Ask the Author: Matt Bialer
Answered Questions (6)
Matt Bialer
I found the story behind ASCENT while I was researching another long poem. I might have been reading about the Mothman story - which is one of the most bizarre American paranormal stories ever. I liked the story of the creature in Ascent because it took place in Iowa in the first decade of the 20th century and it appeared in the local papers. And nobody had cell phone cameras back then or even point and shoots.
Matt Bialer
Follow my instincts and obsessions. I usually find new stuff to write about while I am investigating something else. I am a street photographer which is all about looking at what is in front of you, but what is also outside of you. I think my approach to writing epic poems is like that.
Matt Bialer
An epic poem about the first person who recorded the voice of the dead. He had a huge influence on EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). His name was Fredrich Jurgenson. He was born in Odessa. Lived in Sweden most of his life. Was an opera singer and a painter. Painted two popes many times. Explorer of Pompeii. He was a man of many talents. He was recording wild bird songs at his home in Sweden when he heard some strange voices in a bunch of different languages. I like to really soak myself in my subject matter and find these obsessive personalities. Whether these "stories" are true or not is not that important. To me, it is modern day myth. I am interested in New Myth.
Matt Bialer
Read, read, read. And have interest in other things and the world around you. Don't just read in your own niche. Look at films. Look at art. Try to figure out why something works for you and why it does not.
Matt Bialer
I love thinking about what I will write next. I love being almost done with a project.
Matt Bialer
I had a 25 year old writer's block. It was pretty severe so I let the writing go and pursued black and white street photography and, later, watercolor landscape painting. I always continued to read poetry and many, many other things but I guess I had to really let go of writing until it came back and it was like a gift being handed to me.
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