How long have you been writing?

 

Honestly I can’t remember when I started writing. Maybe I have always been writing.

I remember writing my first ‘poem’ when I was around 12/13. And I remember writing my first ‘good’ poem around 16. Then I would say from 18 onwards it has been a pretty constant hobby of mine.

 

Why did you start writing?

 

Again, I don’t even know what to tell you. Probably boredom, mixed with feeling things and wanting to get them out in some way, without having to talk to a parent or friend about it.

 

Have you ever studied writing?

 

Not professionally, no. Of course, I studied basic writing at school and I did attend university, but I studied English literature. There, my studies focused on analysing the work of others, rather than producing my own. 

 

What inspires you to write?

 

Literally anything. I would say the majority of my poetry is derived from personal experiences and emotions, but I’ve also been inspired by dreams, songs, something that someone has said, or that I’ve heard in a movie, or even just a thought I’ve had about life that I can’t stop thinking about. Watching a bee in the garden, watching the way someone moves their hands while they talk. Things with beauty, moments of calm. Stuff like that.

 

Your favourite poets?

 

So many. Edward Thomas, Maya Angelou, Leonard Cohen, Pablo Neruda. The list goes on.

 

What made you start sharing your work on Instagram?

 

Well as I said, I’ve been writing for years, but I’d never wanted to share anything with anyone before as I’d always thought it was too personal, and that no one would want to read it anyway. But, in recent years as I began to see more and more poetry accounts/websites/books emerging online, I realised that people could actually be interested in what I have to say. So I decided to bite the bullet and put my stuff out there – and I’m so glad I did!