Light Bulb Moments and Life-Altering Choices: Inside Barbara Greenbaum’s Literary World

By Dr. Brittney Clinton | Thursday, June 4, 2026 | BookTalk

Some tales delight us, some stories stay with us in literature. Stories that reflect the very human experiences that change the path of our lives forever. In Go Out Like Sunday and Other Stories, Barbara Greenbaum unlocks realms touched by loss, revelation, perseverance, and the tender optimism that may surface in the wake of suffering. Her characters find themselves at emotional crossroads, confronted with the tough decisions and surprising epiphanies that make us human.

In a meaningful interview with Dr. Brittney Clinton, Greenbaum focuses on the “light bulb moments” that spark her narrative, the emotional realities that inform her complex characters, and the ways in which poetry, fiction, and teaching continue to inform her creative voice. From the value of writing groups to the sanctity of creative space, Greenbaum provides an intimate insight into the literary life she has cultivated, one rooted in observation, empathy, and the stubborn conviction that even the worst experiences of life may lead to change.

Dr. Brittney Clinton: Your collection Go Out Like Sunday and Other Stories centers on characters facing pivotal, life-altering moments—what draws you to writing about these turning points where everything seems to hang in the balance?

Barbara Greenbaum:I have always been fascinated by paradigm shifts – those moments we all have hopefully experienced when we see something in a new way or find something new in a situation. Other words – light bulb moments, revelations, or epiphanies. Many of my stories focus on those moments and often ask the question - why this response? Why this choice? How it is that humans are capable of often extreme actions? What can truly change a person’s life? I think, like most writers, I’m fascinated by these questions. It’s fun to explore how folks in a variety of situations find their own answers to them. 

Dr. Brittney Clinton:  Your work explores themes like grief, loss, and the possibility of new beginnings—how do you balance darkness with hope in your storytelling?

Barbara Greenbaum: At heart, I’m an optimistic person. I am also someone who believes that each experience teaches us something valuable, even if it is painful or difficult. I’ve had a lot of loss in my life and have been blessed with role models that showed me how hope is a great ally. I think that’s why so many of my characters find reasons to carry on, move forward, come to terms with their pain and find life somehow on the other side. There is only one story in the book where life is cut short. There’s a reason for that. 

Dr. Brittney Clinton:  You’ve written across multiple genres—poetry, short stories, and essays. How does your creative process shift when moving between these forms?

Barbara Greenbaum: That’s a great question that I’m not sure I can answer fully.  All of these genres tend to inform the other. So, writing poetry helps me be a better prose writer. That’s the hope. But the processes are a bit different. 

Poetry is something that often just comes to mind. It usually starts with a line, or a phrase that insists on being written down. It is also something I usually write by hand at least at first. Once I have a first draft down, then I have to tinker with it. And often that takes time – days, weeks, months, sometimes years, depending on the piece. Every word must be examined, and everything has to earn its place on the page. And because it’s poetry, I also have to think about shape. What is the shape this piece wants to be? Where should the enjambments go? 

Short stories often begin with a voice – a character speaking about a circumstance, almost like I’m hearing a conversation. Someone is telling me their story. And though I start many of them by hand, they quickly move to the computer. I have to write the whole story out before I know what this character is trying to say or where we as readers are meant to go. When I revise, this message hopefully becomes clear. Again, every word has to earn its place. 

Essays are a lot more difficult for me. I’d say I’m more mentally engaged when I write them. By that I mean that I have to think more about structure. That’s probably why I don’t do as many of them! 

Dr. Brittney Clinton:  Having taught creative writing and worked closely with emerging writers, how has teaching influenced your own voice and narrative style?

Barbara Greenbaum:Teaching helped deepen my writing in so many ways. For one, I had to have a lot of great examples of stories and poems for my students. That allowed me to read and examine great writing, and I know that spilled over into my own. Also, I would often write with my students. It would give me an opportunity to gage whether a particular lesson or approach worked. I could then adjust accordingly. Modeling for them gave me valuable writing time. 

