Welcome to The Creative Council, where I interview creatives about their lives and work and the ups and downs of being a creative soul.
Today’s interviewee is Sarah Biglow!
Sarah is the USA Today Bestselling author of the SEASONS OF MAGIC urban fantasy series as well as three co-written series. Under the penname S.E. Biglow, she is the author of the GEEKS AND THINGS, REVEREND MARGOT QUADE, and BROOKHAVEN PARANORMAL cozy mystery series.
The Interview
Hi Sarah! I’m so glad we managed to do this on the last day of your Backerkit campaign for Captivity!
· When did you start creating? Do you remember what pulled you in?
I wrote my first story when I was maybe five or six. I don’t entirely recall what pulled me into wanting to write it, but it was about a family of squirrels. I got serious about honing my writing craft in high school and college and wrote a ton of fanfiction in various fandoms. It allowed me to start learning how to craft plots and storylines without having to also build up characters. That came later as I took the initial forays into writing novels in my first year of college back in 2005.
· When did you start pursuing your current craft for real? As in, when did you begin to take yourself seriously as a creator?
I started looking to get published in 2009. I landed a literary agent and submitted a project to publishers, but it didn’t work out. I went through a few small presses over the years after that, but they ultimately didn’t work out long-term. I started self-publishing in 2015 and really started to build my business in 2019 and 2020, after the birth of my son. I wanted to be able to use this part of my passion to eventually fuel his own.
· Are you still having fun? If yes, how are you making sure it stays fun?
Most definitely, I’m still having fun. I get to play in the worlds I’ve created, exploring new characters and situations and finding new ways to connect the characters and worlds to things I’ve already written. I’ve found that branching out of my main fantasy universe is a way to keep it fun and fresh.
· What has been your biggest ‘mistake’ thus far, and what would you tell people about to make that same mistake?
I would say my biggest mistake was chasing trends and the next big thing in the publishing sphere. Whether that was trying to write to market or rapid release, or even jumping on the direct sales and subscriptions bandwagon, I tend to fall prey to FOMO. But I’ve come to realize that a lot of those things don’t work for me for one reason or another. Either I don’t have those kinds of stories in me, or I can’t sustain that sort of production pace. Or maybe I just don’t find joy in doing them. So, I’ve made the conscious choice to step back and only focus on the things that bring me joy. Like creating on Kickstarter and meeting new readers at in-person events.
As for other people, just focus on what brings you joy and do that. There’s always going to be other things popping up that you might think you need to do, but really, if it adds to your stress or makes things less exciting, don’t do it. Your publishing journey is your own and it doesn’t have to look like anyone else.
· Of all the milestones you’ve reached thus far, what has been your favourite? How did you celebrate it?
I really put a lot into my current fantasy series (Guardians of Camelot) and I felt really inspired and moved when the campaign I ran this year in 2024 did far beyond my expectations. I think I celebrated with a nice drink and some tv binging honestly.
· What do you struggle with most as a creative person?
My biggest struggle is finding time to recharge and not feeling guilty for taking that time. I always seem to need to push myself to the next project even when I know it burns me out. And then I fall into the cycle of feeling bad for burning out.
· Have you always had that struggle, and what advice would you give creatives dealing with the same?
Yes, I have always had this struggle. I think it stems from being a bit Type A, as well as having this unconscious need to prove to people, because I’m disabled, that I can do things just as well as other people. Advice wise, I’m not sure I have any as I’m still trying to work on it myself. But be kind to yourself. Know that you can take the time you need. It’s going to be okay.
· What do you do to stay inspired?
I talk a lot with my fellow writers about character and story. I’m always running ideas by them, bouncing off their energy. I’ve also found collaborating with artists to bring characters and worlds to life has been a great inspiration for me. I get excited and wrapped up in the anticipation of seeing their work and it just keeps me going.
· As you might know, I’m pretty woo-woo. On a scale of 1 to ‘I was burned at the stake in a previous lifetime’, how woo-woo are you? And how does that express itself in your life and/or your creative practice?
I’d like to think I was a bit woo-woo in a past life. Maybe not quite burned at the stake, but I do enjoy magic. It manifests itself in my creative work in literally all the magic I love to write about. Whether it’s my badass fantasy heroines or my quirky, witchy sleuth solving mysteries. Speaking of, if you’re into supernatural mysteries, I’ve got a brand-new Kickstarter coming up on October 22 for the next slate of books in my paranormal cozy mystery series! You can follow it here.
You can find Sarah and her work on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sarah’s Backerkit campaign for Captivity, a dystopian fantasy trilogy with a deluxe special edition hardcover omnibus (with foiled covers, sprayed edges, interior art and a limited edition book box) that is perfect for fans of fantasy, society-altering storytelling, and found family, ends today so be quick!
You can follow Sarah’s upcoming Kickstarter campaigns here:
Guardians (May 2025)
Hunted (March 2026)
Seasons of Magic (2028)
Are you a creative and would you like to be interviewed next? E-mail me at marielle@mswordsmith.nl and we’ll make it happen!