Tanner Olson is an author, poet, and speaker living in
Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Sarah, and their
dog, Pancake. After graduating from Concordia Uni-
versity Wisconsin in 2012, Tanner started writing and
began sharing his work on his website, writtentospeak.
com. The mission of his writing is to spread hope and
announce love through written and spoken word poet-
ry. He's also the author of three self-published collec-
tions of poetry
At the 2022 LCMS Youth Gathering, you'll find Tanner on
the Gathering's social media accounts, bringing hope
and joy to participants. Follow the Gathering at
@lcmsgathering.
Q: How did you get into writing and performing?
What's your favorite part about it?
A: I have always enjoyed writing. It has allowed me to
dig deeper in my faith, ask questions, and rest in the
truth that surrounds me. After seeing spoken word poet
Anis Mojgani perform, I decided to give it a try. My first
few years as a writer and performer were clunky. I had
a difficult time finding my voice and honing in on the
messages I wanted to communicate. Through several
steps back, I finally found my footing and was able to
move forward with confidence into the unknown.
Tanner Olson
AN INTERVIEW WITH
BY AMY BIRD
28 Lutheran Life
