When it comes to life and the inevitable tragedies that tag along, author and journalist Sandra Younger is a big believer that you get to write and tell your own story.

In this episode of The Written Scene, Sandra talks about what tragedy does in a journalistic mind, why being a nosy journalist can be useful, making an expensive deal with her publisher in order to relaunch a book, choosing your own story after a tragedy, feeling like you told the perfect story for Oprah, when deadlines and the panic monster become your writing routine, flourishing as a writer with support and accountability from others, all the ways the writing process is messy, ignoring the urge to edit while writing the first draft, the differences between a writer and a storyteller, a sneak peak into her new story, being ready for critique when feeling vulnerable as a writer, making sure characters fit the story and knowing when to cut them if they don't, and much.

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Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era