AUSSIE'S INTERVIEW Q: Please tell us about your writing experience. Could you please give us some personal information about yourself and your hobbies? work? etc.

A: Well, I'm a 20 year old security officer who's currently unemployed. I started writing when I was about seven years old because our collection of children's books were rather poor and I wanted to write stories about my baby brother
(now 13, or something like that) Adam. Mind you, all my stories were rather poor in wording (and the illustrations, which I did myself, were worse!).
Most of my time these days is spent looking for work and playing on the computer, trying to get all my avatar library done (and failing at that).

Q: When did you start writing poetry?

A: I don't exactly remember... I think it was 1994.. Yeh, must've been then.

Q: Can you describe your most effective working method? Do you wait for inspiration, or sit down every day with the intention of writing?

A: It all depends, really. I like to go for a long walk and think about the topic presented to me, then sit down and brainstorm stupid ideas. Then, when I'm not watching out for it, inspiration comes up behind me and wallops me with a plank of wood yelling "WRITE THIS! WRITE THIS!" (Which I do, cos I'm afraid of being walloped again)

Q: What were the books and events that most influenced your beginning as a writer?

A: Your not gonna believe this, but it was those "Mr Men" and "Little Miss" books that got me thinking "Hey, I can write this"

Q: You have written quite a number of poems for the OTF Poetry Guild over the years and have quite a large variety, what inspires you?

A: Various things. Sometimes it's as simple a thing as seeing a butterfly when I'm down. Other times it's music, or something I see in real life.

Q: What is your process for writing a poem?

A: Well, first I put on some music to block out all outside distractions, then I sit on my butt in front of the computer, open up notepad and write. I really have no idea.

Q: Do you spend much time rewriting your poems or do they hit the paper complete?

A: Some are first write-best write. My first ones published by the Poetry Guild (Fractured Trek, I think they were called) were stupid, on the spot things that I posted in TF. Other poems, such as "Who?" (my longest poem!) took me about three writes, but the first one was nearly complete (just had to add bits, take bits away, that sorta stuff). "The Silent Knight" had to be ripped apart about five times before I was half-satisfied with it.

To view the rest of this interview go to OTF Poetry Guild and read one of Aussies award winning poems.

July contest is an Open Theme for the contest. Send submissions to Leeta. Don't forget that there is no Poetry Guild contest in August because of the Annual Ceremonies awards.