We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sara Stover. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sara below.
Hi Sara, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is the one I’m currently in the middle of. I am in the process of talking story (interviewing) the elders in my community here on Hawai’i Island in an effort to honor, learn from, and amplify their voices. This project, Kupuna Wisdom, began when I was a contributing writer for Ke Ola Magazine, right here on Hawai’i Island. Some of the stories I wrote for the magazine allowed me to shine a light on the stories, memories, lessons, and advice of Hawaiʻi’s kūpuna (honored elders respected for their wisdom). Ke Ola Magazine is no longer in publication, but our island still has so many inspiring stories to be shared! So I decided that I wasn’t going to wait around for another magazine to come along and pay me to write these stories. Instead, I committed to channeling the power of the written word to share those stories in a book about Hawaiʻi’s kūpuna. There are so many reasons why this is meaningful to me and to my community. First and foremost, these kūpuna have been on this planet longer than I have, and they have a connection to a way of life that I don’t want to see forgotten – One that invests in the health of the land, sea, families, and communities of Hawai’i Island. The past they are connected to can mean a more sustainable future for the most geographically isolated landmass on earth.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m an editor, writer, storyteller, and creative services provider living on the beautiful Big Island of Hawai’i. With roots in the farms and forests of Upstate New York, I was given my first journal at 11-years old, which I filled with stories about the adventures I dreamed up. Today I draw inspiration from the diversity of the island’s nature and culture, as well as from my own creative adventures. Channeling the power of the written word, I shine a light on unique stories about dynamic people and extraordinary places. My work has appeared in the pages of Ke Ola Magazine, Hawai’i Magazine, Honolulu Magazine, HousingWire, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, and Culturs Magazine, as well as on many other online outlets. I am also working on my first book.
Additionally, I provide creative services to several small business. This is a side hustle that grew out of a conversation with someone I was interviewing for a magazine article. They asked me if I could write some blogs for their small business, which led to several contracts with other local businesses. Because many of these clients are a one man / woman operation or a couple running a business, their needs vary. Some clients only need a branded blog every month. Others need a newsletter as well. And one client even needed a whole new website. I knew my way around the backend of sites hosted by GoDaddy, WordPress, and SquareSpace, so it wasn’t a huge leap to go from writing, optimizing, and publishing blogs to designing a new website from scratch. Since then, I’ve designed other websites. My favorite part of this web design work has been tapping into a different side of my creativity to craft a website that reflects the experience of stepping into someone’s spa, art gallery, or yoga studio.
I don’t have one job now. I have different projects I work on. Some pay the bills, some don’t. But when blended, they constitute a fulfilling life that is never boring… like a colorful mosaic! Whether I’m writing articles for a magazine, a blog for a client, an e-newsletter for a small business, or designing a website for a studio, my goal is shine a light on the individual or businesses’ unique story. I’m a people person but I process the world through words, so this is the perfect job for me! My work day is the ideal combination of having awesome conversations with amazing people and harnessing the power of the written word (and often images) to amplify their stories, services, products, and events.
I am most proud of an article I wrote for Ke Ola Magazine a few years ago about The Nature Conservancy (TNC)’s Hema Preserve. At the time, I was teaching part time at the local high school and doing freelance writing two days a week. To write this article, I spent one of those days volunteering at the Preserve alongside the TNC staff, uprooting invasive plants, planting native species, and putting up a fence to keep feral pigs from destroying the new plants. It was the first time I completely immersed myself in my subject and it showed in the depth of the article. Since then, I seek out opportunities to walk in the shoes of those I write about whenever I can.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
As a creative and freelance writer, I don’t have a very predictable schedule. If I’m particularly inspired to write or create something, I have been known to stay up past midnight until I bring the story to life. Writers block or lack of inspiration is also something that creatives like myself can struggle with. For me, going for a hike, a swim, or practicing tai chi can get the words flowing again. It may look like I’m working out (and as an added bonus, I do get a work out in) but that’s not my purpose. I’ve noticed that others find it confusing that I don’t want company on a hike or walk. It’s not always easy to explain that I need to work out an outline or angle for an article while I walk and can’t do so while carrying on a conversation with someone else. My schedule seems to be equally as unpredictable thanks to the magazines I write for (which doesn’t bother me a bit)! From bike shop owners in Maine to artists surfing in Uruguay, I may be interviewing someone at 6am on a Tuesday or 7pm on a Friday… or spending an entire Saturday on a farm on the other side of the island interviewing Hawaii’s “grandfather of agriculture.” Coming from a 9-to-5, corporate America background with a marketing firm and then a publishing company, this part of my journey as a creative was refreshing for me, but hard to adjust to for some of the non-creatives in my life.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part of being a storyteller happens when I get on a call with someone or grab a cup of Kona coffee with them for an interview. Initially, many of them assume that they don’t have an inspiring story… or aren’t adept at communicating it. When I go into the interview with an open mind and share some of my own story, an amazing thing happens… They understand the significance of their own story and trust me with it. In turn, I get to leverage my words to shine a light on their story in a way that resonates with others. I compare it to going into a cave with a lit torch and shining a light on ancient carvings that were forgotten or holding a microphone up to someone who’s voice needs to be amplified.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sarastover.com
- Instagram: sarastover.storyteller
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarakstover
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-k-stover
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/kupuna_wisdom
Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Sara Stover.