Saoirse Ibargüen is a Floridian writer and performer with a BA in literature from the University of South Florida, and an MSc in creative writing from the University of Edinburgh. Her piece ‘The World Turns’ can be found in Epoch Issue 01: Beginnings, available to purchase here.
Where do you find inspiration?
A lot of my writing inspiration comes from discovery. I think the most interesting moments in our lives happen when we are experiencing (or fighting) change. What we learn from our ability to adapt or our fear of changing can enlighten us about important themes in our personal journey. Whether we are working through childhood trauma, or looking for new ways to exist in an increasingly complicated world, the discoveries we make can inspire the greatest stories.
Why do you write/create Creative Non-Fiction?
I’m drawn to creative non-fiction and memoir because I believe that true stories are the most compelling form of literature. It is one thing to tell a story that is inherently interesting because it actually happened, but it is another thing to tell that story well. Memoir is a craft that I will always be working on. It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to tell every detail, and explain things in order exactly as they happened. But storytelling as an art form requires more than just relaying information. It’s my goal to tell the truth in a way that sometimes makes the reader forget they’re not reading fiction.
What are you reading now? (If you aren’t reading anything, let us know what other art you’re consuming)
I just finished reading “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote. I’m a massive fan of true crime (far more than crime fiction), and I thought this book was a stunning example of how to characterize real people and tell a true story that could be journalistic and dry, but instead is as hard to put down as a mystery novel. When we know how a story ends (and we usually do in cases of well-publicized murders), and we still want to keep reading, that’s a sign of first-rate writing.
Where can we follow you and find your work?
Instagram: @lovealwayssaoirse and @saoirsesshelf
Blog: https://saoirsei.wordpress.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/saoirsesshelf (all videos are about books and writing)
Epoch Press is an independent press dedicated to publishing exceptional creative nonfiction.
We publish truth in ink.
