What Being a Nonfiction Writer is Like with Candy Arrington

Curious about the writer’s life and how writers find inspiration? Ever wonder about how a writer chooses their topics, and how to write about subjects you don’t necessarily have experience in? Then listen on. 

Candy is a writer, blogger, and wellness speaker. She writes on the topics of health, personal growth, and methods for moving through and beyond challenging life circumstances. Her latest book is Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well.

Quotes to remember: 

“Sometimes waiting is for our protection.” 

“The people who are successful as writers are those who are teachable.” 

“When you find your voice, you’ll know it.” 

Takeaways:

• Pausing can be a time of preparation and relaxation
• When we write about subjects that aren’t often discussed, it can strike a deeper chord with people
• We can write about things we don’t have direct experience of
• Writing can be intuitive and contemplative rather than schedule-driven
• You may not be aware of your own patterns until in hindsight
• The more you write about something, the more ideas you’ll have about it
• Hone your focus and you’ll write better
• New writers tend to want to write everything

What you’ll learn:

• The life challenges that inspired Candy to write a book
• Lessons she learned during a time of waiting
• The circumstances around Candy’s first successful book proposal, a book on losing a loved one to suicide
• Tips on your first book or first major project
• On writing about a topic without personal experience of it
• What inspires Candy in her work

Mentioned on the podcast: 

• https://candyarrington.com/
• Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well
• Aftershock: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide