As an extension of The Black Lion Journal’s mission, The Wire’s Dream is a semi-annual magazine that values community, life perspectives, and different worldviews. Contributors were asked to complete a set of mini interview questions with the purpose of sharing with the readers and their fellow submitters a bit about who they are and about their creativity. All questions were the same for each contributor; and each answer given is unique, open, friendly, and candid.
About The Creative Process
What does creativity mean to you? And what does it mean to be creative?
It’s like breathing. Writing and art in general is such a part of my adult life that I don’t know what I’d be without it.
How do you make time for your creativity? Are you an early bird creative or a night owl? Or something in between?
I work at home, so I usually spend 2-3 hours in the afternoon writing, and another couple of hours at night. I would like to think I could write all day long but I haven’t worked up to that kind of productivity yet.
How much of your personal life and experiences shape who you are as a creative and as a person? Do you find that you draw much content from your experiences or have you worked to keep that separate from what you create?
I draw a lot of content from my experiences as well as people I run into and books I read.
About Creative Moments & Inspiration
What is your most memorable creative moment, if any?
Boy, there are so many I don’t even know how to start!
Do you cross genres for inspiration? Which ones?
Ex: If you're a fiction writer, do you read and practice poetry? Do you also dabble in art?
Yes–I write poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and technical writing, and I also work as a book editor and indexer.
What/who inspires you the most?
My children.
Are there any contemporary writers/artists that you admire and think should be on everyone’s radar?
(Who do you think has been undervalued?)
Again, too many to count. I’m a big fan of picking up stacks of random books at the used book store and just taking them home to read. Lots aren’t that good, but there’s a random pearl every once in a while that’s pretty wonderful. I have three libraries in my house full of books I plan to read before I die.
Tips For Others, Personal Goals
What tips would you give to those who have never published anything before?
Just try. Submit one piece, or a bunch of pieces–there’s no wrong way to start out. Close your eyes and jump. The worse thing that can happen is someone’ll say “no,” and then you just pick yourself up and try again.
What goals and/or aspirations do have for your creativity? Where would you like to see your work?
My lifelong goal is to see one of my poems in a high school English/creative writing class text book.
— TWD MAGAZINE 4th COLLECTION—
About Holly
Holly Day has taught writing classes at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 2000. Her poetry has recently appeared in Big Muddy, The Cape Rock, New Ohio Review, and Gargoyle, and her published books include Walking Twin Cities, Music Theory for Dummies, Ugly Girl, and The Yellow Dot of a Daisy. She has been a featured presenter at Write On, Door County (WI), North Coast Redwoods Writers’ Conference (CA), and the Spirit Lake Poetry Series (MN). Her newest poetry collections, A Perfect Day for Semaphore (Finishing Line Press) and I’m in a Place Where Reason Went Missing (Main Street Rag Publishing Co.) will be out late 2018.
Past TWD Interviews Live Here :) 