Thursday, February 6, 2025

Ben Stroud, writing and beyond

For some, writing is part hobby, part catharsis. Writers, aspiring or otherwise, can find solace in putting ink to paper— be it a form of escapism into a world free of emotional clutter, or simply a means to pleasantly make time pass while rejuvenating one’s creative energy. Others ply their craft until it coalesces into a career. Imagine that. Making a living as a writer. 

Oftentimes, writing and creative endeavors easily fall victim to postponement – it’s too late, it’s too loud in here, my little desk is cramped, my laptop is slow. Ben Stroud knows those pangs, but is quick to slap them down. 

The result of a relentless determination to proclaim himself a professional writer, Ben Stroud, the University of Toledo creative writing professor and established author, is a comprehensive study in crafting a career in writing, through a rigorous approach to academics, and a tireless commitment to sitting still and writing.  

Just get the words down

A family man with a wife and a toddler, Stroud is teaching creative writing and making a significant contribution to Toledo’s arts community, finding creative grace in a writing approach rooted in both simplicity and discipline— do what you can with what’s available in that moment. 

“I used to demand quiet and an empty apartment when I was younger, but now I don’t mind noise when I work,” Stroud said. “I’ve been a big believer in trying to adapt to any situation— to not be too fancy about where/how you write. The important thing is to get the words down. We never have an ideal situation: we never have enough time, etc. And so I try to remember that and just work with what I’ve got. “

It’s obviously working. Stroud authored Byzantium, a short story collection winner in the 2012 Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Bakeless Fiction Prize and listed as a Best Summer Book of 2013 by Publisher’s Weekly and the Chicago Tribune, also earning a ‘best book of the month’ nod in Literary Fiction by Amazon.com. 

Double duty

Stroud earned every accolade while teaching English and creative writing full-time. Those credentials were galvanized with an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and an MFA in fiction, and a doctorate in 20th century American Literature from the University of Michigan.

He bangs out what he can, when he can, going old-school with hard copy editing—  taking notes on paper, then first-drafting electronically before making revisions, by hand, on printed copies.

“I do this at least 20 times for whatever I’m writing,” he said. 

But for the impressive resume and self-editing stamina, Stroud’s approach to writing is stripped-down, almost Zen-like Professional writers face common impediments— time, procrastination, family, distractions. These elements, he asserts, are sly saboteurs. 

“If you want to write, find the time, even if it’s only for a few minutes,” Stroud said. “The best thing you can do for yourself is to establish a writing schedule that gives you the time to write.”

“The world doesn’t want you to write. The world wants you to buy things, to watch TV, to be distracted, so you have to fight for this time— and often that means fighting your own distraction.”

For some, writing is part hobby, part catharsis. Writers, aspiring or otherwise, can find solace in putting ink to paper— be it a form of escapism into a world free of emotional clutter, or simply a means to pleasantly make time pass while rejuvenating one’s creative energy. Others ply their craft until it coalesces into a career. Imagine that. Making a living as a writer. 

Oftentimes, writing and creative endeavors easily fall victim to postponement – it’s too late, it’s too loud in here, my little desk is cramped, my laptop is slow. Ben Stroud knows those pangs, but is quick to slap them down. 

The result of a relentless determination to proclaim himself a professional writer, Ben Stroud, the University of Toledo creative writing professor and established author, is a comprehensive study in crafting a career in writing, through a rigorous approach to academics, and a tireless commitment to sitting still and writing.  

Just get the words down

A family man with a wife and a toddler, Stroud is teaching creative writing and making a significant contribution to Toledo’s arts community, finding creative grace in a writing approach rooted in both simplicity and discipline— do what you can with what’s available in that moment. 

- Advertisement -

“I used to demand quiet and an empty apartment when I was younger, but now I don’t mind noise when I work,” Stroud said. “I’ve been a big believer in trying to adapt to any situation— to not be too fancy about where/how you write. The important thing is to get the words down. We never have an ideal situation: we never have enough time, etc. And so I try to remember that and just work with what I’ve got. “

It’s obviously working. Stroud authored Byzantium, a short story collection winner in the 2012 Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Bakeless Fiction Prize and listed as a Best Summer Book of 2013 by Publisher’s Weekly and the Chicago Tribune, also earning a ‘best book of the month’ nod in Literary Fiction by Amazon.com. 

Double duty

Stroud earned every accolade while teaching English and creative writing full-time. Those credentials were galvanized with an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and an MFA in fiction, and a doctorate in 20th century American Literature from the University of Michigan.

He bangs out what he can, when he can, going old-school with hard copy editing—  taking notes on paper, then first-drafting electronically before making revisions, by hand, on printed copies.

“I do this at least 20 times for whatever I’m writing,” he said. 

But for the impressive resume and self-editing stamina, Stroud’s approach to writing is stripped-down, almost Zen-like Professional writers face common impediments— time, procrastination, family, distractions. These elements, he asserts, are sly saboteurs. 

“If you want to write, find the time, even if it’s only for a few minutes,” Stroud said. “The best thing you can do for yourself is to establish a writing schedule that gives you the time to write.”

“The world doesn’t want you to write. The world wants you to buy things, to watch TV, to be distracted, so you have to fight for this time— and often that means fighting your own distraction.”

Recent Articles