Lee Fenyes
ORP: What does success as a writer or artist mean to you?
Lee Fenyes: When I know my writing is being read by others, I feel that I am participating in a conversation and giving something back to the literary world that sustains me. With writing, I try to sculpt an experience into something tangible that gives me the chance to reflect and react. Writing allows us to share those experiences with each other.
ORP: What would you say is your most interesting writing and/or artistic quirk? Do you have any habits that you believe help or hinder your creativity?
LF: I have learned that I am not someone who writes every day. I wait until the creative energy comes, and then I write in a burst. Sometimes, the creativity comes through other outlets, like textile arts, collage, or music. Instead of pushing myself to produce, I listen to myself. I have learned not to worry when I don't write; eventually, the writing will come. I let everything be part of the writing process, and remind myself I have to experience life to have something to write about.
ORP: What books have you read many times?
LF: Calvin and Hobbes collections. They remind me not to take myself too seriously.
ORP: What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing or creating? What advice would you give to another writer or artist?
LF: The best advice I've heard about writing is, "don't stop." It reminds me that writing and creating have no schedule; they are part of life and there are no expectations. I would tell other writers or artists to find others who create for the joy of it — that's how I've learned how to enjoy the act of creating instead of focusing on the result.
