Issue 3 Writer Spotlight | Aniyah Veal
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Aniyah!
AV: I am a full-time student who is finishing my last semester of graduate school. Seeing other people be genuinely happy while accomplishing their goals and pursuing their passions is inspiring to me. I love feeling joy for other people, and it makes me feel like I can choose happiness and pursue my passions as well. People may not know that I want to travel more, especially out of the country as I have never been. Italy and Spain have always been at the top of my list.
C+B: How has your relationship with your work changed since you first started creating?
AV: I have redefined my goals for creative writing and the purpose it serves me. Although I am still receptive to the right opportunity, I have decided that I will not rely on my creative writing to be my primary source of income. Shifting my career goals and taking that pressure off my creativity allowed it to become refreshing and fun again. Now, I can experiment so much more with the freedom of mere practice instead of seeking perfection. It is a healthier relationship because I am writing for me instead of money or trying to prove that creative writing is worth it.
C+B: Share some details about your process for creating.
AV: I usually write privately unless I am struck by an idea or exact wording that I need to write down immediately. I prefer to write in my room during the nighttime because that is when I have the most quiet, uninterrupted time. If I have casual, extra time for writing, I like to play music because I am not worried about getting distracted. If it is my designated writing time, I will not play music because I want to be focused. I try to write at least once a week for an hour or two. I tend to write more on the weekends so that I can give my undivided attention.
C+B: What is the one accomplishment you most hope to achieve in your creative career?
AV: I hope to write and finish a novel in my creative career. I would feel skilled if I could proudly produce a novel because I write in such smaller forms now. It would be fulfilling one of my long-time dreams; it would be special for me and younger me.
Find and support Aniyah here:
IG: @aniyahwrites
Aniyah provides some insight into her process and motivation for creating.
Read more in Issue 3.
If my work was a meal it would be: Reading my work is like eating a full plate of lasagna. It is good and satisfying, but it is also heavy and intense to face the plate at times. After eating, you leave the table feeling noticeably full because the lasagna lingers.
I would love to be able to share my work with: Nicola Yoon. I respect and look up to her as a great writer—as a successful writer who is a woman of color. The Sun is Also a Star is my favorite book because I had such a wowing reading experience. If I could show her my work and hear her honest opinions, I would be over the moon.
If I didn’t write, I would: I would choose to be a part of creating television shows or songwriting if I could not write stories or poetry. I feel very passionate about television shows and music already and I would still be able to tell stories. The higher probability of taking part in collaborative work also draws me to shows and music. I have not experienced collaborative creative writing often and I am intrigued by a different writing energy and environment.
My hope for those reading my work: In my poetry and short stories, I concentrate on actions, inactions, and internal feelings, because it is all so complex and endless. I hope people take away from my work that emotions are hard to interpret even if you are the one feeling them. It is difficult to understand the depth of emotions, difficult to communicate those feelings, and difficult to respond correctly. Everyone deserves grace when it comes to matters of the heart and mind.
