We love learning more about our contributors, and an interview seemed like a fun way to hear more about the writers and artists we publish, so we gave them a choice of questions to answer. We hope you also enjoy hearing more about the artists and their works. Read on and check out issue 24 for "What Is It Like to Be a Mothman"" from D.M. Dunn.


What was the inspiration for the piece published in the issue?
There were two main sources of inspiration for this piece. The first is my grandmother. She was a wonderful and strong woman. This really is her story. The second is a piece of art I bought at a local gallery. It shows a deer that has recently died. Instead of showing decay or rot, the artist has chosen flowers blooming on the body. I bought it not long after I saw it and wrote this piece not long after.

What is your "white whale"?
Writing for television. That's the form that I love at the end of the day.

What is your #1 advice for other writers?
Write for yourself first. Always. It'll show if you're trying to write for others. Trust that you'll find your tribe by writing something that you'd want to read.

Who or what inspires your work generally?
My trauma, generally speaking. Though I rarely find the act of writing cathartic, as the saying goes. Writing, for me, is a wrestling match between me and an idea. I love to do it, but like exercise or plucking nose hairs, I'm always pleased by the end result but seldom relish in the task.

What is your creative process? Do you plan pieces out or let them happen as they come?
I'm a very, very, very linear writer. I start with an idea. An opening. I usually know where it's going, but I almost never know where it's going to end when I start. I'll have a nebulous idea of the feeling I want to get at the end. Then I start writing. Unless I feel drawn to start on the computer, I almost exclusively start my first draft with pen and paper. I like this because it causes me to think about where I'm going. I'm a decent typist, so if I just fly through my thoughts on a word processor, I don't have time to think about what's coming, and I'll often get frustrated. That's where my writer's block comes from. I almost never have it with pen and paper, though I'll admit it's more laborious.