- Introduce yourself. Include your full name.
My name is Arielle Tipa (AH-Ree-elle Tee-pa).
- When you write, do you start with a plan and move from there, or do you generally go where the writing takes you?
Very rarely is my writing the product of a plan. It ebbs and flows. It comes in spurts. Sometimes I’ll be driving and a line or phrase will come to me. I’d have to jot it down on my Notes app before I forget it.
- What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever gotten?
Your validity as a writer isn’t dependent on how often or how much you write.
- What advice can you give about revising and editing work?
Editing and revising are the main reasons not to rush through a piece before submitting it. There have been countless times where I thought a piece was done, and I was ready to submit it ASAP, until I took another glance at it and realized it could have used more spacial manipulation or another line or less conjunctions, etc. I’m not formally educated in poetry, per se (I’ve taken 2 or 3 classes in my lifetime), so I can just sum it up as the usual “Edit before you regret it” (or in this case, withdraw your piece for further editing, if needed, which I have done a handful of times).
- What advice can you give about navigating the world of publishing?
Well, coming from both perspectives as a writer and an editor, it’s daunting yet exciting. I would say keep expanding your portfolio and keep up-to-date on open submission periods (Poets & Writers is a great resource. So is Twitter).
- Who are your influences?
Lucie Brock-Bruido, Djuna Barnes – too many to count. I’m also inspired by lyrics and music by Rasputina, Imogen Heap, and others.
- What was the inspiration for the piece(s) published in Coffin Bell?
I remember wanting to write a poem inspired by the series ‘Penny Dreadful’ back in 2018, so I went from there and combined it with some lines I had written down sporadically over the span of some months. The majority of it reflects dark daydreams I have, specifically involving what my idea of a “haunted house” is.
- Taphophobia is the fear of being buried alive. Tell us about your fears.
Falling. Heights. I have at least one nightmare per year where I feel like I’m falling right through my bed and into some upside-down sky. I always remember waking up in a complete panic.
- What draws you to dark literature?
I can’t seem to grasp why it does draw me in. Maybe that’s what attracts me about dark literature – the reason is foggy, but it’s there.
- How does the darkness in your piece enhance the work?
I like to convey traditional darkness with what could be considered “erotic”, or lightly erotic. I believe the former enhances the latter, and vice versa. To me, they make the best pair in poetry. I think “amaranth” is a good example of this.
- How important are your surroundings when you write? Tell us about your workspace.
I have a quiet desk space in the house I grew up in and continue to live in now. It’s crowded with books and stationery, so it’s a perfect environment for me. While writing, I like to listen to atmospheric ASMR and/or classical music (to an extent). Elements like that are important to me while writing. I like to be stimulated, but not too much when it comes to focusing on a piece.
- If you had to summarize your philosophy of literary creation, what would that be?
My philosophy is kind of a personal logic for me. The more I read, the more I write (and I haven’t been reading as much as I should be lately, so the math is easy). So, the more you read, the more you write, because I guess with all of that stimulation and inspiration, that magic little light bulb above your head turns on. All right, I need to open a book.
- Where can we find more of your work?
My portfolio can be found at arielletipa.com.