There is also a benefit in reading work that it’s quite right. Student work provides endless examples of writing that in some way is either unfinished or doesn’t quite capture what the student intends. That helped inform my own work, too. When you see flaws in another’s writing, it helps you find similar flaws in your own. 

Dr. Brittney Clinton:  Many of your characters feel deeply human and multidimensional—what techniques do you use to inhabit such a wide range of perspectives so authentically?

Barbara Greenbaum:It makes me very happy to think you find my characters authentic! Thank you for that. 

I have engaged with people for a very long time. I have always loved hearing their stories, listening to their voices and that has really filled in so many spaces for me when a character comes to me. I say a character comes because they inevitably do. Sometimes I don’t know if this is a person I met at some point in time or, more likely, is a compilation of folks I’ve encountered. But it’s listening. I love talking to people. 

Dr. Brittney Clinton:  As someone who has built a literary life across regions and communities, including now being part of the writing scene in Winston-Salem, how has place shaped your writing and creative identity?

Barbara Greenbaum:Two things come to mind. 

One is that feeling of “Home.” It is necessary to have a place where you feel free to create. This refers to the space you occupy, where you sit down to write, where you face the blank page, where you set your coffee cup. I like the idea of a “sacred” space for this. The nice thing is that you create it. You choose where to put your pen, your computer, if you face a wall or a window. I’ve gotten very good over time in creating spaces for myself where I can work. And it doesn’t need to just be one. You can take this sense of space with you wherever you are.  

The second is that place where you find your people. Because writing is such a solitary thing, it’s been important to me to find folks who I can talk to about writing, who help move my writing along, and who I can help as we share this creative journey together. I have very rich writing communities where I’ve landed. Winston-Salem has been terrific in that regard. New England was outstanding, too, and Zoom has enabled me to stay close to my fellow writers all over the country. 

After being in New England for a very long time and then moving here, I started the Generative Workshop through the Winston-Salem Writers so I could meet like-minded folks. It’s proven to be a real gem for me, and I hope it helps others, too, on their writing journeys.

What shines through most in this interview with Barbara Greenbaum is her abiding belief in the indomitability of the human spirit. Greenbaum often returns to the concept that individuals can adapt, evolve and find themselves again -- even in the wake of grief -- whether it's about loss, creativity, teaching or the communities that support authors. Her insights show us not just the mastery of her writing but also the compassion and curiosity that drive it.

"Go Out Like Sunday and Other Stories" by Greenbaum reminds us that our lives are frequently defined by ephemeral moments powerful enough to change us in modest but meaningful ways—the insights, the decisions, the emotional reckoning. It’s via those private, very personal turning moments that she develops tales that seem both intimate and universal, allowing readers to recognize themselves in her characters’ travels. It is this balance between honesty, vulnerability and optimism that gives her voice in literature a lasting resonance long after the last page has been read.

Readers interested in knowing more about Barbara Greenbaum, her work as a writer, or her future writing projects may contact her directly at barbarapgreenbaum@gmail.com  www.barbaragreenbaum.com

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Dr. Brittney Clinton is a content educational practitioner currently serving as an Associate Professor at Westcliff University, Dissertation Committee Member, independent published author, and compassionate leader that attracts other professionals, scholars, and individuals in the community with a devoted purpose to empower, educate, and support others. Previously, Dr. Clinton served various leadership roles in Winston-Salem, NC with the following organizations: Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc and The Order of the Eastern Star PHA 30th District. Dr. Clinton currently serves as a board member for the city of Winston-Salem, NC Appearance and Commission Board. Dr. Clinton graduated from the following prestigious institutions: Winston-Salem State University, B.A. Sociology/Elementary Education 2009, Strayer University, MA Education Leadership and Management 2012, and Capella University, Ed. D Education Leadership and Management 2015. Dr. Clinton founded the motto “Continue to be a beacon of light”; which is implemented daily while effectively illuminating a successful path for others.

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