Sarah Weaver Q & A with Eastern Iowa Review
Chila: Where did you come up with the idea for your essay, "This Same Place"?
Sarah: I was working with a prompt about going back to a place you used to be really familiar with, and an imposed rule of not using any ending punctuation until the very last word. I began writing about the living room in my childhood home but became focused on the bookcase that, for me, is and was the center the room sort of revolves around. It's nonfiction, so I just sat for a while remembering all the things on the bookshelf, how I used to interact with them, and what they meant to me then. Picturing those items made me realize how different that girl was, and that the items would not mean the same things to me now, they played big parts-and symbolize other big parts--in my childhood.
Chila: How long did it take you to put it together from idea concept to current iteration?
Sarah: I'd say around nine months. The original piece was really unformed stream-of-consciousness. Instead of reading lyrically, it read like a page and a half long run-on sentence. I thought it was great. I had to put it aside for four or five months before I could see how much work it needed. I think the addition of the word "but" to tie all the segments together helped, and I also pared down the bookcase items to the most meaningful ones.
Chila: Personally, I love the essay. Would you categorize it as a lyric, experimental, or hybrid essay?
Sarah: I'd call it a lyric essay. Maybe a flash lyric, because it's short. To me, it also reads sort of like a prose poem, although I definitely wasn't trying to write poetry. I think some writing can be classified numerous ways, and this piece is probably in that category.
Chila: Can you tell us about one or two other writing projects you're working on at the moment?
Sarah: I "went back to school" when my youngest child went to preschool, and I'll graduate with a B.A. in English this December. So the main project on my mind now is my capstone--kind of like a thesis for undergrad. I was really glad to learn that I can do a creative project instead of a 25 page literary criticism. My goal is to end up with a polished three essay manuscript. Other than that, I have several pieces sitting in a folder ripening that I'll go back to with fresh eyes, in a few months. One is really important to me; I want to get it just right. It's a tribute to my dad, who died unexpectedly two years ago. I really want to do him justice, and not let this piece out until it's as good as I can get it.
Chila: Anything else you want to tell us about your own writing or writing in general? Any lessons or insights you want to share?
Sarah: I have only been writing for a year, not counting the literary criticism pieces assigned for school, so I don't think I have any special wisdom to share. I find inspiration when I hear that other writers have trouble getting started on a piece, or making themselves sit down and write in the first place. I'm an easily distracted procrastinator myself. I have to force myself to begin, and then I eventually lose myself in a piece and really start enjoying myself. I can't see what needs to be revised until I set the piece aside for a while. Then I read it out loud and sometimes it's incredibly obvious. That's like a gift--when I know what to do instead of having to wrestle for a while.
Chila: Where did you come up with the idea for your essay, "This Same Place"?
Sarah: I was working with a prompt about going back to a place you used to be really familiar with, and an imposed rule of not using any ending punctuation until the very last word. I began writing about the living room in my childhood home but became focused on the bookcase that, for me, is and was the center the room sort of revolves around. It's nonfiction, so I just sat for a while remembering all the things on the bookshelf, how I used to interact with them, and what they meant to me then. Picturing those items made me realize how different that girl was, and that the items would not mean the same things to me now, they played big parts-and symbolize other big parts--in my childhood.
Chila: How long did it take you to put it together from idea concept to current iteration?
Sarah: I'd say around nine months. The original piece was really unformed stream-of-consciousness. Instead of reading lyrically, it read like a page and a half long run-on sentence. I thought it was great. I had to put it aside for four or five months before I could see how much work it needed. I think the addition of the word "but" to tie all the segments together helped, and I also pared down the bookcase items to the most meaningful ones.
Chila: Personally, I love the essay. Would you categorize it as a lyric, experimental, or hybrid essay?
Sarah: I'd call it a lyric essay. Maybe a flash lyric, because it's short. To me, it also reads sort of like a prose poem, although I definitely wasn't trying to write poetry. I think some writing can be classified numerous ways, and this piece is probably in that category.
Chila: Can you tell us about one or two other writing projects you're working on at the moment?
Sarah: I "went back to school" when my youngest child went to preschool, and I'll graduate with a B.A. in English this December. So the main project on my mind now is my capstone--kind of like a thesis for undergrad. I was really glad to learn that I can do a creative project instead of a 25 page literary criticism. My goal is to end up with a polished three essay manuscript. Other than that, I have several pieces sitting in a folder ripening that I'll go back to with fresh eyes, in a few months. One is really important to me; I want to get it just right. It's a tribute to my dad, who died unexpectedly two years ago. I really want to do him justice, and not let this piece out until it's as good as I can get it.
Chila: Anything else you want to tell us about your own writing or writing in general? Any lessons or insights you want to share?
Sarah: I have only been writing for a year, not counting the literary criticism pieces assigned for school, so I don't think I have any special wisdom to share. I find inspiration when I hear that other writers have trouble getting started on a piece, or making themselves sit down and write in the first place. I'm an easily distracted procrastinator myself. I have to force myself to begin, and then I eventually lose myself in a piece and really start enjoying myself. I can't see what needs to be revised until I set the piece aside for a while. Then I read it out loud and sometimes it's incredibly obvious. That's like a gift--when I know what to do instead of having to wrestle for a while.
Many thanks to Sarah for these thoughts, and a beautiful, honest essay. ~Chila
Sarah Broussard Weaver lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, four children, three dogs and a hedgehog. She thinks the Internet is actually a great deal better than sliced bread. Find her at sbweaver.com.
Experimental Essay Award Finalist
Sarah Broussard Weaver lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, four children, three dogs and a hedgehog. She thinks the Internet is actually a great deal better than sliced bread. Find her at sbweaver.com.
Experimental Essay Award Finalist