Alana Saltz is the author
of the poetry chapbook, The Uncertainty of Light (February 2020).
She's the editor-in-chief of Blanket Sea, an arts and
literary magazine showcasing work by chronically ill, mentally ill, and
disabled creators. Her essays and articles have been published in The LA Times, The Washington Post, Huff Post, Bustle, and HelloGiggles. Her poems have appeared in Occulum, Five:2:One,
YesPoetry, LadyLibertyLit, and more. You can visit her website at alanasaltz.com and follow
her on Twitter and Instagram @alanasaltz.
1 - How did your first book change your
life? How does your most recent work compare to your previous? How does it feel
different?
This is my first book. So, we'll see!
2 - How did you come to poetry first,
as opposed to, say, fiction or non-fiction?
I'm a multi-genre writer, though poetry
was one of my earliest writing forms and has been my main genre the last couple
of years. I've always loved playing with words, imagery, and metaphors as well
as the tight focus of the poetic form. It's been a longtime way for me to
express certain emotions, experiences, and thoughts that don't quite fit as
essays or fiction. I also find it more approachable these days as my chronic
pain has gotten worse and longer projects can feel overwhelming.
3 - How long does it take to start any
particular writing project? Does your writing initially come quickly, or is it
a slow process? Do first drafts appear looking close to their final shape, or
does your work come out of copious notes?
I'm slow to start but a fast writer
overall. Once I get going, unless the piece is giving me trouble, it tends to
come together quickly. I do some editing of my poetry, but it tends to stay
fairly close to the original, especially because I tend to edit as I write. I
always read it over a few times and read it out loud, experimenting with things
like line breaks, making sure there aren't problem spots like overused or
repeated words.
4 - Where does a poem usually begin for
you? Are you an author of short pieces that end up combining into a larger
project, or are you working on a "book" from the very beginning?
It depends on the project. For The
Uncertainty of Light, I began by writing a few poems about chronic illness
and then realized I wanted it to be a chapbook eventually. I was just getting
back into poetry after years of essays and memoir, so I did a lot of reading
and writing to hone my voice and craft. I wrote a lot of poems and only some of
them made it into the final manuscript. It had a lot of drafts, many cut and
added as time went on, until I finally got to a place where I felt good about
it as a book.
5 - Are public readings part of or
counter to your creative process? Are you the sort of writer who enjoys doing
readings?
I love doing readings. I'm a shy person
in general, but I really enjoy connecting with other writers and sharing my
work.
6 - Do you have any theoretical
concerns behind your writing? What kinds of questions are you trying to answer
with your work? What do you even think the current questions are?
These days, I think a lot about
advocacy and activism. Can I bring new awareness to things like chronic
illness, mental illness, and disability through my writing, even in a small
way? But at the heart of all my work is the desire to share my experiences and
connect with others. I've felt misunderstood since I was a kid. Growing up as
someone with multiple marginalized identities and undiagnosed/misdiagnosed
illnesses, writing has been a way to try to convey what I'm going through in
the hopes that I will be heard and that those reading will feel heard and
understood as well.
7 – What do you see the current role of
the writer being in larger culture? Does s/he even have one? What do you think
the role of the writer should be?
We absolutely have a role. Writers
share and reach out. Many of us endeavor to shed new light on issues and
experiences that matter to us. You see our words all the time, in books,
magazines, newspapers, even social media. People engage with that as much as
they want and bring their own opinions and experiences into the mix. I think
that's as it should be.
8 - Do you find the process of working
with an outside editor difficult or essential (or both)?
It's essential to get feedback on your
work. My first editor is usually my partner. He gives me his thoughts on my
work and some helpful positive encouragement. My current book not only had a
professional editor but many poems were workshopped in classes and I had
several friend and beta readers as well. I can be difficult to hear feedback
that means making major changes or that you disagree with. That didn't happen
much with The Uncertainty of Light, thankfully. I also take
feedback with a grain of salt and sometimes get a second opinion, always
ultimately going with my gut and instincts about what feels true to me and my
voice.
