Sidney Stevens
Oyster River Pages: Why do you write and/or create?
Sidney Stevens: Writing is how I process life. It doesn't completely make sense until I write everything down. It's how I dig into the messiness of the world and find deeper truths behind people's actions and events. Turning life into stories makes it meaningful for me and keeps me grounded.
ORP: What would you say is your most interesting writing and/or artistic quirk?
SS: So many writers I know prefer writing the first draft of a story when they can let their imaginations go wild. I don't. I prefer all the drafts after that—whittling down the story, seeking the perfect words, telling it in just the right way to bring it to life for readers. I think of it like sculpting a block of marble, chipping away day after day until it's the perfect size and shape—a form of beauty.
ORP: What does vulnerability mean to you as an artist and/or writer?
SS: I feel most vulnerable when I'm revealing the truth in a story, whether it's showing the real motivations behind a character's actions or the messy aftermath of some occurrence. For me, it's the hardest thing there is because to tell the truth you must often draw from your own feelings and experiences, many of them painful or ugly. You're laying yourself open to the world, fully vulnerable and naked (at least it can feel that way). But it's the only way to tell a deep and moving story.
ORP: Do habits help or hinder creativity? Why or why not?
SS: I think good writing habits—like sitting down every day at a designated time—can boost creativity. I write every morning, and even if I don't feel inspired on a particular day, good ideas seem to come once I begin. It's like my mind is trained to get in creative-writing mode as soon as I sit down. On the other hand, certain habits of thought can hinder creativity, like assuming you're not good enough or worrying about rejection, etc. It prevents a lot of people from even trying to write.
