The Writer’s Desk features the desks and writing practices of Gemini Ink faculty, visiting authors, teaching artists, volunteers, students, interns, staff, partners and more. Receive new posts in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter at bit.ly/geminiinknewsletter.
Join us in welcoming Azariah Strong Anderson to our intern team this summer! Azariah is a rising Senior at Trinity University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English.
Please introduce yourself.
Hi, my name is Azariah Anderson. I’m a writer, music producer, DJ, athlete, and Trinity University student. Although originally from Houston, I lived in St. Louis and Washington, D.C., throughout High School. I enjoy spending time with friends and family and love graham crackers and Little Debbie Pecan Spinrolls.
Do you have a favorite place to write?
Brackenridge Park is my favorite place to write, underneath a large oak tree near the stables.
What are your habits or routines before writing?
I try to pray and meditate for about 10-15 minutes before I write. Sometimes I scribble on the page before I begin…
What habit do you have now that you wish you had started much earlier?
One piece of writing advice is to appreciate the journey of discovery that writing is. Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown writes, “In the midst of writing your poems, you have to allow them to do and be what they want to do and be. And if you’re writing the poems that you’re really supposed to be writing, they should be scaring you. They should be having you ask questions about what you really value.”
What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?
I took a risk by publishing my first collection of poems, AZRH Vol 1. In my senior year of High School, I decided to release the poems despite the immense anxiety and nerves I felt about sharing the vulnerable parts of myself. The risk paid off because so many opportunities to read my work have arisen from letting the world see the poems I created early on in my journey.
Favorite book on craft?
My favorite books on Craft are Kwame Alexander’s This is the Honey: An Anthology on Contemporary Black Poets, Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook, and Addonizio and Laux’s The Poet’s Companion.
What is the biggest misconception about being a writer?
The biggest misconception is the aesthetics of being a “writer.” By default, the craft of writing makes you a writer. We all have a story to tell, so let’s write it day by day.
Where is there the most magic in your writing process?
The magic of my writing begins as I use my music production to aid my poetry! When I have difficulty finding the words for what I witness, I make a beat to guide my heart into what I may be feeling. Creating a sonic world for my words to rest in is magic.
