Meet Michelle Donfrio!
Age: 31
Location: Aurora, Illinois (The City of Lights!)
Education: BA in Writing and working on Masters of Writing and Publishing
The Writer
How long have you been writing?
This sounds so cliché but I have been writing for as long as I can remember. The first time my writing was recognized was in second grade. We had a school writing contest and my story won honorable mention. I knew, even then, it was an integral part of who I was.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer?
Finding the proper time balance to write and edit properly. I struggle to find the time to get my hair trimmed, let alone devote “extracurricular” time to write. Often writers advise to write every day. While that it probably good advice, and something that I aim for, it’s somewhat unrealistic in today’s world. Few people are blessed with full-time writing careers. Most of us juggle full-time jobs in unrelated fields, families, classes, and everyday chores. Writing is an involved process with many steps. When I do find the time, I consciously change my head-space in order to immerse myself in the process despite all else happening in my life.
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
Grimace. (No, it’s not a poem about the McDonalds character!) The poem speaks to the oddity of “adulthood.” I often think about adulthood and what that entails. As for myself, I don’t feel like I’ve truly crossed that threshold. I’m an adult in age but I’m still childlike inside. I think this feeling may be universal. We stumble into adulthood and never really feel that we belong there. Adulthood’s obligations never quite “fit” us. For me, adulthood means a lot of repression that is both conscious and unconscious. As a child, all I ever wanted was to grove-up. Adulthood represented freedom. Once I became an adult, I wanted to work my way back to my inner child. The inner child is the pure and unabashed me. The grimace is the face I sometimes wear, as an adult, in order to cope with the pain of never quite feeling at-ease in my own skin.
How long did it take you to complete “Grimace?”
Surprisingly, this poem flowed quite freely. I wrote the first draft on a train ride home from work. I made only a few quick edits and the piece just felt “right.” This is the exception and not the rule!
Anything else you’d like to share about your work in Crack the Spine?
The Methods
How often do you write?
I try to set aside time each week that is devoted only to writing, editing, submitting, etc. Sadly, this doesn’t always happen. I keep myself “above water” and if I’m forcing myself to write, it doesn’t give me good results. I try to be patient with myself and let the writing come as it comes. While this may mean that I churn-out less writing, I manage to keep myself sane. My writing improves when my constitution improves.
What time of day or night makes you most productive as a writer?
Earlier in the day. There are so many thoughts floating around in my head at all times. If I don’t write when the day is fresh, those thoughts blur by the end of the day. This results in unclear and rushed writing.
How many drafts do you generally go through before you consider a piece to be complete?
Again, my methods are probably not conventional. I go by my gut. If a piece looks right, sounds right, and feels right….it’s done! That being said, I have labeled several poems as complete only to revise them again months later.
What are your thoughts on writing at a computer vs. writing longhand?
I think this depends on the writer. I like to write my first draft longhand and then type the piece out to see how it looks. I then print out the writing and revise it again by hand. I primarily write poems, short stories, or flash fiction. This works well for shorter genres but I really admire those novelists that write the full novel in a notebook and then type it out later.
How do you react to editorial rejections of your work?
There are so many journals and writing opportunities in the world. While this is great news, it also means mathematically that with more opportunity comes more rejection. I’m pretty used to rejection and it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to. I try, try, again. The best rejections are those that take the time to tell you what you can revise or that give you encouragement.
The Madness
What is your favorite book?
I could never pick a favorite book. It would be like asking someone to choose a favorite child.
If you could have dinner with one fictional character, who would it be and why?
Anne of Green Gables. I idolized her as a child. I returned to her series this month and was surprised to find that as she got older, I liked her character less and she seemed less consistent. I need to eat dinner with her to resolve my mind for good! J
Who would play you in the film of your life?
A muppet? I’m a bit strange….not sure who would measure up.
What makes you cry?
Anything overwhelmingly beautiful. Tears of sadness come from a place where I feel an emotional injustice has taken place. On the other end of the spectrum, if something is sweet beyond measure, it produces tears of wonderment and happiness.
What’s in that cup on your desk?
Pens, pens, and more pens. I’m always in a cycle of losing pens, buying more pens, and then losing them again. There are now a plethora of pens at my desk.
Chocolate or Vanilla?
Both, please. Yum.
Beach or Mountains?
Give me beach
Cats or Dogs?
My dog, Onyx.
Additional Reading on Michelle