Author Interview Response & Transcription

For my author interview I actually chose my dad, Anthony Reed, to sit down and talk with about his writing and publishing experiences. It was eye-opening and thought-provoking, almost as if I was talking to a different person. I always knew that my dad loved to write (poetry and songs especially, with a little bit of screen-writing on the side) but I never really thought to ask him about his process of writing and how he first got published. I was interested to know another facet of my dad’s life, most of which took place before I was born or when I was very young. (P.S.: my dad calls me puppy, not sure where or when that originated but just so you all are aware of my darling (literally) pet name.) The transcribed notes are as follows:

H: Hi Daddy!

A: Hi Puppy, what’s up?

H: I am doing interviews for one of my classes and wondered if you had a minute to chat about your experiences as a writer.

A: Sure, lay it on me.

H: Okay, first question is what or who inspires you as an author?

A: Hmm I’d say figures like MLK Jr., Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, and Emily Dickinson. Being able to use writing as a vehicle to express deeper emotion and connect with others inspires me most.

H: Okay, what or who motivates you as an author? That’s kinda the same-ish question, I guess. *laughter*

A: *laughter* Uh how about realness, the natural world, and the spiritual world; those things all help to define deeper meaning in the material world.

H: Alright! Score one for Dad! Good answer. What author(s) or book(s), or I guess in your case I could say poem(s), influenced you as an author the most?

A: Probably I’ll go with The Raven, “The Road Not Taken”, and actually MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

H: Interesting. Most often, where, when and how do you write?

A: When I have pockets of clarity.

H: Come again?

A: *laughter* When I see something in the natural world that inspires me, or when I have a need for closure or resolution. I get these little pockets of clarity and if I don’t have the chance to write them down right at that moment, I’ll record whatever it is that has suddenly been made clear—like a revelation I guess. Anyway, then I go write it down when I have time, usually on a little scrap paper and I find it down the line and center a poem or some sort of writing around the idea of the clarity pocket that I had written down and/or recorded. Did you get that? Should I slow down?

H: Nope, I got it. I’m recording you right now actually.

A: You’re supposed to tell people that at the beginning, Hali.

H: Oh. Well would you like to start over?

A: Hell no!

H: *giggles* Very good, then. Let’s continue.

A: Where were we?

H: Pockets of clarity.

A: Right. Well does that make sense what I said?

H: It does now that you’ve explained it more. Okay so how is technology changing print culture, specifically regarding authors and readers?

A: Reading is less intimate, less visual, and more direct as opposed to handwritten works, which are part of the experience of writing and fosters a deeper connection between the author and the page and the author and the reader. It’s good but it’s also kind of crummy.

H: Agreed. So when you write, who is your intended audience?

A: Oh, anyone who can relate really. I can be very abstract and arbitrary in my writing at times.

H: How is the current technological revolution changing your audience?

A: Well it’s broadening the reach, reading is less intimate like I mentioned before. I think the current technological revolution is watering down the experience; the commitment is just not the same.

H: The commitment?

A: Yeah, the commitment to books as whole entities. People only want little bits of information now. The experience of reading is no longer immersive, but fleeting instead.

H: Oh, I see. Yeah I agree with that too. I don’t get it but maybe that’s because I’m an English nerd with OCD who can’t stand to half ass read things. It drives me mental.

A: Exactly. But there aren’t a whole lot of English nerds left. You and your classmates represent a small group of them, so that’s cool.

H: I guess. So what do you think reading and authorship will be like fifty years from now?

A: Same as 50 years ago I’d think; there will hopefully be a reversal when people realize they’d like to go back to simpler times where the industry was less about quantity and more about quality.

H: Seems like wishful thinking.

A: I suppose you might be right! *chuckles*

H: Okay, how did you find a publisher and how long did that process take?

A: Well, I’m self-published—that’s a pretty popular thing now I think. But also I’ve been published through a university. It probably took about a year total from thought to published product.

H: How much did your manuscript change during your publisher’s editorial process?

A: Not a whole lot, actually. It mostly stayed the same. There were a few grammatical errors changed and the format and layout was changed slightly, but not drastically in any sense of the word. That’s typical of poetry though. Editors don’t like to change up the writing because a lot of the time grammatical errors and things like that are intentional. They just have to trust the writer in this genre.

H: Oh, okay. We learned a lot about that in my editing class. I thought it was the hardest to edit poetry because I didn’t really know how much freedom I had in terms of changing things that didn’t adhere to certain grammatical expectations. Do you have a definite and specific organization and structure in mind as you begin writing?  If so, how definite and specific is your outline?

A: Yep. Happens arbitrarily or intuitively. I just start writing and everything falls into place as far as organization and structure goes. It really depends on where I am and what I’m writing about.

H: Okay so how would you describe your writing process?

A: Hmmm. Methodical and meticulous. When I write, I am ultimately writing to be read so I try to be very specific about how audience members will perceive my writing if I can.

H: And do you have any writing habits or rituals that help your writing process?

A: Yeah, I’d say looking at and getting more in tune with the natural world. I like people or creature watching and interaction. If I have time, I like to go to the local park and take time and space to just be in the present.

H: Neature: I like it. Do you write in multiple genres?

A: Yes, I do. I write prose, I dabble in screenwriting, but mostly I write poetry (free verse and rhymed/metered depending on subject matter). I write about objects or people that I feel need a voice, subtleties like tea steam or the feeling of a storm coming. Natural things that are unsung; personal experiences are important too.

H: Very cool. I like the tea steam thing. Almost done, promise. What was your first publication, and what do you think of this publication now?

A: No stress. This is much more interesting than underwriting insurance! My first was a poem called “Sweet 77 Degrees”. I think it is innocent, raw, and inspiring.

H: Okay, last one: Besides teaching and authorship, have you had any other jobs in the writing field?

A: *laughter* Besides being an insurance underwriter (which doesn’t really count), no.

H: *laughter* Well, thank you very much for taking time out of your day to help me out! I’ll see you at Grandma’s this weekend.

A: Very cool. Thanks for asking! See you then. Later, Puppy.