How This Writer Likes to Ensure all 5 Senses are “Tickled”
By: Kimberley Payne
Tags: Journalism, Writing Tips, Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing, 5 Senses

When did you join Medium? What influenced your decision to join?

October 2019.

When did you join Koinonia? What attracted you to this publication?

June 2020.

How long have you been writing and how did you come to it?

I’ve been writing stories since before I could spell. I’ve always had a love for words, but I chose writing as a career at the age of 17 when I went to journalism school for college.

Now I write marketing content for small businesses in Canada and stories for Medium. I am also 7 chapters into a memoir on my life and travel adventures.

Who are some of the people who most influenced your decision to write?

It may be a little presumptuous of me to say, but I genuinely believe Christ put the love of words in me when He formed me. After all, he spoke mankind into being with words.

The written word has always been the easiest way for me to express my feelings and experiences, both of which I have many.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you?

Experiences are always at the centre of what I write. Whether I am writing a marketing piece or a personal piece, the 5 senses are all “tickled”, to borrow the phrase. Emotion and passion is evoked by experience, personal or otherwise, and that is what causes people to take action and make change. This is my purpose as a writer.

What do you like most / least about writing?

I love finding a beautifully descriptive, yet uncomplicated way to dissect life’s detailed meaning and purpose, as well as the simple joy and sorrow of the every day adventure that life is.

I hate finding a grammar/spelling error after publishing.

How do you balance professional time with personal time?

I don’t! At least, not very well. I am a full time nanny as well as a part time writer, and so I’ve found myself losing sanity in the chaos of it. But I find time and energy for the projects that I have the most God-given passion and love for, and sometimes He allows something wonderful to come of my efforts.

What Medium publications/writers are you currently following?

Jessica A is the organized writer I wish I was. She has so many incredible tips and organization strategies for keeping your written work structured and methodical.

Writers On The Run is a travel publication that inspires me to write about my own travel experiences and makes me miss traveling so much during this time when traveling is somewhat limited. It’s a fun way to live vicariously through other’s experiences and plan your own for the future.

What are some of your favorite things? What makes you unique?

Travel has always been a huge part of my life. I’m 21 and have been blessed to visit 6 of our earth’s 7 continents. I have an internal library full of memories including the unforgettable smiles and singing voices belonging to the people of the Dominican Republic, the colourful and textured clothing of the Peruvians, the chalky Cliffs of Dover that I engraved my initials into, the massive mountains I skied down in Alberta and stood in awe of in Switzerland, the crazy ancient architecture in England, Spain and Italy, the food in Hong Kong. I could go on forever describing this diverse, beautiful world.

Aside from travel, which I am obviously missing, I am a stationery lover with a flare for creativity. In fact, I own a stationery business with my sister called Jade + Sage.

I also love children, mainly and quite selfishly because they are a supply of constant entertainment and laughter.

And of course, I enjoy writing about all of the above.

How is your faith reflected in your writing?

Aside from sharing my personal relationship with Christ and testimony of salvation with my writing platform, I love to advocate for others. My name, Sashenka, means “helper and defender of mankind”.

In particular, I provide social media marketing for a couple of pro-life organizations.

I have also recently become aware of a rare disease called Alpha-1 and will be publishing a story on Medium in the near future about the lack of equity and equality for patients needing treatment in Canada.

What are some things you learned from your own writing? From others?

I’ve learned, coincidentally, that we’re always learning due to our experiences. I write about life’s experiences because they are markers of our growth. In 2001, my world was rocked as I looked into my baby sister’s eyes for the first time. In 2003, I was healed from a fear-driven life through faith in Christ. In 2004, I met my great grandparents for the one and only time and listened to my great grandfather play the saxophone as the hot sun set in Australia. In 2015, I inherited that saxophone from my great grandfather and learned the significance of remembrance and heritage. In 2017, I traveled to Peru by myself (one of my greatest fears) to visit my sponsor child and it is the greatest adventure I have had to date. In 2020, after many fights and despite many personality clashes, my baby sister became my best friend.

See the growth? Hopefully my growth will encourage others to grow alongside me.

What is your ultimate writing goal?

To cause God-glorifying change by staying authentic and standing up for what is right without compromise. And of course, I’d love to get my memoir published eventually.

What advice do you have for a newbie on Medium?

Write what you know. Don’t write how or what everyone else is writing. Write from your own knowledge, memory and experience. Don’t forget to weave your personality into each piece you write.

Put words down that have purpose and meaning. Don’t write for the sake of writing, it will leave you empty and your readers unchanged.

Where else can we find you on the Internet? Do you have a website, blog, Pinterest board, etc?

Personal Instagram — @sashpaatz

Etsy Stationery Shop — @JadeandSageCA