The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

Local journalist participates in creative writing program

Starshine Roshell is a Santa Barbara-based journalist, award-winning columnist, and mother of two. She also teaches Journalism 271, “Creative Writing: Non-Fiction” at City College.

Roshell’s nationally syndicated column appears every week in The Santa Barbara Independent.

She was a news reporter and theater and rock music critic for The Santa Barbara News-Press, but resigned in 2006.

She is one of dozens of colleagues who resigned over publisher Wendy McCaw’s alleged breaches of journalistic ethics.

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Roshell was named after a song from “Hair” – a 60s musical that her father once starred in.

Jen Baron: What made you want to be a writer?

Starshine Roshell:“It started early on. My father was a songwriter – funny songs. I was always interested in language and the rhythm of words.”

Baron: Where does your inspiration come from for your columns?

Roshell: “I read magazines, search Google news. I write about things that spark an emotional reaction in me. A lot of times ideas will come when I am hanging out with friends. I keep a list of potential columns. Right now I have a lot of ideas that I want to write about.”

Baron: What do you think the best cure for writer’s block is?

Roshell: “A deadline. Writer’s block is a luxury one can only afford if it is a hobby, and not a business.”

Baron: What is your best advice for writers just starting out?

Roshell: “Be willing to write for free until you get paid. Be willing to write for very little money and try to be open to writing lots of different things at once.”

Baron: “I’ve read a lot of your columns and always have that moment of, “Aha! I know exactly what she’s talking about.” How do you think you are able to relate to such a broad audience?”

Roshell:“That is a great compliment. Initially, my column for the SB Independent started out as a way to try and explain women to men, and to talk about issues women face today. I think it is an idea that is interesting to both sexes, and people of all ages. I had an eighty-year-old man come up to me once and comment on my writing.

Baron: Has having kids changed your writing in any way? If so, how is it different?

Roshell: “I write a lot about parenting now. But our experience as human beings, regardless of our gender and age, are very similar. Kids are in such a different place than adults – but we may experience the same emotions.”

Baron: Do you ever run up against controversy over your columns?

Roshell: “Sometimes. I published this column on admitting to not having enough time to floss. Some people wrote in disgusted at me, and other people wrote in feeling really happy that they weren’t the only ones ignoring their gums. Of course, my dentist wasn’t very happy about that column.”

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