Holly Lyn Walrath
  • Home
  • Publications
    • Poetry
    • Fiction
    • Glimmerglass Girl
    • Numinose Lapidi
    • The Smallest of Bones
  • Stories
    • The Joy of Baking
    • Mermaid Hunt
    • Confessions of a Tree Nymph
    • Restoration
    • Subscribe at Curious Fictions
    • Buy Print Books
  • Editing
    • Writing Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Press
    • Appearances

INSPIRATION With Poets & Writers Live

1/15/2016

0 Comments

 
As writers, how do we get inspired?
Poet David Biespiel advises that the entry to an idea starts with an irritation – something triggering our minds as writers and making us approach, even with caution. It could be a news story about a lost child, the opening of a flower to the sun, or the way the light looks in the afternoon. The fact that we keep returning to the same irritations means that while we become more successful, more accomplished, oft-published writers, within our dark hearts the artist-as-creature still resides.  

I spent last weekend in my home town, Austin, Texas, at Poets & Writers Live. The event, hosted by Poets & Writers Magazine, carried the theme of “Inspiration.” I returned to my new city of Houston refreshed and reminded of how significant connecting with other writers is to my life as a writer. We are not solitary monsters, burrowed in our holes with our pincers clenched. We are vessels, waiting to be filled, waiting to overflow. ​
​
Picture
Elizabeth McCracken, self-proclaimed "crabby" author, and keynote speaker at Poets & Writer's Live, Austin, Texas January 2016

​I was impressed by the variety of writers participating as speakers. I found several new names that I plan to follow down a rabbit hole (probably adding to my TBR pile, which is so high it threatens to smother me in my sleep, but hey, it’s not a bad way to go.) Among those names I include Elizabeth McCracken, the self-proclaimed “crabby” keynote speaker, whose words made me remember that not every writer is cut out of the same cloth. We are different, and that is magical. As McCracken proclaimed, “Cultivate your own universe.” This should be our theme for 2016 writers! As Chuck Wendig often says, “You do you.” I find this advice particularly vital for speculative writers. Many new spec lit writers I meet are daunted by the task of world-building. I say – build your own writing life alongside new worlds. 

Other treats of discovery included Ben Percy, who sounds like a mix of Darth Vader and the guy who voices movie trailers, and read an essay about creating suspense that as my friend noted, did what it suggested (it managed to be suspenseful and also fulfilling). And oh yeah, he used a picture book as an example. 

Naomi Shihab Nye, guardian of the daily poem, believes that as writers, we need to use what we have given our time. I’ll be posting more on this topic soon, as I am fascinated by the range of “techniques” and “practices” different writers employ. 

Further writers I discovered include Saeed Jones of Buzzfeed, whose personal experience of finding the self in memoir gave me hope for the genre, and David Searcy, a CNF writer that I surprised myself by loving.  

The event culminated in a reading by Texas Slam Poet, Ebony Stewart. I had the pleasure to share the stage with Stewart at Write About Now's recent ladies mic, where she hosted with grace and hilarity. The experience of seeing her read her work in front of a crowd of people who may have never heard spoken word performed live felt exhilarating. Electricity filled the room as a group of writers responded to her work with a standing ovation. It was a moment I will not forget. (Video of her reading at Write About Now below for your viewing pleasure.) 

​I was reminded that quotations are not just for Tumblr and cloud-background memes. The wellspring of quotes at this event, not just by the speakers, but also by their mentors and the writers that inspired them, dazzled me. Here are a few that stuck with me: 
​
“I am really two poets: The writing poet, and the editing poet.”
​–William Carlos Williams
​“I am afraid I must insist upon desperation.”
​–Dean Young
​“Each thing gives us something else.”
–Naomi Shihab Nye
​The more I visit writer’s conferences, the more ornaments of motivation I find within them. I think it’s an amalgamation of absorption within “the craft,” giving one’s self space to address writing as a career and a “thing I do,” but also the importance of relationship with the writing community. This idea of absorption brings me back to Biespiel’s thoughts on the approach to the creative process of writing. As a life practice, I’m trying to come closer to my imagination and inspiration. The closer you come to letting yourself live writing, the more clamorous the creative process will be. Listening to prosperous writers talk about their work reminded me that the process itself doesn’t get easier, but I believe that developing a writing identity can.
​

I develop customs for writing events: I take copious notes. I save whatever folder I’m given, and I keep any notes and mementos all in the same folder so I can return to them later. I make note of people that interest me. I try to be less of a wallflower, sometimes without success, bringing home new business cards and handing out a few of my own. My latest habit is live tweeting (you can find my live tweets in the previous blog post.) If all else fails, I have a beer at lunch to clear my mind. It works best if it’s a local tap. 

Lastly, I try to approach the irritation with less caution. I tell myself that not every writer is the same. If my curiosity is peaked, I let myself plummet down the rabbit hole, with any luck dragging a few friends with me. 
​

Join the Circle of Weird

I offer a monthly circular filled with the following goodies: 1. A list of cool places to submit your weird work 2. Outlandish writing-related news from the web 3. Fun updates from me, your corporeal host. To sign up, click the button below: 
Yes, Send me weird things!




0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Holly Lyn Walrath is a freelance editor and author of poetry, flash fiction, and short fiction. Find her on Twitter @HollyLynWalrath

    ​Order my books:
    Picture
    Picture
    ​Like this content? Leave a tip or subscribe at Curious Fictions:
    Curious Fictions
    I run a monthly e-newsletter with writing prompts, editing tips, writing music, and more. Click below to sign up! 
    The Weird Circular

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

    Categories

    All
    Amazon
    Armadillocon
    Art
    Awards
    Awards Eligibility
    Book Reviews
    Chapbook
    Collaborations
    Comicpalooza
    Craft
    Curious Fictions
    Editing
    Events
    Fiction
    Flash Fiction
    Giveaways
    Glimmerglass Girl
    Goodreads
    Houston Local
    Interstellar Flight Press
    Interviews
    Literary Journals
    Medium
    NaNoWriMo
    NaPoWriMo
    NetGalley
    Numinous Stones
    Offsite
    Poetry
    Publications
    Reading
    Reviews
    Short Stories
    Simply Silliness
    Submitting
    Subscribers
    Updates
    Workshops
    Writers Conferences
    Writing
    Writing Tips
    ZInefest

    RSS Feed

    Holly Walrath's books on Goodreads
    Glimmerglass Girl Glimmerglass Girl
    reviews: 15
    ratings: 19 (avg rating 4.21)

    Our Space: Shorts & Poetry from the Houston Community Our Space: Shorts & Poetry from the Houston Community
    reviews: 1
    ratings: 4 (avg rating 4.25)

    In Medias Res: Stories from the In-Between In Medias Res: Stories from the In-Between
    ratings: 2 (avg rating 4.50)

    The 2017 Rhysling Anthology: The Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Poetry of 2016 Selected by the Science Fiction Poetry Association The 2017 Rhysling Anthology: The Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Poetry of 2016 Selected by the Science Fiction Poetry Association
    reviews: 9
    ratings: 16 (avg rating 4.31)

    Approaching Footsteps Approaching Footsteps
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.67)

Picture
Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Publications
    • Poetry
    • Fiction
    • Glimmerglass Girl
    • Numinose Lapidi
    • The Smallest of Bones
  • Stories
    • The Joy of Baking
    • Mermaid Hunt
    • Confessions of a Tree Nymph
    • Restoration
    • Subscribe at Curious Fictions
    • Buy Print Books
  • Editing
    • Writing Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Press
    • Appearances