When did you first start writing?
I started writing when I was 10 years old (4th grade).
What made you want to get into writing?
In 4th grade, it was all about writing. We had a writing standardized test where we had to write a five paragraph essay and it would be rated 1-6 (6 being the highest obviously), so all year, my teacher focused on writing to prepare us for that test. During this process, I found myself falling in love with every aspect of writing, and not only did I love it, turns out I was actually good at it (well, as good as you can be for a 10 year old). I ended up earning the highest score on my standardized test, which made me feel like I ruled the world, and, in turn, was crowned the Best Writer in the Class. Seems like a small accomplishment now, but back then, it was something I was more than proud of. My teacher loved writing and she really pressed the importance of it. I think her love and dedication for it made me really learn to love it too.
What's your favorite genre to write?
I consider myself to be a full-time poet, part-time writer. And I say this because my genre is 100% poetry (however I didn't start writing poetry until I was in high school) but I do occasionally write in other genres. I've written short stories in the past (unfortunately, they're still on Wattpad) and even a personal essay here and there. But I'm most comfortable writing poetry. I've found that I only write in other genres because I'm in a creative writing class where we're required to write different pieces, such as fiction, screenplays, non-fiction, personal essays, and so on. Poetry is most definitely my strong point and has been since I was 14.
Are you working on anything new at the moment?
I'm always writing something new. Whether or not I do something with it is a different story. Right now I'm contributing to Ascend Magazine, a bimonthly magazine made by women of color for women of color, and so far they've been absolutely amazing to work with. They've got some great things coming up in the near future, so make sure to follow them on twitter (@ascendzine) to stay updated!
How do you come up with ideas?
Inspiration is hard to find sometimes, I can admit that. Sometimes I end up having to look up writing prompts online, or in this new incredible book I have called 1200 Creative Writing Prompts by Melissa Donovan. Other times, I write once I've gone through a major event -- something tragic or life changing that's recently occurred that can make for a good poem. If that doesn't work, I get my inspiration through other writers and poets.
Advice for poets?
Read all the time. A great way to get inspired is by reading others work. Another great way to get inspired is by changing your surroundings. Go to the beach or a nice quiet place by your house -- a change in scenery makes all the difference sometimes. Another thing -- write every day. I don't care if it's shitty, I don't care if you can't seem to come up with an idea. Those are excuses. If you can't come up with an idea, look up a prompt. There are plenty of them on the internet. If your writing is shitty, who cares? At least your writing. If you have no motivation? Push past it. That's so so important. I have depression, and there was a point in time where I stopped reading and writing for about two years. All that accomplished was nothing -- I had nothing. No poetry, no new knowledge, nothing. At least if you're reading a little bit every day, you're gaining something new. At least if you're writing a little bit every day, you're pushing past what it is you're feeling and creating something you may use in the future. You never know, that "shitty" poem you wrote may turn into something great in a few years (or maybe even a month or week's) time.