Last month, I was fortunate to be able to sit down in a busy Italian restaurant with some pizza and text the lovely Caitlin Conlon, award winning poet and author of the chapbook Cavity. I picked her brain and talked to her about writing fiction, inspiration for her poetry, and what she hopes the future holds.
Okay so the first question: What inspired you to start writing and how old were you when you started?
Caitlin: I've been writing for as long as I can remember -- when I was in elementary school I'd often write short stories and fantasize about being a children's author. I even began writing a ghost story in a notebook that I wanted to make a whole novel -- I'd forgotten about that until just now. It wasn't until my freshman year of high school that I really began diving into poetry, though, which is where I really found my home.
As far as why I started, it all traces back to me wanting to make other people feel the way literature made me feel. Wanting to make other people feel as understood as I did.
That's amazing and I feel like that's something a lot of artists have in common - wanting to make other people feel understood the way certain art makes us feel understood. I love that answer! You mentioned writing a ghost story when you were young. Would you ever consider writing fiction?
Right?! I feel like being understood is such a critical part of existence, it's awesome that it meshes so well with art.
I took a few classes during my undergrad for fiction writing, because I feel like if you stretch one writing muscle you work the others. I'm interested in fiction, as somebody who's always loved it immensely, but it's something that I definitely have to work on and fine tune.
I totally get what you mean about stretching writing muscles, that's a good way to put it!
As for other people's work, I'm interested in hearing what poets you've looked up to!
My favorite poet is Richard Siken -- as far as work that I look up to, he's definitely number one. I distinctly remember reading his work for the first time and being so in awe of what he was able to do with language and how he was able to convey very specific feelings. His collections are ones that I return to often.
I'll be sure to check him out! So what inspired you to actually publish your chapbook? I'm sure it can be a bit of a nerve-wracking process.
With my chapbook, I had a lot to say. I published more out of necessity than anything else -- I was feeling a lot and I was desperate to be heard, desperate to have my experiences out in the world so that I could try and move on from them.
That makes sense. Do you feel like writing has helped you through parts of your life that you would have struggled more with if you didn't have that outlet?
Yes, in more ways than one. Writing has shown me that so many of the feelings I thought were unique are universal -- it's grounded me to the universe. It's also given me a unique way to process my feelings, as writing forces me to consider what exactly I'm going through and why.
That's such a great explanation! I completely identify with that.
I'm curious as to what inspires you to sit down and write in your every day life.
It's a little of everything! The people around me that I care about, strangers, my mental illness, the things I feel and notice in the world.
And what about social media? You have a pretty large following. Do you ever feel pressured to create poetry for your followers, rather than yourself?
It isn't so much that I feel pressured to create for my followers, but for the algorithm. Social media favors those who post every day and that just isn't realistic for all artists. It's a battle, wanting to gain an audience and wanting to create naturally. They don't always line up.
I can definitely understand that based on my own experience with social media.
Okay, this is the last question and I'm very excited about this one! Where would you like your writing to take you in the future? What's the ultimate goal for you?
The ultimate goal is for this to be my career, the thing that I do for a living. I just want it all. I want the tours and the book signings and the readings and the writing and the editing and all of that stuff. It often feels so unattainable, but it helps seeing others around my age doing the same kinds of things and succeeding in their own right. Writing poetry is what I love, and if I ever get to a point where I'm able to do that every day and survive from it I'll have something really, really special. I'm hoping.
To me you're a total rockstar so I have no doubt you'll keep producing amazing work.
Thank you so much for your time!
I hope you enjoyed this short interview - more interviews coming soon <3 If you want to support Caitlin follow her on Instagram at: @cgcpoems
You can also buy her chapbook and merch on her website: just click here!
Thanks for reading! Xox, Maddy Hart