Faith Lakasan is in our upcoming book “Galleon Dreaming” and we checked in with her for her ideas about creativity and how she engages with fiction and poetry.
DILIM: What are your earliest memories of writing or creating?
FL: In grade four, I loved the poetry project my class made before summer rolled around. I wrote in my notebook and typed it in the computer lab. Printing the poems, cutting them and gluing them onto the pages of the bound poetry book!
The memories are full of sunshine because there were no rules and I made poems about random things ranging from flowers to my name to critically endangered species. I have a tendency to mishmash ideas and I like the liberty of exploring a concept in a poem.
DILIM: Do you have a favorite place to feel productive?
FL: My room because it’s my quiet place and I can spill crumbs on my desk when I snack and write. Can’t do that in the library.
DILIM: What advice would you give to yourself from five years ago?
FL: I’d tell myself to write more fiction and poetry without worrying if my work was good enough. It’s better to express yourself instead of wondering when you’re going to start writing.
I’d also tell myself to read guides on how to write a compelling story, understanding story beats in a narrative, and a quick search for the meaning of filler words. Most importantly, I’d say that the writer’s journey is worth it.
You’re constantly learning, writing, and improving!
DILIM: What would you want the reader to remember, long after they’ve left the page?
FL: I’d want them to remember the meaning of my work. Maybe it’s about family, survival, or cultural superstition, and I hope that at one point in time or another, they’re reminded of what I explored regarding those topics/themes.
Additionally, what I remember long after I’ve left the page of other authors’ works, is the feeling I had when I first finished a poem or read a line that surprised, delighted, or saddened me. I hope the reader remembers how they first felt when they read a line in my work that moved them.
DILIM: What’s next for you in your creative process?
FL: I’m reading more novels that resonate with me, from studying prose on a line-level, reflecting on themes, and looking for more comp titles to my Filipino fantasy book. It’s been in the works for two years now, and I hope to finish it soon.