An Interview with Allyson Whipple

Adriel: Which author wasn’t your greatest inspiration, but did make you think, “Maybe I could be an author”?

Allyson: There was never a maybe for me—I knew when I was twelve years old that I was going to be a poet. That being said, it’s the poets in my community who are a constant reminder that one can be a writer and not have to only write for a living. I am surrounded by many wonderful examples of how to have a writing life and a full-time job on top of that.

Adriel: Tell me about the first time you thought, “Wow. I’m a real author!”

Allyson: The first time someone reached out to me about a poem of mine that had been published in an online literary magazine that really touched them. They found the poem several years after it was first posted, and I was honestly a little surprised it was still up and able to be found! I was so touched that someone had taken the time to reach out.

Adriel: What’s the oddest part about your routine that you simply must do in order to sit down and write?

Allyson: I don’t know that any part of my routine is especially odd. I will say that I vastly prefer silence. And if I can’t have silence, I need to have either instrumental music or music in a language other than English. If I have words I know playing in the background, I can’t concentrate on what I have to say.

Adriel: What is your biggest writing obstacle? 

Allyson: Right now, it’s recovering from my MFA program. I did not have a good experience, and I feel burned out. I also feel a little isolated. I’m planning to take the summer completely off, except for maybe submitting work. Sometimes, you just need to pause for a while and pursue other interests.

Adriel: How do you prefer to network, and what impact do you think those avenues have had on your sales?

Allyson: I don’t prefer to network. I hate networking. My definition of networking is remembering to share a link to my work once a quarter if I’m lucky. I have some writer friends who have the ability to do that really well. It’s not a part of my personality. I have to work hard, and find it very draining. I know I would sell more books if I made more of an effort. I’m just happy when my friends make the effort to buy my book.

Adriel: What is one mistake you’ve made in your publishing career that you’d like to warn other authors off of?

Allyson: When I was a less-experienced writer, I didn’t do a very good job of researching the places I was sending poems. Rejection is inevitable, but if you’re sending work to a place that’s not at all a good fit, then you’re wasting your time.

Adriel: Is there any advice you’d like to give to a new writer?

Allyson: Everything will take longer than you think it will. Writing, editing, publishing, the whole process. That doesn’t mean don’t give yourself a goal or a schedule, but recognize that even with the best planning, life is going to happen, and you can’t rush your creativity.

Adriel: What are you currently reading?