By Sanaya SinhaRoy

“Great things are done by a series of small things put together.” These wise words by Vincent Van Gough can be shown through the act of donating blood. The importance of donating blood is vital. If just one person takes the time to sit down and donate, it can save the lives of up to 3 people. Middle-grade fiction writer Shawn Proctor knows this and has donated 3 gallons of blood so far.

Shawn has been published in many different literary journals and was nominated for Best New American Voices. He works at Villanova University, where he was first exposed to the idea of donating blood. Here is what he says about his work as a writer as well as his experience of being a regular blood donor.

Q: When did you make the decision to start donating blood and why?

A: I work at Villanova University and noticed the College of Nursing was hosting a blood drive. I was a bit afraid of needles at the time, but my mother is a respiratory therapist, and I knew the importance of donating blood. I decided to give it a try on my lunch break. 

Q: How did you feel after you donated blood for the first time?

A: So happy. So many of my co-workers were at the drive. I loved seeing a community of students, staff, and faculty come together for the common good, and I was thrilled to contribute my small part to that collective effort. 

Q:  What gave you the motivation to start donating blood regularly? 

A: At first, the convenience. The Blood Donor App makes it SO easy to find and schedule a donation. Then I learned at a Red Cross drive that my blood is particularly ideal for babies in neonatal intensive care units. My wife works with very young babies at a school. Knowing that my blood can save someone’s small child, to give them a chance to grow up – that’s all the motivation I could ever need.  

Q: Having donated 3 gallons of blood already, what would you say to others that are a hesitant of donating for the first time?

A: Download the Blood Donor app and give donating whole blood a try. The donation process is usually fairly short, but it might take a few times before you get really comfortable. And that’s OK. I listen to audio books or music while donating. Additionally, before you leave, they give you yummy snacks and, sometimes, fun freebies, like a shirt. The Shark Week shirt this year was (*blows chef’s kiss*) amazing. 

Q: As a middle-grade fiction writer, how many different stories have you written in your career?

A: In the beginning of my career, I focused mainly on short fiction, so there are several hundred stories in my back catalog –25 have been published in places like Daily Science Fiction, Galaxy’s Edge, and Flash Fiction Online. More and more, I am working on novels for children and have been pitching literary agents in the hopes publishing those longer tales too. 

Q: What is the hardest part of being a writer in today’s world?

A: Finding an audience. Your stories compete with an ocean of entertainment media, not to mention the constant social media fads and distractions of cell phones. Stories have to be captivating or you risk … um … opps, sorry! I just heard a notification on Twitter about something a celebrity said on Instagram. Or was it TikTok?

Anyway, where was I? 

Q: Have you ever thought of using your creative writing skills to inspire others to donate blood? 

A: I typically bring in elements of things that are important to me in my stories. For example, I wrote about the horses on Assateague Island in one novel and the importance of the arts in schools in another. Donating blood to the Red Cross is similarly vital, and I know it will find a place in a story someday soon.

Q: Is there any additional information you would like to share?

A: During the pandemic, I felt like there was so much division in our country. People were isolated. I resumed donating blood as soon as the Red Cross indicated it was safe to do so, because I knew this was one small way to help out during a very difficult time for many people. 

Now that restrictions have eased, my children are getting involved donating as well, as they are old enough and motivated to help out others.