9 - What is the best piece of advice
you've heard (not necessarily given to you directly)?
You don't have to write every day to be
a writer. And I don't. We all have lives, many of us are struggling, many have
illnesses and disabilities. Putting a qualifier on this just adds unnecessary
pressure to a difficult endeavor. Letting go of expectations like that helps me
push through times when I'm feeling stuck, uninspired, or too sick to write.
I'm still a writer even if I have to take long breaks. My words still matter
and will return when I'm ready.
10 - How easy has it been for you to
move between genres (poetry to essays to articles)? What do you see as the
appeal?
I like moving between genres. I can get
burnt out when I do too much of anything in particular. I wrote fiction for a few
years, then memoir, then essays and articles, now poetry. I've written some
articles and essays here and there and imagine I might get back to that more
regularly at some point, but poetry feels like it's going to be with me now no
matter what I'm doing. It's nice to go where my inspiration takes me, and every
idea or project comes in a different form, so I appreciate knowing that's
there.
11 - What kind of writing routine do
you tend to keep, or do you even have one? How does a typical day (for you) begin?
I don't really have one unless I'm
working on a particular project, I have a deadline, or I'm doing a writing
challenge like The Poeming or NaNoWriMo. I generally work on something
writing-related every day and throughout the day, especially now that I have a
book coming out and there are a million things to do that aren't writing, but
when it comes to actually sitting down and working on something, I do it when
I'm inspired or have the time and energy to attempt something.
12 - When your writing gets stalled,
where do you turn or return for (for lack of a better word) inspiration?
I really enjoy doing erasures and found
poetry when I'm stuck. The words are there and I can play with them and bring
my own lens to them. Sometimes I try writing prompts, but they can be hit or
miss. Reading can also be very stimulating when I feel stuck.
13 - What fragrance reminds you of
home?
The forest.
14 - David W. McFadden once said that
books come from books, but are there any other forms that influence your work,
whether nature, music, science or visual art?
Nature is a big one. It shows up a lot
in my work. Music can help me find a mood, but I usually can't listen to
anything when I'm actually writing because I get distracted by the lyrics or
changes in tempo or mood.
15 - What other writers or writings are
important for your work, or simply your life outside of your work?
There are so many writers I admire.
Reading chapbooks, collections, and poetry in literary magazines helps me keep
in touch with the current poetic moment. I read so much as a kid and that
informed my love of writing as well, even if much of it was in genres I don't
write myself. My life outside my work informs my work substantially. Most of my
work comes from my experiences in some way or another, either directly or
indirectly.
16 - What would you like to do that you
haven't yet done?
My next goal is a full-length poetry
collection. I'd also love to publish an essay collection and maybe a novel
someday.
17 - If you could pick any other
occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or, alternately, what do you think you
would have ended up doing had you not been a writer?
I'm a freelance editor and I run a
literary magazine, so I do that as well as write. I think I would have been a
good therapist, though I realized early on that I probably couldn't handle that
profession emotionally. I've done some work for nonprofits and have always
thought that would be a good fit. Something in the realm of disability advocacy
or services.
18 - What made you write, as opposed to
doing something else?
I've always been drawn to books and
writing. I can't quite say why. I love entering the world of a story or poem.
My parents read to me and told me stories they made up, and that inspired me
too. I'm also terrible at drawing and not amazing at most forms of music
(though I do enjoy singing, photography, and occasionally rocking some
ukulele).
19 - What was the last great book you
read? What was the last great film?
Honestly, the last great work of
writing I experienced was a TV show, Mr. Robot. Sam Esmail did an
unbelievable job building that world and story over 4 seasons. Most shows don't
have the type of consistency and arc that show does, and Mr. Robot has
kind of ruined other shows for me. Every little detail matters. Everything
feels natural and real but is actually planned and comes together in such a
revelatory and satisfying way. I also really loved seeing types of diversity
and representation in ways I hadn't seen on TV before.
20 - What are you currently working on?
I have a micochap in progress, but most
of my time lately has been going toward publishing and promoting The
Uncertainty of Light.
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