Interview Q&A with Antonia Wang
@tuttysan
We offer our first and exclusive Q&A Interview with Antonia Wang, a writer whose literary works have been featured on our Spillwords pages as well as being Author of the Month of May 2024.
- What does it mean to be selected as Author of The Month?
SpillWords is a well-regarded, inclusive platform where readers and writers can connect and be inspired. I am honored and deeply grateful to be selected as Author of the Month, as it means people have enjoyed my submissions and voted for me.
- How have your friends and/or family influenced your writing?
My roots and closest relationships have been a source of inspiration and motivation for writing. As a teen, I wrote songs, and letters for friends and family to gift to loved ones. You could say I was their ghostwriter. Giving shape to their hopes and emotions through romantic prose brought me joy, as did their reactions to the letters. When I started my blog “For What It’s Worth” in 2007, writers from around the world commented on my poetry, and I reciprocated. This exchange was encouraging, and I have been more consistent and intentional about writing since.
- What inspires and motivates you to write?
The profound and the mundane. Love, heartbreak, motherhood, an ironing board, people, a flower, or even a cat. Anything or anyone can spark inspiration. I often capture past moments in my poems, with the benefit of hindsight and a more polished writing technique. Although writing can be cathartic, it is not the reason I write. It’s an impulse I follow, and it continues to guide me on this creative journey. I have no expectations or preconceptions of where it may lead. I simply enjoy crafting poems, the feelings they evoke, and the stories I can tell through them.
- Can you tell us about the catalyst that sparked your writing journey?
As an introvert, I find it easier to express thoughts and emotions through writing. Love, heartbreak in its many forms, the natural world, and stories of personal transformation have always been catalysts for me. I would add that blogging in the late 2000’s and having other writers comment on and support my work motivated me to keep writing. Since 2019, I have been part of the large #vss365 and #writingcommunity on X (formerly Twitter). #vss365 prompts imbued a renewed sense of purpose for daily writing, to which I adhere most of the year, whether or not I share poems online.
- Please share a glimpse into your writing process.
The muse “dictates” poems to me, verse by verse, once in a blue moon. These poems are rare and need little editing. Sometimes, an experience or encounter kindles a thought, and it begins forming into verse. When this happens, I quickly write it down, or it is lost among the many thoughts of the day. I keep a list of words on my phone or notebook, gathered from books I read, TV shows, or conversations. These words have a story to tell. I try to write daily and usually pick a word from the list, focus on it, and unspool a verse, a memory, or an observation.
Then comes the “manual” labor of crafting verse, choosing the words that best fit its mood, rhythm, and form. Once a first draft is born, I revisit it several times before submitting it to a journal or adding it to a manuscript for further scrutiny by an editor. The poems I publish on X for #vss365 are usually a first draft.
- What do you find most fulfilling about the act of writing?
Capturing moments, sublimating the ordinary, and telling stories about the subtlest parts of our nature.
- How does the use of imagery contribute to conveying your story?
Imagery is a powerful writing tool. As poets, we arrange words and approach familiar images and themes from (hopefully) novel angles. When we paint stories to evoke a reflection or emotion, we rely on imagery. In my poetry, I like to zoom in on details that would be otherwise ignored to create a sense of mindfulness and respect for the moment.
- What is your favorite reading genre?
I love fiction: thrillers, murder mysteries, historical fiction, fantasy, etc. I read my fair share of poetry from known and unknown authors and enjoy spiritual, philosophical, and esoteric reads.
- What human being has inspired you the most?
My mother. She raised seven children with my dad in a humble and happy home. She taught me the value of intangibles. She is caring, charitable, wise, and easy to love. I’m fortunate to call her mom.
- What message would you have for the Spillwords Press community that voted for you?
Thank you for taking the time to read my poetry and vote for me. I hope my words bring you joy, solace, and moments of quiet contemplation.
- What would you like your legacy as a writer to be?
I want my poems to find homes in the minds and hearts of those who need them—to brighten days, spark introspection, and elicit wonder toward the inner and outer worlds long after I’m gone.
- Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for making it this far! Read a poem today.
- Spotlight On Writers – Antonia Wang - August 10, 2024
- Interview Q&A With Antonia Wang - June 18, 2024
- Sepia Stains - May 17, 2024
