trial attorney and current freelance writer. She focuses on the outdoors and people with interesting passions. Her work can be found in The Atavist, Smithsonian Folklife, Atlas Obscura, and Trail Runner. For more of her work, please visit maggiegigandet.com.