Describe your creative space. Do you work at home, in public spaces, etc.?

I always work at home, in solitude. I enjoy some green medicine, listen to music, and allow myself to free-associate for a while. Usually I just sit on my futon and type on my laptop until my eyes glaze over.

What kind of materials do you use? Do you write by hand or type? What is your favorite writing utensil?

I rarely write anything in longhand, as my handwriting is so atrocious I can’t read it. I avoid writing on my phone, since I feel constrained by its small size. Laptops are perfect, as they allow for a free range of movement.

What is your routine for writing?

Routine? Ha! I try to write every day. Usually in the morning and early afternoon, but sometimes late at night. I have a lot of mundane tasks I have to do during the day, so I write whenever I can. Facebook is a huge distraction and takes up way too much of my time.

How long have you been writing? When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was a small child. A lot of it was gibberish, and/or journal entries, but as I got older, I began to write poetry and prose. At age 11, I wrote a series of tales about two boys in outer space. Their names were Eeech Plankpurt and Snortle Ductari, and they lived on the planet Lulu. I wish I still had those stories. I don’t think I could ever replicate them.

Who is your intended, or ideal, audience? Who do you write for?

My ideal audience is whoever is willing to sit down and slog their way through one of my stories or poems. It helps if they’re not too conservative.

What inspires you to write? If you are blocked, what do you do?

If I’m blocked, I just make myself write anyway. Some of my best stuff has come from that. Everything inspires me, especially heartbreak.

What other things do you do besides writing? Do you dance or play golf, etc.?

I do lots of other stuff. Too much stuff, really. I’m an astrologer/tarot reader/yoga and water aerobics instructor as well as a writer. I also love off-season travel, like Cleveland in March and Arizona in July.

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

My favorite part of the creative process is finally getting to finish a piece. Then I don’t have to think about it, until it’s time for editing. I edit obsessively.

What is your advice to aspiring writers?

I have no advice for aspiring writers, really. Okay, a couple of things: 1). Don’t wait until you’re in your 50s, like I did. 2). Just fucking do it.

 

Check out Leah’s work in Volume 4, Issue 1.