A short interview wherein one of my favorite authors answers three questions about the writing life.
Question 1: What’s your Go-To source when you need inspiration?
Inspiration comes in short bursts, and I write short pieces. These include poems, freelance journalism, and occasional short stories and essays.
Writing is a two-stage process because the natural world inspires much of my writing. I begin by getting notes on paper, which may occur while watching birds or examining the flowers in a meadow. Interviews with experts include time on the phone or meeting online.
Since much of my writing is nature-based, I begin by spending time in the natural world. I find a quiet place to sit. My backyard and the surrounding areas are rich with bird sounds and seasonal changes in the leaves. When going further afield, I often take a camp chair and sit quietly to watch and listen. A small waterfall in my neighborhood is good for this activity, as are parks and other natural areas around Chattanooga. Watching and listening are the inspirational parts of my writing.
I next type my poem or story on my laptop. Since I am easily distracted, this happens in the morning, often before sunrise. Later, I may move to our local library or a quiet coffee shop and continue typing. I do not open email or social media while writing. I have tried typing on my deck, but the bird calls are too much of a distraction.
Question 2: If you have a writing ritual, can you share that here?
I sometimes get focused by reciting or reading a short nature poem from my writing or a noteworthy author. I would love to tell you that it begins with the smell of freshly crushed sassafras leaves or a view of the rising sun. Stage one writing in bound journals is very much like that.
Focused movement such as a brisk walk is helpful for stage two. Then I sit at the desk and type. I apply my backside to the seat of the chair and my fingers to the keyboard. I purposefully eliminate distractions.
Question 3: Do you have a funny/scary/quirky story about interaction with readers or other writers? We all want to know.
Several years ago, I sent poems to a certain publisher issue after issue. They had published one of my book reviews and an interview with a gifted storyteller but rejected my poems each time, so I stopped sending them. Then I got a note from the editor asking me to send in some poems. I thought this was a taunt, so I decided to write the craziest poem I could think of and send it in. The magazine published the poem. Although one friend said it was my best poem ever, I am unsure if he was serious. The poem focuses on sonic qualities rather than words. Here is the first stanza.
Salvador Dali Meets Gertrude Stein Nebulous nebulae, nebulae, nebulae, nebulous Navigate nebulous nebulae, Oversee the weather, cloudy and serene. Serene sirens negotiate nebulous nebulae with squad cars of the intergalactic police as we negotiate a tapestry of weather symbols and barrel staves in water inhabited by golden goldfish and copper piranhas. Copper cop car piranhas eat us out of house and home, house and home house, house, home.
In the natural world, time is cyclical. Ray Zimmerman’s latest book, It’s Just a Phase, includes several poems about cyclical events. The moon moves from a new moon through several phases to full. More phases take her back to the new moon. The Luna Moth lives in the adult phase for just a few days to mate, lay eggs, and leave a legacy of caterpillars. Trees shed leaves in the fall, but new leaves grow in spring. Life is in flux, and observations reveal just one phase of phenomena always in motion.
Walnut Street Publishing of Chattanooga, Tennessee, will launch It’s Just a Phase on November 1, 2024 at Clear Story Arts which is home to their office. The pre-launch sale will begin two weeks before the launch. Copies will be available on the Walnut Street Publishing website.
About the Author
Ray Zimerman is a former president of the Chattanooga Writers Guild and the Chattanooga Audubon Society. He enjoys photographing, drawing, and writing about the natural world.
Ray’s poetry and prose have appeared in several publications. He leads nature writing workshops at The Chattery, an educational organization in Chattanooga, and various other venues.
If you wish to comment on these works, please use the contact form on Ray Zimmerman’s website, https://rayzimmermanauthor.com. More of Ray’s work is available on the Substack page: https://rayzimmerman.sub-stack.com.
