Writing Your Own Process: Melinda Wilson
Alumni share their experiences and insights on polishing the craft and finding their own voice
How has your writing changed throughout the years? What has surprised you the most?
MW: This is such an interesting question because, while I think my writing has changed a lot over the years, there are some obsessions or preoccupations that have remained. When I was younger, before I knew that what I was writing was something like poetry, my writing felt like a researcher’s field notes. I wrote so much about nature, mostly observations, documenting what I saw in the world around me– the dead vole, the injured bird, the overnight Chanterelles. My move to New York City from rural New Hampshire had a profound effect on my writing. I still write a lot about nature, but as I aged, I grew a lot bolder in my writing. I became more willing to take on personal struggles of identity, sexuality, and what female autonomy looks like under patriarchy. I think what surprises me most about the evolution of my writing life is the way in which my fury and grace are able to coexist, each finding their space in the poems.
What do you enjoy about writing the most? The least?
MW: I get an odd sense of satisfaction when I “finish” a poem. When those final couple of lines hit just right, and I know that the poem is whole. That’s probably my favorite part about writing, but I also really enjoy the way, for me, writing poetry overlaps with research. I tend to do a lot of reading that ultimately informs my poetry. I’ll learn about the long-fingered lemurs of Madagascar and suddenly I’m the largest nocturnal primate alive. My least favorite part about writing, without a doubt, is editing. I’m a terrible editor of my own work. I think I give solid advice to other poets, but I have a hard time seeing my own work with any kind of objective clarity.
Who have you been reading lately? How have they influenced your writing or inspired you in any way?
MW: Lately, I’ve been reading the Selected Works of Paul Violi. Paul was actually one of my teachers at The New School. I’ve always loved his work, but I just recently picked up his Selected again off my bookshelf, and I can’t believe I’ve been away from it for so long. I’m especially a fan of Harmatan (1977). It chronicles some of Paul’s time in Nigeria, and it inspires me to continue note-taking, to continue my quiet observation.
How did completing an MFA help you find your style or purpose in your writing?
MW: I say this in all sincerity: I have never made a better choice than attending The New School to pursue an MFA in poetry. I think what helped me most was the support and collaboration of my peers. It was such a satisfying feeling to be around people who wanted to read my writing, wanted me to read theirs, wanted to talk about the book they just read, wanted to go to readings in the city. With my poetry people, there was always a healthy balance of competition and creative partnership. I’ve never been the best editor of my own work, so having a trusted circle of writers willing to provide me with feedback was essential in finding my “style.”
What piece of advice would you give to current students who are in the process of crafting their first novels/collections?
MW: I don’t know about advice, but I think it’s good practice to simply persist. Keep writing, keep questioning, keep reading, keep engaging. Keep on.
Melinda Wilson is an American poet, educator, and editor based in the Bronx, New York. Her poetry is characterized by its exploration of women’s experiences, the natural world, and themes of loss and memory. Wilson’s work has been featured in journals such as Verse Daily, The Cincinnati Review, The Minnesota Review, and Coldfront, a literary magazine she co-founded in 2006. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire, an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and a Ph.D. in English from Florida State University. Wilson has taught at various institutions, including Baruch College, LIM College, St. John’s University, Fordham University, and Florida State University, focusing on writing center pedagogy and composition. Currently, she is the director of the Center for Academic Success and English faculty at Manhattan University. Her debut poetry collection, What It Was Like to Be a Woman, was published by Indolent Books in late 2024.
This interview series is produced by Camilla Marchese Gonzalez.