Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tanya Shaffer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tanya, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I believe writing, or for that matter any other type of creative endeavor, is a job for which you can never be overqualified. That’s because to some extent you have to start fresh with every project. Every time I start an essay, a play, or a poem, I’m making something I’ve never made before.

To me, this also means that the study of craft is a lifelong process. As a writer, every time I read—which is every day—I’m learning something about craft, whether consciously or unconsciously. If I read something that engages or excites me, I try to notice what I like about it. If something loses my attention or pushes me away, I try to notice that as well.

I was a creative writing major at Oberlin College, and a lot of my touchstones as a writer come from there. My professors, the late, great Stuart Friebert and Diane Vreuls, taught me to write what is true, whether I’m writing fiction or non-fiction. That is, if I’m describing something, I try to go as close to the original experience as I can, whether that experience is “real” or imagined. They taught me, in other words, not to rely on familiar ways of describing things. To try to describe whatever it is as precisely as possible, staying close to the sensory experience. Get up close. Look with fresh eyes. No matter what else I learn about writing, this idea of close observation forms the core of my craft.

Each artist will have their own touchstones, drawn from their own teachers and moments of realization. Traditional academic settings are one place to learn, but there are so many others. Studying what’s around you is another way to learn. Continuing to take workshops with people you admire is yet another. Each person’s path will be different. It’s important to stay awake within the experience, to follow your interests, and to keep growing.

Tanya, 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?

I’m a writer, and I lead writing workshops.

I worked in theatre for many years, first as an actor, later as a solo performer, playwright and producer. I’ve written many plays that have been produced nationally and internationally. I was also travel writer for some time, publishing regularly on the now-defunct Wanderlust section of Salon.com. I’m also the author of the book, Somebody’s Heart is Burning: A Woman Wanderer in Africa (Vintage), which tells the stories of the powerful and passionate individuals I got to know during my time there.

I now write personal essays on wide range of themes, including parenting, creativity, spirituality, and more. Many of these can be found on my website at tanyasoffleashblog.com. I also host the podcast, Off-Leash Arts: Conversations on Creativity, in which I interview artists from a range of disciplines about their creative process.

I lead writing workshops through my company, Off-Leash Writing, and I also work privately with individuals on their stories, essays, books, play scripts, and screenplays.

My writing workshops fall into two different categories. My primary workshops are in a practice I call Off-Leash Writing. This is a powerful, liberating practice in which I give prompts, and we put pen to paper and cut loose, writing fast and furious to get ahead of the inner critics and burn through to our authentic voices. Off-Leash Writing Workshops are designed for both newcomers and experienced writers who crave a nurturing place to explore the joy and power of writing. In Off-Leash Writing Workshops, we write towards discovery, freeing ourselves from the pressure to be “good.”

The second type of workshop I offer is a Memoir/Fiction/Personal Essay Workshop, which combines writing exercises with the opportunity for participants to get constructive feedback on their work from me and a supportive circle of fellow writers. Writing feedback in these workshops follows the Amherst Writers and Artists method of discussion, in which I am certified. This teaching method affirms the individual voice of each writer, and focuses on what is strong and working in the writing as well as identifying any areas where the work could be strengthened.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

This question really resonates with me.

In the movie “Tick Tick…Boom!” available on Netflix (spoiler alert!), Andrew Garfield plays Jonathan Larsen, the creator of the Broadway smash hit musical, “Rent.” In “Tick Tick…Boom!,” Larsen has been working for years on a musical, and he finally gets a group of producers in to watch a workshop. He puts everything he has into creating this workshop, both energetically and financially. When it’s over, he has a call with his agent, who tells him how much the producers enjoyed the workshop and how they are all looking forward to seeing what he does next.

In other words, they’re not picking it up.

“What do I do now?” he asks.

The agent responds, “Write the next one, then the next one, and then when you’re done with that…write the next one. That’s what it is to be a writer, honey.”

This story, more than anything, speaks to my experience as an artist.

Over the years, my projects have had varying degrees of success. My book found a home with a major publisher. Some of my plays have had big productions that have been reasonably lucrative for me. There were “It Girl” moments when I was getting a lot of good press.

There have also been things I’ve poured my whole heart into that have not gone as far as I hoped they would.

My takeaway from these experiences is that no matter where a particular project has landed in the world, the moment inevitably comes when you have to move on and write the next one.

I suspect, too, that unless your project has gone all the way to Broadway, run for 20 years, and won every imaginable award, you’re never going to feel like it’s gone far enough. (And perhaps if that were the scenario, you’d want it made into a movie!)

In other words, the “divine dissatisfaction” Martha Graham wrote about is the artist’s lot at every stage of the game. Ultimately, the external validation will never be enough. You have to write the next one because it’s what you do. That’s what I call resilience. The drive to get up the next day and write the next one.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I believe that government support of the arts is absolutely necessary to create a thriving creative ecosystem.

Throughout Western Europe, governments invest a much larger chunk of their budgets in the arts than we do in this country. This allows individual artists the freedom to explore without having to constantly have their eye on the markets or hustle outside work to pay the bills.

If artistic institutions such as theatres and museums get robust and consistent government support, they can make challenging choices that push the edges of the artistic envelope. Such choices are necessary for the artistic conversation to grow. When arts institutions are driven by the market, they become too risk-averse to support artists whose work is truly revolutionary.

As individuals, we can support a robust arts scene by going to see local theater and supporting local artisans, artists and creatives. We can donate to our local artistic institutions too. They need us.

Contact Info:

• Website: tanyashaffer.com
• Instagram: @tanya.shaffer
• Facebook: @tanya.shaffer
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-shaffer-30111b8/
• Twitter: @tanyashaffer

Image Credits
Red coat photos by Robert Chester, RChesterPhotography.com