Interview with Sara Winslow, Runner Up in the Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with "Sweater"

Interview with Sara Winslow,

Runner Up in the Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with

“Sweater”

Congratulations to Sara Winslow from San Francisco, California for her amazing nonfiction essay titled: Sweater

Check out Sara's submission, Sweater as well as all the other winning entries and then stop back here to read Sara Winslow's engaging interview with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto from WOW! Women on Writing.

Sara’s Bio:

Sara Winslow is a repenting (a.k.a. retired) government lawyer turned creative writer. Her work appears in several literary journals and anthologies, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Sara lives in San Francisco. She has visited all 50 states and is working on the seven continents (two to go). You can find her on Instagram @winslow_writing.

...interview with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW!: Thank you for being here with me today Sara and thank you for writing such a personal essay. Let’s get right down to it! Do you have advice for your younger self when it comes to making decisions, believing in yourself, and/or writing? What would your current self say to the younger you?

Sara: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a kid. When I was a young woman, that desire was pushed aside by my stronger desire to support myself financially. I went to law school and had a long career in government, allowing me to retire relatively young. Although I’ve dabbled in creative writing most of my life, in retirement I’ve taken it up in earnest. The writing I’m doing now is so much more fun than my work as a lawyer ever was. It’s tempting to say that I’d advise my younger self to go for it, believe in herself, forget about law school, write books instead. Part of me wishes I had taken that path. But I’m not so sure I’d enjoy writing as much if I had to depend on it to make a living. So, if I could have a talk with my younger self, I actually think I’d tell her to stick to the path she was on. I’d tell her that it was all going to work out fine in the end.

WOW!: I’m sure those sentiments would have felt like a big comforting hug - especially during those years when self-doubt is so prevalent. What’s next for you? What are your writing goals for the rest of 2026 and beyond?

Sara: Lately, I’ve been focused on two book-length projects. One is a novel that's on its second or third draft. At the end of last year, I set it aside to marinate. On January 1 of this year, I began drafting a memoir, kickstarted by a program called JanYourStory with the organization Memoir Nation. They encouraged participants to write their memoirs, 500 words a day, every day in January. I enjoyed the daily practice so much that I continued it even after January ended. In fact, I’m still writing at least a little bit of the memoir every single day. Now I’m more than halfway through a first draft. Before the end of 2026, I’d love to have a full draft completed so I can set it aside for a while and return to my novel. Then who knows, maybe in 2027 one or both of them will be ready to send out into the world.

WOW!: You have an impressive bio - it makes sense to work on a memoir! Could you tell us more about being nominated for a Pushcart Prize?

Sara: Thank you! I’ve always wanted to be a fiction writer. And that’s what I focused on when I first retired. Then my mother died, and I felt compelled to write nonfiction about our relationship. I wrote the first such piece, “When Your Mom,” about taking care of my mom in her final weeks and then dealing with her death. It was published in the Winter 2025 issue of Passager Journal. I was very honored that Passager nominated the essay for a Pushcart Prize. Even more meaningful, though, was hearing that the essay struck a chord with readers who were struggling with their own grief around the deaths of their parents. Hearing from these folks taught me that sharing my very personal and specific experiences could actually be helpful to others. Since then, I’ve written additional pieces about my mom, including “Sweater.” And she's a central character in the longer memoir project I’m currently working on.

WOW!: I can’t wait until the project is finished - hopefully we can work together again! What advice would you give to others (specifically female authors) when it comes to self care?

Sara: Ideally, writing is a fun activity that’s a form of self-care in itself. In reality, writing can get tough. For example, when you start being critical of yourself. At times like that, my advice is to take a step back and give yourself the compassion that you'd give a friend in the same situation. Remind yourself that the story you’re writing does matter and that you’re the one to tell it. You started writing it for a reason. Go back to that reason. It also gets tough when you’re writing about a traumatic event. The memoir I’m currently writing caused me to go back in time and reread my old journals. I had heard about how important it was to take care of yourself when writing about trauma. Still, I was surprised to find myself being re-traumatized as I read my old journal entries about a tragedy from decades ago. I was right back there, living it all over again. For me, it's been helpful to take breaks and work on less challenging sections of the book for a day or two. Or simply take a walk with my dogs, do some yoga, read a novel. I guess the bottom line is, when the writing gets tough, be kind to yourself, and carve out some time to do whatever activity you find most nourishing.

WOW!: Speaking of things that are nourishing - I have to ask about journaling and writing groups. What role has journaling and/or writer's groups played in your life?

Sara: Both have played big roles! I’ve kept a journal since age 7. It’s hard for me to imagine life without journaling. The simple act of putting your thoughts down in writing can be so therapeutic. Without journaling, I’m not sure my mind would ever be clear enough to engage in creative writing! And of course my old journals have been a vital resource for the memoir I’m currently drafting. I’ve belonged to various writer’s groups, both in person and online. I think they’re essential. They give you support. Other pairs of eyes to look at what you’ve written. And a glimpse into how other people write. Right now, I’m in a small online group of women writers. We met (virtually) while taking a class through WOW!, taught by the amazing Kimberly Lee. After the class ended, we formed a group that's lasted over a year so far. It's still going strong. We’ve never met in real life, but we’ve read a lot of each other’s personal stories. In fact, my “Sweater” essay was first written for this group. Comments from the women in the group helped me to make it into the essay that you've read.

WOW!: Thank you so much for sharing your time and talent with us today and always Sara - it’s been a pleasure!

Today's interview was penned by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

Crystal Casavant writes.

Everything.

If you follow her blog you have likely laid eyes on every thought she has ever had.

Her debut novel, It Was Never About Me, Was It? is still a work in progress and shall be fully worthy sometime in her lifetime as she switched gears and is seven chapters in on a psychological thriller that has captured her heart. She has written for WOW! Women on Writing, Bring on Lemons, and has been featured in several magazines and ezines relating to credit and collections as well as religious collections for confessional Lutherans.

She runs a busy household (from her parent’s basement) full of intelligent, recalcitrant, and delightful humans who give her breath and keep her heart beating day after day.

Crystal wears many hats (and not just the one in this photo) including college student, mom, musician, singer, administrator, writer, teacher, and friend. She fully believes in being in the moment and doing everything she can to improve the lives of those around her! She recently moved into her parent’s basement and is enjoying the challenge, recently posting some delicious meals titled: Culinary Adventures in My Parent’s Basement.

The world may never know her name, but she prays that because of her, someone may smile a little brighter. She prides herself on doing nice things - yes, even for strangers. She is always up for a challenge whether it’s living in the basement, living on a boat, or buying a dairy farm! You never know where she’ll turn up next or what she’ll be doing, but it’s guaranteed she’ll be having fun!

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