Q&A With WriteByNight Consultant Cecily Sailer

Cecily Sailer (Austin, Texas) has been teaching, coaching, and supporting writers for more than 15 years — leading workshops, and helping fiction and nonfiction writers finish, sculpt, and refine their projects while also tending to the inner struggles that arise along the way. Cecily holds an MFA in creative writing (fiction) from the University of Houston, and has worked for journalism outlets, creative arts nonprofits, and corporate marketing departments. Her work has appeared in Lit Hub, Dallas Morning News, Texas Observer, Austin Fit Magazine, Texas Monthly, The Rebis, Austin Seance Journal, and others. She’s the founder of Typewriter Tarot, which fosters better living through magic and creativity. You can learn more about her work here, or check out her podcast, Your Creative & Magical Life.

Where are you from?

Houston, Texas, home of the Astrodome, the world’s first indoor, air-conditioned major league sports arena — with fake grass. I fled to Austin after high school, seeking fewer superhighways, more trees, and the same general friendliness Texans (often) embody. I am and shall remain an Astros fan.

Where did you study?

I studied journalism and history at the University of Texas, then creative writing in the graduate program at the University of Houston. But I continue to study in my own eclectic ways — Tarot, astrology, human design, marketing, mysticism, somatics, the natural world. I wish we had more time to learn it all!

What is your favorite thing about educating writers at WBN?

It’s always inspiring to work with writers who are making a commitment to their creative expression. Writing is not easy. Writing books is one of the most challenging things a human can choose to do. It’s a journey that will bring you face-to-face with your insecurities and your highest visions. It’s an honor to join a writer in that process and help them create what they feel called to bring into the world.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

With my Mercury in Sagittarius, right next to Neptune — knowing what to leave out.

What’s the last movie you saw that was based on a book and how was it?

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Loved it. Loved that the monster was wise (and sexy) and humanized. I loved the cinematography. And the fact that this was a story first told by a woman, at a time when it was very difficult for women to write and be published.

Any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

It’s important to tend to the inner stuff as much as “the work” of writing. I believe that writing a book, whether you want to see it this way or not, is a spiritual journey that asks you to confront fears, doubts, and old wounds you’re trying to avoid thinking about every day. I don’t think we do ourselves any favors by pushing through all that, or trying to ignore it. As much as the work of writing is about creating something new, it’s also about how the process of creation changes us, and who we become in the process of bringing something new into the world. So, notice who you become as you continue to write, not just what you make.

Interested in working with Cecily? Request a free consult now

“Cecily helped me build a bridge from my fears of failure and being vulnerable to a place where I can confidently write every single day. She held me accountable, offered ideas, and helped identify where I was holding my standards too high. My goal was to write the first draft of my novel in six months and I did it! I couldn’t have found my creative voice without Cecily’s beautiful intuition guiding my way. I can’t wait to include her in the acknowledgements section of my first novel!”

— Alessandra

“I’m in a new phase of my writing life, thanks to Cecily. After working on a novel for four years, I was stuck and overthinking everything. Cecily helped me rediscover the joy and sense of play in writing my book. She also helped me overcome several hairy psychological roadblocks that kept me spinning.”

— Kim

“When I began working with Cecily my novel was a big hairy beast hanging over me that I was afraid to reengage with. I knew my story needed something more, and I wanted to do some major revisions, but I didn’t know how to begin the process. Cecily helped me approach the beast, tame it, and become friends with it. Through exploration, organization, and accountability work, I am now excited to work on my novel and feel like my goal to finish a new draft is within reach.”

— Casey