Celia Lawren
ORP: What inspired you to begin writing or creating? Has that source of inspiration changed throughout your life?
Celia Lawren: Although I have no formal training in English or Creative Writing, I've written most of my career in business or marketing. I discovered poetry late, when I began my own consulting business and had time on my hands. I took a workshop led by the wonderful and inspirational Ellen Bass and instantly became hooked on poetry. I love that a poem can be truthful but not necessarily factual. I can't shake my fascination with it.
ORP: Do you write or create with an audience in mind? If so, how do you consider the relationship between that audience and your work throughout your creative process?
CL: I do not write with an audience in mind although the topics I write most about—loss, grief, discovery, connection with nature—are those most people have interest in and think a lot about. So audience is secondary but always present. I do hope my readers share similar experiences and either confirm or expand their perspective of those experiences.
ORP: What does success as a writer or artist mean to you?
CL: Well, I started writing creatively late in life. I am working on my first full-length manuscript and hope to have it published one day. That would be a measure of success. Another aspect of success is that I continue to improve on the finer points of creating a stellar poem.
ORP: Who do you consider to be your creative ancestors and contemporaries for your art and/or writing? How does your creative work converse with theirs?
CL: I guess you're asking what poets do I read and seek out their writings. Brigit Pegeen Kelly is magical. I love everything about her writing and her writing subjects. She inspires me to loosen up. Victoria Chang is another writer I greatly admire. Then, of course, there are Sharon Olds, Dorianne Laux and Ellen Bass. They write about the ordinary, sex, and family with such clarity, precision and grace. I want to emulate them.
ORP: What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing or creating? What advice would you give to another writer or artist?
CL: Be fearless...about subject matter, language, etc. Be curious...about yourself, your family, situations, current events, historical events, the world, space.
