Ask the Author: Robert Eric Shoemaker
Answered Questions (8)
Robert Eric Shoemaker
I plan to read "As I Lay Dying", which somehow I've never read, as well as "Voice's Daughter of a Heart Yet to be Born" by Anne Waldman, "Inferno" by Eileen Myles, and "Six Memos for the Next Millenium" by Italo Calvino.
Robert Eric Shoemaker
I'd have to say...the secret behind my cat's love of live guitar and flamenco.
Robert Eric Shoemaker
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/p...
In other words, I don't have a great answer. You'll have to read (my work) to find out!
Perhaps I could say that my writing comes from a place of hybridity reflecting the texts I work with, which allows the texts to evolve and change over time.
In other words, I don't have a great answer. You'll have to read (my work) to find out!
Perhaps I could say that my writing comes from a place of hybridity reflecting the texts I work with, which allows the texts to evolve and change over time.
Robert Eric Shoemaker
The way around writer's block, for me, is to read or freewrite. When I read, when I encounter a new text, I'm more likely to have an idea about my own text freed up in my mind. When I freewrite, just let the words flow in a stream-of-consciousness, I can write through a block, as well as generate new material.
Robert Eric Shoemaker
I think I mentioned in an earlier answer: put pen to paper and write your thoughts. Don't let someone else tell you that they're "not good enough" to become a poem or an essay. Ignore what others are telling you that holds you back. Write, and read, as much as you can, and you'll get better and you'll get noticed. Being well-read is a step in the right direction. Share your work and your reading list! Don't be shy. Everyone is a different type of writer, and only those who put themselves out there become noticed. Even if you aren't confident, share your work with a family member, friend, or dog. Start small, work your way up. But always, always work hard.
Robert Eric Shoemaker
Super excited to mention that I'm working on a large poetry collection with a Chicago publisher. It's a bit under-wraps, but I can tell you that the subject is Kentucky, where I grew up. The book will deal with questions around racism, acceptance, religion, and family lineage. Look for it in about a year or so...!
Robert Eric Shoemaker
I don't believe as much in inspiration for writing as I do working hard towards becoming a frequent writer- an idea I inherited from a mentor, Jennifer Scappettone, who is a fantastic modern poet and translator. She taught me that a poem is rarely the work of a "muse" or inspiration from afar, but rather, the resolution of work and re-work. Put pen to paper, write your thoughts. Let inspiration find someone else every five months or so. You can be a writer simply by working at it.
Robert Eric Shoemaker
"30 Days Dry" was my debut collection. The idea for the book came from a conversation with my father mentioned in the back of the book, in which he mentioned that he thought I "drank too much". This was a symptom of a larger question; "How healthy am I, really?" which I think we've all asked ourselves from time to time. So I ended up journalling about the issues I was facing, and that turned into a manuscript focused on self-improvement with a healthy dose of humor and cat-antics.
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