Inside a Writer's Mind
This is the final segment of a two-part interview with Anique Sara Taylor. Anique is an established author of the following books Civil Twilight, Where Space Bends, and Poems. She is regarded with a high profile in the writer community with her numerous awards and nominations including the winner of the 2022 Blue Light Poetry Prize for Civil Twilight.
Anique has an MFA in Poetry from Drew University, a Diploma from The Sorbonne located in Paris, an MFA with Highest Honors in Drawing and Painting from Pratt Institute, and a Master of Divinity Degree. She studied literature at Antioch College, poetry at St. Mark’s Poetry Project with Alice Notley, and then Bernadette Mayer. She is also a regular at Wallson Glass Poem-Making Sessions with Geoffrey Nutter.
As the title suggests this episode explores Anique's long-life devotion to writing. The episode starts with sharing how other adventures of her life such as art have led her into who she is now. In essence, developing her writing has created a life of lessons. It is not a linear process, it is a conglomeration of experiences.
We talk about her daily practice and the habits she infuses into her writing. There may be some real surprises, such as the fact that discipline and focus are the nuances of producing good writing. We explore the myth of “writer's block” and how she overcomes it and remains productive. We explore creativity, and how someone like her unleashes her imagination. Above all, and most importantly, her frame of mind is the product of her good physical health. Her dedication to her self-care ensures that she is in a good place for good creative writing. She explains how she works on herself and her craft trying to improve consistently. To be a better version of ourselves is the lesson.
The business side of being a writer is talked about. This includes complex and sensitive topics of being creative while making deadlines. When she knows it is time to call an editor and to work with one. Book publishing and resources that are available are discussed. In addition, how she has developed herself as a leader in her communities by being a resource and an inspiration to other writers is shown.
This interview does cater to anyone interested in writing or being a published author. It will appeal to anyone interested in any avenue of creative endeavors and how to approach them. It addresses how to live as an artist, encompassing in particular the business side. Overall, it is about life, as Anique is an example we all could live up to. We should all strive as she does, to the devotion of her work by constantly improving it without the need for outside validation. It is about our work and how it fulfills us, and remaining true to ourselves which is the best measurement. In her case, it is about writing and working with the words. She is a real example to live by.