Behind the Pen – Madi Rogers

Photo by Through My Eyes Photography

In my next blog in the Behind The Pen series, I had the privilege to interview and share about an up and coming writer, Madi Rogers. Madi was my intern last summer (2021) and was so wonderful to work with I hired her on as my marketing assistant. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented new writer! Read on to find out more about her writing, where she finds inspiration from, her tips to aspiring writers, and much more.

What do you love about writing?

Ironically, reading was what always interested me. I could finish a 700 page book in a day, and immediately pick up another novel and start reading. Although I have my favorite types of books (science fiction), I’ll read almost anything. My problem with reading is that I always wish something was just a little different than how the author wrote it. That is when I realized, why don’t I just open my laptop and write it myself? Writing has always been one of my favorite ways to express my emotions while creating anything I could ever dream up!

How did you get into the writing world?

I got into the writing world at a very early age as I have always wanted to be a journalist. My sophomore year of high school I participated in a challenge through my English class called “Genius Hour”. We had 12 weeks to reach any goal we could think of, and I decided to write a book!

What top two challenges do you find in writing?

My biggest problem when writing is finding enough time to actually be productive. I constantly am thinking about what to write next, but I have to find time in my busy schedule to sit down and get stuff done! Another problem I had, specifically when writing my book, was the constant feeling of being burnt out. I love to talk, write, and express myself through many various creative outlets. Sometimes I find myself getting burnt out, even when doing things I love. This is where I found myself with my book, and any other writing tasks. After a long day of school, dance, and homework, the end of the day came around and I struggled to find the motivation to make progress on my projects.

Where do you find inspiration for your writing?

When writing was just a random hobby in my life I always found my inspiration on Instagram. If you search “writing prompts” you will discover a plethora of interesting topics and situations to expand upon.

What is 1. The most challenging thing you’ve written and why and 2. The favorite thing you’ve written and why?

The most challenging thing I have ever written and my favorite thing I have ever written are the same! I have a rough draft of my sci-fi novel Meliora complete and am hoping to one day publish it! Writing this book has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life and is something that I will always be proud of in years to come.

Do you have any tips to writers on conducting interviews and/or drafting interview questions?

One of the main things I find when reading interview questions is that they are repetitive. As a writer, I know how hard it can be to think bigger than your main goal. If you have a specific point you want to stress in a piece of writing, make sure you ask many different questions that will help prove your point and emphasize the theme of the writing.

If you could give an upcoming writer, one piece of advice what would it be?

Reach out of your comfort zone! I never thought I would be anywhere close to where I am today with my writing but one small step really does make a difference. Talk to other writers, start a new project, and see where your writing journey takes you!

Where can people go to see more of your work?

I have a few blogs published on Triad Mom’s on Main and on Suzy Fielders’ website!