Jiaqi Gao
Oyster River Pages: How does your own writing or art surprise you?
Jiaqi Gao: The catharsis and self-discovery that occurs when I write creative nonfiction amazes me. My first draft tends to be hastily carved by a surge of free flowing thoughts and emotions. Like the unclogging of a sink drain or the twisting of a soda bottle cap, I feel like I've released something amorphous that I had been holding onto. In subsequent revisions, I scrutinize over my choice of subject and words as a tangible resource for studying my subconscious. From here, I sometimes discover a new perspective or a nuanced understanding of a particular life experience or phenomenon. It's remarkable to me how the creator can be molded by her own act of creating.
ORP: Do you rely more on discipline, inspiration, or something else when writing or creating artwork?
JG: I used to think writing was a very personal activity, but I've recently found that there is immense power in being vulnerable enough to share writing with others. As someone who does not write full-time, I certainly rely on discipline and inspiration to produce work, though while the former can be within my control, the latter is often not. What I've come to appreciate is the support of writing alongside friends and peers who are equally vulnerable in sharing their writing process.
ORP: Who is an up-and-coming writer or artist that you would recommend our ORP audience check out? Please link us to their site, social media, or published work so we can share it along with your response!
JG: Sharon Lin is a dear friend of mine but also a writer with a hefty stack of published and unpublished work. Her poems and essays are sometimes delicate, sometimes serrated, but always raw with sweet and bitter flavors. This description may be vague, but I think you would understand if you read her work. She shares a selection of her published pieces on her website https://sharontlin.github.io/writing. You can find her on Twitter @sharontlin.
ORP: What do you see as the greatest obstacle or challenge to your personal creativity? How do you work to overcome it?
JG: Recently, my challenge with writing is to be more compassionate. The pursuit for perfect phrasing is stifling and unproductive. I realized that I need to be compassionate with my own writing, that it can–and should–take iterations of revisions before I can dust off a multi-faceted piece of pride. I'm learning to accept ugly work and tend to it with patience.
