“My writing
journey started
as a listener.
I was fascinated
by my mother’s
voice; it was rich
with a slight
rasp to it.”
Q Do you come from a literary
background?
A I do not come from a traditional literary
background. Growing up, I did not have adult
family members who worked as full-time
English teachers or writers. But my parents
were incredibly smart, loving, and supportive,
and encouraged me to work hard and go after
whatever I wanted to pursue. Plus, they were
incredible storytellers and I have always been
a great observer. And, I was born and raised in
Ohio, which means I come from a rich Black literary tradition.
Q What writers did you enjoy reading as a child?
A When I was in high school, my neighbor gave me a copy of
The Selected Poems of Nikki Giovanni. This is the only book that
left a mark on me as a young reader. Unfortunately, I did not
connect with many of the books that were available to me as a
child.
Q Did you write as a child?
A I started writing my own poems and short stories when I
was in the fifth grade. I also kept a diary. And, I have to credit
all of the letters I wrote to my friends throughout middle school
and high school. I wrote obsessively. I can remember writing
three- to four-page letters to my friends, or a boy I liked, at least
twice a week. Passing notes was a skill, an art. I miss that kind of
writing and the performance of it all. I wish I had saved all of the
letters I received.
Q How did you get started as a poet/writer?
A My writing journey started as a listener. I was fascinated
by my mother’s voice; it was rich with a slight rasp to it. I loved
secretly listening to her talk on the phone with my grandmother
or one of my aunts. When you’re younger, there’s something
special about listening to grown people gossip or simply share
their daily happenings with one another.
I also fell in love with my sixth grade teacher’s reading voice.
Ms. Marshall, who was Black, read to us every day after recess.
I loved how well she read dialogue and how she could make her
voice create surprise, wonder, or suspicion. I wanted to read
better than my teacher and my classmates. I practiced reading
aloud every day after school. These are the things that shaped
me as a writer.
Q Tell us a little about the stages of
your writing – the ideas, the planning,
the drafts, working with an editor.
A Much of my work concerns the Black
experience. As I said, I’m a great observer
so a lot of times I’ll hear something or see
something and think, that’ll make a nice poem
or I should write about the woman I saw in the
laundromat folding clothes. I think about what I
want the poem to accomplish.
After I have something written down,
I read it aloud again and again. I listen for words that don’t fit,
or lines that are awkward or boring. Sometimes, just by reading
a poem aloud, I can hear the next word or line. Once the poem
has strong bones and some meat, I’ll share it with someone
else for feedback. And then, on to revision. I love the revision
process because it’s where you get to polish things up, rearrange,
reconsider, or sometimes start over.
Q Where do you write? Do you write at your dining
room table – the one you described as the “Queen of all
spaces” in your essay for the literary magazine The Offing?
(theoffingmag.com/essay/queen-of-all-spaces/)
A Yes! I also write in my home office. I keep a Moleskine
journal with me when I’m not at home in case an idea, or line, or
character reveals itself to me. There have been times when I’ve
pulled my journal out at a red light and jotted down a line or idea
or title.
Q Do you have any writing quirks?
A I have to start my writing process by writing longhand with
a Bic mechanical pencil or a Sharpie pen in a Moleskine journal.
Q Do you share your works in progress with anyone?
A My husband is my first reader. He knows me well so he is
able to point out when I’m writing honestly or when I’m holding
back. After that, I typically share my works in progress with my
professors and classmates in the NEOMFA program.
Q How does your writing fit in with the rest of your life?
A Writing plays a major role in my life. I never “turn off” as a
writer. Observing is a big part of my writing process, and I am
always paying attention and listening for ideas, which means
I am always working on a piece. I don’t have a strict writing
regimen, but I usually write in the evenings during the week and
in the mornings on weekends.
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