9,000 Views Edition: Interview with Poet Imani Tracy

Kicking off my first interview for the month of October, EA: Creatively Creative sat down with poet Imani Tracy.

EA: How long have you have been writing poetry?

IT: I started writing poetry in middle school around the age of 12. There was a lot going on at the time, but I discovered an outlet one day in English class when we were assigned to write a poem. From then on, I never really stopped writing poetry. Poetry is my escape.

EA: What inspires you to write?

IT: Honestly, anything can inspire me to write. It could be an emotion, a topic, or an object. It all depends on what calls to me in that moment. I get a certain feeling when I need to write and I just go with that feeling. Whatever comes from my pen is unknown to me, until I stop and read it.

EA: Who are your biggest influences?

IT: This one is a tough one. I don’t have just one person that influences me. Different writers influence me as I go along. It is usually writers that aren’t well known, but they still have their own following who loves their work. I admire these writers because regardless of the sales and followers that they have, they keep writing. The passion that they exhibit with their work is what renews my drive to keep going.

EA: What are the biggest challenges, if any, of writing poetry?

IT: I believe the biggest challenge of writing poetry is sharing it to the world. Poetry is your innermost thoughts coming to the light. Sometimes, it can be joyful, while other times it can be scary. By choosing to share that with others, it is like you are opening your soul up to anyone who reads it. They’re learning a very personal part of you that you may not even share with your closest friends and family. You are completely exposed to the world.

EA: Are there any upcoming projects?

IT: Yes. I am playing around with writing a verse novel. It started out with one poem that I wrote last year, but recently it has been turning into a series of poems. A story has been slowly coming to creation as I add more poems to the mix. It looks like it is turning into an urban fantasy.

EA: What's your main aspiration as a writer?

IT: To create experiences that will make the readers feel the emotions that I felt when I was writing.

EA: Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring poets?

IT: Develop your own style and don’t be afraid to be different. Being different is what brought readers amazing stories like Harry Potter, Bridge to Terabithia, The Unfortunate Events, and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Epilogue

It can be difficult to share your innermost thoughts with family or your closest friends, nevertheless, with the world. Imani's spontaneity of inspiration reminds me of my saying that creativity can be found under a rock, or creative people can find inspiration under a rock.

I would like to thank Imani for speaking with me today. For on Imani, you can visit her website imanitracy.wordpress.comimanitracy.wordpress.com, or check out her Facebook page in the hyperlink below.

Facebook: Imani Tracy