Ask the Author: Sandra Proto
Answered Questions (15)
Sandra Proto
Hi Jimmy,
Yes, I have links to my poems. Here are some of them featured on my website: http://www.sandraproto.com/#!excerpts.... Also, I have some on my Reflections of Life blog:
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2014/...
Thank you for your interest.
Sandra;0)
Yes, I have links to my poems. Here are some of them featured on my website: http://www.sandraproto.com/#!excerpts.... Also, I have some on my Reflections of Life blog:
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...
http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2014/...
Thank you for your interest.
Sandra;0)
Sandra Proto
Thanks Day for the question.
Yes. My Aunt Mary was the one person that influenced me in writing poetry and learning about Maya Angelou. I love telling the story of how when I was 12, while sitting in her kitchen under a short circuit hairdryer, we talked about Maya Angelou and my aunt read a poem she wrote about my father (her brother), who had recently passed away. I sat there scared to move or I would get a shock. But, besides that fear, when my aunt read the poem; you could hear the compassion in her voice. I realized how important my father was to other people. I admired my aunt for sharing her feelings to me. My aunt showed me how to express my feelings with the written word.
Yes. My Aunt Mary was the one person that influenced me in writing poetry and learning about Maya Angelou. I love telling the story of how when I was 12, while sitting in her kitchen under a short circuit hairdryer, we talked about Maya Angelou and my aunt read a poem she wrote about my father (her brother), who had recently passed away. I sat there scared to move or I would get a shock. But, besides that fear, when my aunt read the poem; you could hear the compassion in her voice. I realized how important my father was to other people. I admired my aunt for sharing her feelings to me. My aunt showed me how to express my feelings with the written word.
Sandra Proto
Hi Ed. No, not really. Writing poetry helps me with closure. It may take me awhile to develop a poem and or book but I bring it out. For instance, my new chapbook Spring's Tepid Breath is about my mother's death and my reaction. My mother died at the end of 2011 and I finished the book in 2013. I wanted to write a book about my mother and I waited for it to formulate.
Sandra Proto
Hi Ed. A character l love most is one that has a mixture of being head strong, vulnerable, and has a sense of humor.
Sandra Proto
HI Dana. Good Question. What motivates me when I’m working on a new poetry project is when I incorporate a new poetry form. I love exploring new forms. As for my short story project, I love the element of surprise of the story and want to know what’s going to happen next.
Sandra Proto
The advice I would give aspiring writers is to keep writing and learn from mistakes. Also, that making a lot of money and being a “Bestselling Author” is not the pot of gold at the end of your journey. The pot of gold is being proud of writing a piece of literature and enjoying what you do.
Sandra Proto
The best thing about being a writer is that you have the freedom to tell a particular story the way you think it should be told-even if no one agrees with you.
Sandra Proto
My idea for Spring’s Tepid Breath came directly from trying to find closure after my mother’s death. My mother had a lot of health issues and when she fell sick, I was her Health Care Proxy. The tremendous pressure of decision making laid upon me on top of being a Stay At Home Mom and a wife. I felt myself breaking down and the poems in the collection came from my journaling.
Sandra Proto
As in overcoming writer’s block; a piece of writing inspires me. If I have writer’s block and I pick up a project and start to edit it. I will usually finish editing that project and then want to resume writing something that I have been stuck on.
Sandra Proto
Hi Loretta,
I don’t know if I have a preference because I love them both but I must say, that verse comes much easier to me than prose. In fact, some pieces that started off with being prose, I changed it to verse because it flowed better. When I have an idea for a poem, I usually can have it done (with editing, marinating, and editing) for about two weeks but with prose during the same process it takes months to have a finished product or even years.
I don’t know if I have a preference because I love them both but I must say, that verse comes much easier to me than prose. In fact, some pieces that started off with being prose, I changed it to verse because it flowed better. When I have an idea for a poem, I usually can have it done (with editing, marinating, and editing) for about two weeks but with prose during the same process it takes months to have a finished product or even years.
Sandra Proto
I think it depends on the genre of fiction a writer writes. All fiction has some element of “reality” in it. I write mostly non-fiction (blogging and poetry) and it is easy for me to write because “reality” is front and center. But if I wanted to write a science fiction or fantasy story, I would have to dig down into my imaginative consciousness to create a unique and engaging world. That takes work.
Thanks Alexandar for the questions
Thanks Alexandar for the questions
Sandra Proto
Hi again Alexandar
I think the hardest genre in literature to convey the writers attended message is poetry. I forgot what poet said (paraphrasing) that a novelist uses a lot o words to convey their message to the reader but a poet has to choose their words carefully because it is in a shorter form. This is so true, even if the poet writes an epic poem. Every word in a poem connects to one another to create a picture for the reader. If you have one obscure word that dangles there it’s a sty on your mind-confusing and painful.
I think the hardest genre in literature to convey the writers attended message is poetry. I forgot what poet said (paraphrasing) that a novelist uses a lot o words to convey their message to the reader but a poet has to choose their words carefully because it is in a shorter form. This is so true, even if the poet writes an epic poem. Every word in a poem connects to one another to create a picture for the reader. If you have one obscure word that dangles there it’s a sty on your mind-confusing and painful.
Sandra Proto
Hi Alexandar
I am currently working on several projects: a children’s poetry book, an Ekphrasic poetry book with my late sister’s sketches, and a short story collection.
I am currently working on several projects: a children’s poetry book, an Ekphrasic poetry book with my late sister’s sketches, and a short story collection.
Sandra Proto
Hi George
Blogging is basically writing about a subject that you are familiar with or an expert on. There are writers who blog about writing, are book reviewers, writers who establishes a poetry or short story blogs, and others who write about subject matters that relate to their books. I blog more on a personal journal theme. Some bloggers also can make money from their blogs by targeting a certain audience. But, in this case, the bloggers must constantly blog to attract an audience. Also, it takes time, to find your audience. When I started blogging back in 2009, I was really trying to find an audience and became disappointed that I didn’t have a huge following. But, now, It doesn’t matter if I have a huge following or not. I enjoy writing and if only one person take the time to read it and post a comment I am happy.
Blogging is basically writing about a subject that you are familiar with or an expert on. There are writers who blog about writing, are book reviewers, writers who establishes a poetry or short story blogs, and others who write about subject matters that relate to their books. I blog more on a personal journal theme. Some bloggers also can make money from their blogs by targeting a certain audience. But, in this case, the bloggers must constantly blog to attract an audience. Also, it takes time, to find your audience. When I started blogging back in 2009, I was really trying to find an audience and became disappointed that I didn’t have a huge following. But, now, It doesn’t matter if I have a huge following or not. I enjoy writing and if only one person take the time to read it and post a comment I am happy.
Sandra Proto
To combat writers block, I usually start reading and feel my muse resurface. Then I start with baby steps by editing a piece of writing that has been marinating for a while.
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