Ask the Author: Heidi R. Lewis
Answered Questions (7)
Heidi R. Lewis
I rest. I try to plan and organize better. I talk to people who are as committed to the work as me, people who believe in me, and people who are excited about my projects. I share whatever I have with those people and seek their wisdom. I tell myself I’m capable and worthy. And sometimes? I give up and give in. All-in-all, I try to honor my humanity.
Heidi R. Lewis
This question makes me think of something Toni Morrison once said, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
Heidi R. Lewis
This is really my life adjacent. When he was really young, my great uncle drowned while he was out boating with my grandfather and some other folks. They say my grandpa could swim. I’ve heard others around could swim, too. I’ve heard rumors of foul play—not directly involving my grandfather but another guy who supposedly had issues with my great uncle.
Heidi R. Lewis
Those she wished to see her did. Those she wished to hear her did.
Heidi R. Lewis
I’d go to Toussaint or New Half-Way Tree (Nalo Hopkinson’s Midnight Robber) to admire the beauty, fellowship with my people, and fight injustice.
Heidi R. Lewis
After settling into my first full-time faculty position, I started thinking about how I might contribute to the overwhelmingly white study abroad curriculum at this very well-resourced institution where most students study abroad at least once regardless of economic circumstance. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been able to seriously study a second language, something that’s especially difficult when you’re educated in impoverished, public schools in the U.S. So, I knew I had to teach in a country where a great deal of people speak fluent English. I chose Berlin for that reason, in small part, and, in large part, to honor Black intellectual traditions set forth by Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Angela Y. Davis, and Audre Lorde, all who were influenced by their experiences there. In Audre’s Footsteps was co-created by friends and former students who’ve helped make that course possible since I first taught it in 2014.
Heidi R. Lewis
Read a lot, especially the genre(s) that interests you as a writer. Do a lot of research, even if you write fiction. Write in community with avid readers of and practiced writers within those genres. Share your work with people you trust and respect and who trust and respect you. Admiration is a strong bonus. Don’t respond immediately to feedback, especially if your ego was bruised but even if it wasn’t. Write as much as you can and whenever you can. Be prepared to revise often. Pay attention to and learn yourself as a writer. Learn and practice lots of methods. Be prepared to adjust whenever necessary. Some days you may be inclined to write in the morning. Other days at night. Some days you may write multiple paragraphs or pages in one sitting. Other days just a few words or sentences. Some days you may write better at home. Other days at a coffee shop or in the park. I’m a 40-year-old married mother of a 17 and almost 16-year-old. So, flexibility was key for me. But I hear that’s the case for many other writers with different circumstances. Last, but certainly not least, maintain a commitment to the joy of writing, knowing it won’t always be fun or easy.
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