Meet a CTS contributor and discover the methods and the madness behind her work.
A.R. Robins
Age: 30
Location: Missouri
Education:Master of Arts in English Studies at Southeast Missouri State University
The Writer
Do you have a specific writing style?
Carrie Bradshaw meets the Quentin section in Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury
Do you see writing as a career?
Writing has become the thing I do when I’m supposed to be doing something else. I imagine I’ll find something else to do if I’m ever required to write for a living.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer?
Explaining to my family why I don’t write mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, or romance novels.
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
“Bird Watching” is a poem that’s only kind of sort of about birds.
Is there a main theme or message in “Birdwatching?”
Almost everything you do or think about can be linked to a time when you were a disappointment to your mother or when your mother disappointed you.
What inspired this work?
I sometimes put on an old ornithology video for my cats to watch while I write. As a result, this is not my first poem about birds. Check out another poem of mine in Atlas and Alice titled “On Birds and Bees
The Methods
What are your thoughts on writing at a computer vs. writing longhand?
Writing anything by hand gives me anxiety because I automatically assume I misspelled something and that everyone hates me.
How do you react to editorial rejections of your work?
I submit someplace else.
What is your best piece of advice on how to stay sane as a writer?
Remember that everything is pointless, so try to be happy. Read enjoyable books and write about stuff that hurts you. Take care of yourself. Go on walks. Eat whole grains. Take your medication. Marry a good person and fall in love with your family.
The Madness
What is your favorite word?
Robitussin
What makes you laugh?
My husband
What makes you cry?
Commercials that have cats in them
What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?
My son just after he was born. He is the most beautiful person I have ever met, and I’ve met a lot of beautiful people.
Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams?
Tommy Wiseau