What advice can you offer to others who desire to be an author?
My advice would be to do more executing than overthinking. I spent so much time in my head at the beginning of my literary journey, not trusting that I knew what I was doing, and I allowed myself to become overwhelmed by conflicting opinions in regards to self-publishing a book. Time is a gift that is so precious, but it is also variable in the sense that it passes swiftly and no one knows how much of it they have. Write your book, ask for help when you need it, and be firm in your purpose for why you chose to write what you wrote.
How important is it for Black writers and readers to have their stories told?
It is crucial that Black writers and readers have their stories told because our history books were everything but designed to tell or represent us in the light and truth that we should have been. Black literature contains history, our culture, our pride, showcases our imagination and inspires future generations.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I don’t have an orthodox method for my writing style. Sometimes the poems are one stanza, sometimes the poems are intentionally written with minimal punctuation and breaks, sometimes the poems rhyme, and sometimes they’re written in free verse. I find it works best for me, personally, to write in the moment when the emotion is raw, as opposed to controlling the flow.
What authors have piqued your interest?
Rudy Francisco, Nayyirah Waheed, and Warsan Shire are three poets who have heavily influenced me to write and publish my work. I admire their use of personification in their poetry and not conforming to the rules of grammar in their bodies of work.
