Who Are You?
Judd B. Shaw, Attorney-At-Law, New Jersey.
What Do You Write?
I enjoy creative writing. I also enjoy writing about leadership and corporate culture (I avoid the word “employee”). I love what I do because my primary role is to lead, train and grow my team — I find that incredibly rewarding.
Where Do You Write?
I write at random times – sometimes in the early morning over a cup of coffee, on plane traveling or during “think week” times. Generally, I try to find times that I won’t be disturbed, feel rushed, and quiet. I use Google docs because I find it easy to see and edit. When I have written out enough content, I will go to print so I can actually read the material on paper and make edits with colored pens.
When Do You Write?
See above. My time limit is bookended; meaning, when it’s time to go to work, or the plane lands, or the week is over, dictates when I am done with that writing session as opposed to word count. In fact, I pay no attention to word count up front and prefer to have more content, than less, so I can play with structure. I prefer to create a master deadline when I’m striving to complete the overall project.
Why Do You Write?
One day, I was with my son, who was 9 at the time, and he was frustrated with his older sister. She was a pre-teen entering a new stage in her life. I explained to my son about not being judgmental and stepping into her shoes for a moment, so that he could better understand what she might be going through.
Empathy can be a difficult concept to understand at that age. But I also was keenly aware of how important empathy would be in their support of each other. I believe if they could be compassionate towards each other, they will more likely stay emotionally healthy as individuals.
In this first book, Sterling & Nugget The Dragon, we learn how empathy is mightier than the sword. The main character, Sterling, a brave young boy, has dreamed of becoming a knight. Sterling sets out to slay the dragon that was feared by all. On this adventure, Sterling is faced with a choice: fight or help. In choosing to deal with the dragon named Nugget with kindness and compassion, Sterling becomes the knight he always wanted to be.
How Do You Overcome Writer’s Block?
When I have writer’s block, it’s usually because of distractions. As a result, I will simply put down the proverbial paper and keyboard and start another time. I know when my brain is excited for writing time and when I’m not feeling it.
Bonus: What Do You Enjoy Doing When Not Writing?
Self-care and travel/adventure.
My thanks to Judd B. Shaw for today’s interview.