We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shawn Coggins . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shawn below.

Shawn , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My most meaningful project is a stage play named “Gladys” that I later developed into a feature screenplay. I named this project after my grandmother, Gladys Blake. I got the ideas for it while sitting in her living room listening to her and younger sister share memories about when they were young girls living in Mississippi. Listening to them talk about the trials and tribulations they faced was interesting yet devastating. Born in rural MS during the Great Depression Era, My grandmother attended private school and never picked cotton. This privilege still could not completely shield her from the harsh realities of living in the Deep South. I knew this story needed to be told. “Gladys “tells the story of three young sisters who are being raised by their grandparents in 1930s Mississippi. It’s very personal to me because it’s based on my families actual lived experiences. It speaks to their resilience and their dogged determination to defy the odds.

Shawn , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Shawn Coggins is a native of West Point, Mississippi. She never knew that the passion she developed for writing as a teenager would command her presence years later as she worked in a completely different field. She began studying how to write screen plays, joining writing circles, and taking weekend or night classes to help hone her craft. This led to the creation of her own writing company, Shawn Coggins Writes. Shawn Coggins Writes is based on old-fashioned morals and customer service. Clients receive an excellent product with swift turnaround for a reasonable price.
Shawn Coggins Writes has now written for clients for books, documentaries, film treatments, short and feature films. She is currently directing her first feature thriller which will be released October 2023.

Shawn Coggins currently resides in Nashville, TN ( resident since 2006) with her two sons.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I’m a Mississippi, country-girl at heart, so I rely on the lessons I learned there to guide me in business. Humility, respect, and professionalism are my core beliefs. They’re center in all of my interactions whether is taking an interest call from a prospective client to working on features those well-known in the industry. That alone has allowed my business to grow. I don’t have an advertising budget or billboards at the corners of intersections, but I land clients and contracts because my professional reputation speaks for itself. People aren’t afraid to share my names in rooms where my books are unheard of. I’m an avid listener. Most people are used to hearing all of the reasons a thing can’t be or shouldn’t be done. I challenge myself with each client to see how we can accomplish their vision for the project and how the lessons learned can be repurposed for future projects. This helps me create repeat customers who aren’t afraid to refer others.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is longevity itself. Knowing that something I created, sometimes in my darkest hours, can be shared and possibly inspire someone in generations that I will never see is reason enough to do the work. Just knowing that one young writer, who is gifted, but scared, decided to make a leap because of something I said, did, or created makes every sacrifice, every tear, every prayer worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shawncogginswriter.com
• Instagram: @shawn_coggins
• Twitter: @shawncoggins1