We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maureen McDole a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maureen, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

Honestly, I can’t imagine a life in which I am not a creative. Even before I realized I was a poet, I was studying to be a potter. Before that I wanted to be a photographer. I used to express myself when I was a teenager through going dancing at clubs in the Tampa Bay area. I still love seeing lots of live music. All along, I have been a ferocious reader and consumer and advocate of art.

Before I started Keep St. Pete Lit in 2013 I held a variety of jobs to cover my bills. I am so thankful that I get to now run a literary non-profit, which supports and compliments my writing practice. Not a day goes by that I am not thankful for my job.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. I am a direct descendant of carnies, carpenters and fishermen. This do-it-yourself ethos in my DNA infuses every area of my life. As far back as I can remember I loved to write. I am the author of three books of poems, Exploring My Options (2006), Longing for the Deep End (2011), and Feast (2021). I have a BA in English Literature from USF-St. Petersburg and a certificate in Arts & Culture Strategy from University of Pennsylvania. My poetry has been set in a variety of different ways including: film, dance, spoken word, art installations, Sprechstimme, and traditional vocal works. I have been leading workshops and speaking about creativity for over 15 years. I founded the literary arts organization Keep St. Pete Lit in 2013, because I believe wholeheartedly in the power of literature to change the world.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I started Keep St. Pete Lit with zero funding and I didn’t know anyone with money. I had no non-profit experience other than a desire to serve my community through the power of literature. Honestly, I was led by my curiosity and just wanted to have fun with my two loves, writing and reading. Needless to say, my learning curve was huge. I listened to my intuition and asked a lot of questions of others in my creative community. I intentionally grew the organization slowly, this way I could make mistakes and then fixed them before we launched a program into a larger sphere. By listening to my intuition I was able to pivot when we needed to do so and explore uncharted areas outside our current roster of programs. I saw opportunities acted on them. I also kept our overhead small. We pop-up in different locations, therefore growing our partnerships and audiences organically and we don’t have to pay for a brick-and-mortar space.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a poet and the founder of Keep St. Pete Lit is I get to do what I love everyday. I get to be creative, help my community, and pay my bills in the process. I am also raising an artistic child, so he is able to see how the creative process works and how to support himself financially. I am so thankful that I have an outlet for my passionate nature and that I am creating space for other people in my community to have the same outlet. Everyday I feel grateful for the work I am able to do. I also am thankful that I get to live life on my own terms, not someone else’s. It’s important to me that my life has meaning and my work helps to make the world a better place to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.keepstpetelit.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepstpetelit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keepstpetelit