Brandi Dredge
Brandi Dredge is a mom, encourager, and author. She shares her story with the hopes that what she went through will bring encouragement to victims and/or individuals who could benefit from knowing about God’s favor and blessings in their lives. She enjoys swimming in the deep end of mystical thoughts, wading in emotions to pen poetry, and sipping a strong cup of coffee. She is a member of The National Association of Memoir Writers and resides in St. Joseph, Missouri.
X [formerly Twitter]: @brandi_dredge
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
For two years, I had the honor of working with Ginger Kolbaba, who I hired for copyediting. She contributed to Joyce Smith’s book, The Impossible, which became the movie Breakthrough. I had watched the movie before when it first came out. However, it was a completely different experience watching it for the sole purpose of learning more about the craft of writing. Movies are a great way to listen to the dialogue and to see the action, drama, and pacing, holding the viewer just like a good book does for the reader.
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking?
Do you listen to music while you write? I do. The genre depends on what I am writing; however, lyrics can sometimes be distracting, so it is primarily instrumental. While I was writing Girl, Uncoded, I gravitated toward classical music; binge-listening led me to Brooklyn Duo’s rendition of Canon in D, which inspired the last sentence in the epilogue.
Favorite non-reading activity?
I enjoy taking evening walks with my fiancé and sitting on the deck in the morning with a cup of coffee while listening to the birds. I also enjoy going to garage sales and thrift stores with my mom, sister, and daughter or serving in the community as a member of the Junior League. I love to get my hands dirty with indoor and outdoor home improvement projects and to spend time with my kids, family, and friends.
Have you ever experienced Imposter Syndrome?
So much so that I had to give it a shout-out in Girl, Uncoded. The first sentence in the acknowledgments reads, “Writing is hard, imposter syndrome is real, and this memoir couldn’t have been written without you.”
What brings you great joy?
My faith, my family, seeing my work published, using my voice to empower others through written words, daily conversations, or advocacy work, and hearing how they have made a positive difference in the life of another. For me, it is all about doing what I can to leave a trail of love behind.
