Meet Cassie Premo Steele

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cassie Premo Steele. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cassie below.

Cassie, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I’ve learned to be resilient by taking my cues from the natural world.

My dog shakes his whole body after he meets a bigger, scarier dog.

The trees let go of their weak branches in a storm so the roots can hold onto the whole tree.

Roots themselves grow more deeply during a drought in order to access moisture.

Whatever we are going through — scary or stormy or dry — in our lives can be catalysts for our resilience.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am an environmental poet, novelist, writer, and teaching artist. I have a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and am the author of 18 books, including 3 novels and 7 books of poetry. My poetry has won many awards and been nominated 8 times for the Pushcart Prize.

My writing focuses on the themes of trauma, healing, creativity, and mindfulness, and I participate in community events and teach classes on these themes online and in person.

One thing I’m really excited about is that in October, I’ll be teaching a class for The Loft Literary Center called “Incorporating Environmental Science into Your Writing in 4 Weeks.”

Based on my nonfiction book, Earth Joy Writing: Creating Harmony through Nature and Journaling, and my novel, Beaver Girl, which was the 2024 One Book selection for the City of Columbia, South Carolina, participants will be introduced to short selections from the genres of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, including Richard Powers, Margaret Atwood, Terry Tempest Williams, Linda Hogan, Joy Harjo, W.S. Merwin and Denise Levertov, and the class will enable participants to work on a new or ongoing project, create new material during the class meetings, and get clear and actionable plans for moving forward with their work.

As with all my teaching, all levels of writers are welcome, and we will create a safe and welcoming space for everyone.

There’s more information about the class at https://loft.org/classes/incorporating-environmental-science-your-writing-4-weeks

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My best piece of advice for writers at any stage, and something that has sustained me from childhood, is to keep a journal that you write in, even for two minutes from time to time, and keep that writing only for yourself so you develop trust in your own voice.

How would you describe your ideal client?

I love working with people who feel different. Whether that means you’re a woman in a male-dominated industry, a queer person navigating their identity, a trauma survivor on a healing journey, or someone with an idea for a story or poem or book that feels unusual or out of the mainstream, you’re my dream client.

What makes you different is exactly what makes you a compelling writer and is exactly what the world needs.

People can learn more about my writing coaching and reach out to me at the contact page on my website at https://www.cassiepremosteele.com/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cassiepremosteele.com/ and http://www.earthjoywriting.com/
• Other: My Substack called “Green Ink” is chock full of essays, videos, and lessons helpful to writers and other creatives: https://cassiepremosteele.substack.com/

Image Credits

Photo Credits: Susanne Kappler