Written Author Interview
- Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing. What is a day in the life like for you?
My name is Michael J. Schiuma, I’m a writer, mental health advocate, and business owner. Apart from writing, I love to travel and learn new languages (the latest one is Mandarin Chinese), as well as stay fit by playing soccer, running, skiing, and hitting the gym. I run a short-term rental business in Jersey City, and am also an investor and stock trader. My days are generally split between all of the above, and I find time to write in the early hours of the morning, which seem to be the most-creative for me.
2. What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
My first book is my memoir, (In)Sane, which is the harrowing account of my struggles with Bipolar Disorder. When I first began writing (In)Sane, it wasn’t with the intent to share – I found myself in that moment enraptured by psychosis, precipitated by my manic episode, and in need of an outlet to express myself. Thus, the first half of my memoir was written within the span of a few days, when the trauma was still fresh on my mind. I returned several years later to (In)Sane to add context once I had recovered further, and was able to provide context to what was truly transpiring outside of the concrete walls of the psych ward.
3. What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first time readers or people looking for something new?
I love to read memoirs and historical works (currently reading The Audacity to Win by David Plouffe), as well as fantasy novels, like Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series. However, my favorite book of all time is Orwell’s 1984, which was a huge source of inspiration in my memoir.
4. What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
Right now, the most-difficult thing about being a writer is marketing my work. Finding the right audience and reaching them without a marketing budget or a publishing house behind you is often difficult, and I am thankful to Seven Story Publishing for the chance to reach new readers.
5. What is your process to completing a novel from outline to final product?
Once I have finished the rough draft, I begin an arduous process of reading and re-reading countless times. For instance, in the case of (In)Sane, I would read through the chapters non-stop every day for about 2 months to work out the bugs before hiring a professional editor. However, my goal was to leave the text as raw as possible, only correcting grammar and other small issues, so as to leave the memoir as close to its original form as possible.
6. What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
One of my favorite moments from my memoir, (In)Sane, was my depiction of waking up in the psych ward for the first time. Leading up to that moment, I had been in a manic episode for months on end, resulting in bankruptcy, alienation from friends and family, and multiple run-ins with police. My life had crumbled so quickly, and I found myself in an unfamiliar place. The scene that I depict of being shackled to a gurney and forcibly injected with drugs is one of the most-gruesome in the book, and I am proud of how I was able to distill the sense of fear, doom, and helplessness into the text. This is but one of many wild stories from (In)Sane, and why it was such an interesting book to write.
7. What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
I’d have to say that bad grammar really bothers me. Apart from English, I also speak Russian, Mandarin, and German, and I love etymology, so when I see common grammatical errors, it perturbs me. Grammar and knowledge of the history of language are so important because they shape our conversations, history, and even our reality. It’s worth the time and effort to get it right.
8. What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
My goal with writing about mental illness is to reach people who are in similar positions as I was, and to provide them with a means to reach out for help. There still remains a very strong stigma around mental health, and often, people do not reach out for help because they feel as though they may be judged. However, since I have published my story and shared it with the world, I feel more free than ever. Having a mental illness is not something of which to be ashamed – it is something out of our control. If I can make a difference for one person, then I will be able to call myself a success.
9. Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
Although my first publication was my memoir, (In)Sane, I’ve always fancied myself more a poet. I’ve written many poems on this topic, on what it means to be a poet. One of my favorite lines is from a poem entitled ‘as a poet’ that goes like this: ‘so, although you’ll never write as many words as a writer would you find meaning and grace in one line in a way that a writer never could’
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About
Michael Jan Schiuma is a writer from Sparta, NJ currently living and working in New York. His writing covers a multitude of topics, including technology, politics, and poetry. Following a devastating episode of psychosis induced by Bipolar Disorder, he was inspired to write (In)Sane to help others better understand mental illness, and contribute to the discourse surrounding this issue. He also maintains a blog called The Manic Millennial, which aims to broaden mental health awareness.
Michael also enjoys writing poetry, as evidenced by his recent releases, from new york with love (2023) and words to love by (2024). From eloquent stanzas that tug at your heartstrings to lighthearted and relatable compositions, his poetry will leave romantics joyful and inspired.
In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, playing soccer, and traveling.
Social Media
Website – www.mjswrites.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/poetrybymjs/
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@poetrybymjs
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