12 or 20 (second series) questions with Ellen Chang-Richardson
Ellen Chang-Richardson is an award-winning poet, writer, judicialassistant, and editor of Taiwanese and Chinese Cambodian descent. The author ofBlood Belies (Wolsak & Wynn, 2024) and author/co-author of sixpoetry chapbooks, their multigenre work has appeared in Augur, the Ex-Puritan,Grain, Plenitude, Watch Your Head, and more.
1 - How did your first book or chapbook change your life? How doesyour most recent work compare to your previous? How does it feel different?
It showed me that people cared to readwhat I am writing. My most recent work is less concrete than my previous—more“in the word” vs on the page.
2 - How did you come to poetry first, as opposed to, say, fiction ornonfiction?
I’ve always been drawn to how poets shinea spotlight on what others may not immediately notice. Poets are acutelyattuned to the intricacies of the world and poetry brings those intricaciesinto sharp relief.
3 - How long does it take to start any particular writing project?Does your writing initially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do firstdrafts appear looking close to their final shape, or does your work come out ofcopious notes?
It’s somewhere between the two. Itusually takes me a while to land on a concept but once I get going, the writingbecomes feverish. As for the difference between first and final shapes—I editmeticulously. A final shape may look like its draft, but it also may not. Thatprocess is usually intuition-based.
4 - Where does a poem usually begin for you? Are you an author ofshort pieces that end up combining into a larger project, or are you working ona "book" from the very beginning?
On my phone, I keep an ongoing documentcalled “shit scripts” — which I add to nearly daily. When it comes to craftinga new poem, I will pluck from it and play with phrase/word placement. As forprojects, all of my book projects have a concept from the very beginning thatfills out through the process of writing it.
5 - Are public readings part of or counter to your creative process?Are you the sort of writer who enjoys doing readings?
I love readings. There is so much to begained from hearing a piece read out loud. A poem may start and finish on thepage but it gains new life in the air.
6 - Do you have any theoretical concerns behind your writing? Whatkinds of questions are you trying to answer with your work? What do you eventhink the current questions are?
Memory. Collective ethics. How do we bethe change we want to see while the world is literally falling apart around us?
7 – What do you see the current role of the writer being in largerculture? Do they even have one? What do you think the role of the writer shouldbe?
A writer is responsible for continuing todisrupt, to educate, and to inspire.
8 - Do you find the process of working with an outside editordifficult or essential (or both)?
Essential—the right editor will helpelevate your writing to a place you didn’t even know it could go.
9 - What is the best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarilygiven to you directly)?
“Ifyou don’t see yourself in the literary landscape, then the landscape needs youmore than anyone.” — EdenRobinson
10 - How easy has it been for you to move between genres (poetry tocollaboration)? What do you see as the appeal?
Quite easy. There is so much knowledge,new ideas and elements of writerly craft, to be gained from working indifferent genres. Equally so when collaborating with peers. The mutualexpansion of mind is what makes cross-genre experimentation and collaborationso appealing.
11 - What kind of writing routine do you tend to keep, or do you evenhave one? How does a typical day (for you) begin?
I hold down a full time job while alsobalancing my work for Riverbed and Roommagazine. Honestly, I try to write at least three hours every Sunday morningbut it doesn’t always pan out that way. I guess my writing routine has become abit more fluid—I write when the urge hits and continue writing until the urgegoes away—and that’s okay.
12 - When your writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for(for lack of a better word) inspiration?
I focus on living; spending time withfriends, playing mahjong, playing video games, chatting with family, taking awalk, staring at the sky. It’s okay to not be writing all the time (a notion mydear collaborators in VII remind me of whenever I am close to despair).
13 - What fragrance reminds you of home?
Fresh linens.
14 - David W. McFadden once said that books come from books, but arethere any other forms that influence your work, whether nature, music, scienceor visual art?
Contemporary art (particularlyexperiential installation, photography and film); experimental jazz/classicalmusic; science; and anything a little esoteric (like the history of fabrics forinstance).
15 - What other writers or writings are important for your work, orsimply your life outside of your work?
The Dada Reader: A CriticalAnthology edited by DawnAdes; Louise Bourgeois, Peter Zumthor:Steilneset Memorial from Forlaget Press; The Deep by RiversSoloman; Infinite Citizen of the ShakingTent by Liz Howard; Suture by Nic Brewer; Camera GeologicabySiobhan Angus.
16 - What would you like to do that you haven't yet done?
Sky dive. And write for a few weeks inBali.
17 - If you could pick any other occupation to attempt, what would itbe? Or, alternately, what do you think you would have ended up doing had younot been a writer?
I am where I want to be.
18 - What made you write, as opposed to doing something else?
Writing gives me the avenue I need toexpress myself. Even when I am creating visual art, I always gravitate back tothe written word.
19 - What was the last great book you read? What was the last greatfilm?
Last great film? Nomadland by Chloé Zhao.
Last great book? Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio.
20 - What are you currently working on?
A new chapbook and, possibly, aspeculative novella series. In terms of poetry though, I just completed myfull-length collection of ekphrasis. Huzzah!
