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Nola 1.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yasmine and I are sat in the yard<\/p>\n with its gates like painted toothpicks<\/p>\n I flick my broken lighter against the wind<\/p>\n hands shaking from three cigarettes in row<\/p>\n thumb stained blow-torch black,<\/p>\n hoping Wheelchair Guy doesn\u2019t wheel by<\/p>\n Do you want to buy me a Subway?<\/em><\/p>\n my freebie matches got drenched in a storm<\/p>\n catching as I wiggle one to break it off<\/p>\n like twisting out a wobbly tooth<\/p>\n uncouth <\/em><\/p>\n on my bedroom floor<\/p>\n tasting salt on my fingertips<\/p>\n Our compound<\/em> I say<\/p>\n our laughter echoes through the space<\/p>\n our place in this city marked when she turns to me<\/p>\n says beggars literally can\u2019t be choosers<\/em><\/p>\n her accent is like ice-cubes<\/p>\n mine is frosting on the tip of my tongue<\/p>\n sticking my words behind my teeth<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Seven Questions with an Eighth<\/strong><\/p>\n In this\u00a0series\u00a0Ink Sweat & Tears talks to practicing writers about their process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Where do you write?\u00a0<\/strong>(do you have an office, room, bus journey that you find yourself and your writing?)<\/p>\n I have a slightly strange habit of writing while I\u2019m travelling, mainly because it\u2019s one of the few times I get the space to just think. I\u2019ll often start making ideas while on long journeys and then shape them into poems when I get home. When writing at home I usually write late at night in bed, again because I really like the space you get when everyone else is asleep.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. How do you write?\u00a0<\/strong>(into a notebook or straight onto a computer?)<\/p>\n I usually begin with ideas written into my notebook that I try to take everywhere or just into Notes on my phone. Then when I get home I type them up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3. Roughly how much time do you spend each week on creative writing related activities?<\/strong>(writing, editing, correspondence & submissions)<\/p>\n I spend a lot of my time being creative, whether that is writing, drawing or work-shopping. I\u2019m always on the look out for ideas and once I actually get into the act of shaping and writing these I usually spend a solid evening or day, usually about once a week. Once I start I\u2019m not great at stopping though!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4. What time of day do you usually write?<\/strong><\/p>\n As I mentioned I\u2019m fairly nocturnal in my writing habits. I tend to stew over things all day and then my ideas always seem to crystallize just when I\u2019m about to go to bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5. What does it\u00a0feel<\/em>\u00a0like to write?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s a really great feeling; there\u2019s a sort of simultaneous release of thought and a containment of that thought which, until writing, was fluctuating and expansive. I really enjoy the crafting of the poem, building a structure can have a really satisfyingly mechanical feel. I always feel a little sad when I decide that a poem is finished, almost like when you finish reading a book, like there\u2019s so much more around the story that you\u2019d love to hear or tell.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 6. Are there any stimuli that will usually trigger you into writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n I really love people watching and fairly often see little moments between people that trigger things in some way, some memory or thought about how people treat each other. I am also constantly inspired by what I\u2019m reading and the culture I immerse myself in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 7. What are you working on now?<\/strong><\/p>\n I have just finished MA dissertation, which was attempting to experiment with and deconstruct Millennials\u2019 ways of interpreting our experiences through language and media. My MA gave me a really invaluable space to work on such an expansive project.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n And as you are\u00a0<\/strong>a\u00a0<\/strong>recipient of the Ink Sweat & Tears Poetry Writing Scholarship, we thought we\u2019d add an eighth\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n 8. How has the scholarship affected your writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n The scholarship has had a hugely positive affect on writing. It allowed me to do the MA full-time rather than part-time, which meant I could immerse myself more fully with every aspect of it. I\u2019ve always been fairly insecure or shy about my own work and being awarded this scholarship gave me a confidence boost which led to me sharing more of my work with my peers and feeling more sure of any creative decisions I make. It also gave me a chance to meet and socialise with some really inspiring people, both other Scholarship holders and my lovely donor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n