I’d like to welcome Daniele Cybulskie to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: A cup of tea, a glass of water, a clean desk, and a good notebook and pen to hand for catching stray ideas as I type.

Things that hamper your writing: Noise and clutter. Interruptions! I need a block of quiet time to deep think, whether I’m planning, editing, or crafting sentences.

Things you love about writing: I love that it’s a way of reaching out to people and connecting. For me, the flow state comes when I’m writing about something really interesting that I can’t wait to share. As a non-fiction writer, it’s all about showing people things and saying, “Look! Isn’t this cool?”

Things you hate about writing: It’s hard! It takes a lot of revision, and reading from different perspectives, and rethinking – but not overthinking. It also takes a thick skin, learning to accept feedback from editors, copyeditors, and then readers. But the benefits outweigh the pain.

Things you never want to run out of: Tea! Good pens, notebooks with the right line spacing, and Post-It Notes. Also time, but I frequently find myself running out of that….

Things you wish you’d never bought: Sometimes I impulse-buy lipstick, but I always regret the seriously pink ones.

Things you always put in your books: Jokes, and a sprinkling of sarcasm. History doesn’t need to be serious all the time. Some of the best-researched history books I’ve read have also made me laugh out loud at a well-timed joke.

Things you never put in your books: Insults. I want my books to be uplifting overall, so I avoid putting people (living or dead) down as much as possible.

Favorite places you’ve been: Scotland. Edinburgh is my favourite city. I’ve been to Scotland several times (lived there for a while), and every time I leave it’s heartrending. It’s just an absolutely beautiful, friendly, and historically rich country.

Places you never want to go to again: My old apartment. I honestly had a nightmare about it the other day.

Favorite books (or genre): I read a lot of books on positive psychology, so I was thrilled to be able to connect this scientific work to history in How to Live Like a Monk. These books give me a mood boost, and I’m really interested in the different ways we can test and challenge ourselves. I find human nature endlessly fascinating.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I don’t buy true crime. I would much rather investigate lives from long ago.

Things that make you happy: I’m a really simple person at heart. I live for sunshine, a cup of tea, and a good book. Time with family and friends. I love the physical challenge of Krav Maga, and the mental release of meditation. A quiet existence!

Things that drive you crazy: Unkindness. Casual rudeness – usually on the road! Injustice. Selfishness. Everyone is stressed these days, so it’s worth it to take two seconds to smile, wave, thank someone, or stand up for someone. Small gestures of kindness can change the world.

About Daniele:

As a writer, TEDx speaker, former college professor, and podcaster, Danièle has made medieval history fun, entertaining, and accessible for millions of people around the world. As well as introducing a general audience to the fascinating world of the Middle Ages, her books, articles, videos, and weekly podcast have been used as resources in schools and universities across North America. Danièle’s mission is to share the joy of history by highlighting our common humanity across time and space. When she’s not reading, writing, or recording, Danièle can be found drinking tea, doing Krav Maga, or sometimes building a backyard trebuchet.

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Author/Podcaster/Historian

Website: www.danielecybulskie.com

TedTalk: History in Three Dimensions