This Interview Answers All Your Burning Questions
Y’all ready for Hot Girl Summer Pt. 2?
These questions were created by Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) for the writers of the Medium publication The Brain is a Noodle.
[1] As a writer, how do you come up with new ideas? How do you capture them so that they are ready when you sit down to write?
Spontaneous inspiration rules my writing life (usually). That’s how my best pieces are made. I see something, feel that lovely magic of inspiration, and write. Or, if I can’t write I’ll jot down the idea in my notes.
The last time this happened I was watching Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia with my sister. I had a sudden urge to write a wild YA novel. So, I scribbled down the idea in my notes and got back to watching that beautiful mess. If you haven’t watched Ginny and Georgia, please do.
[2] On the spectrum of introvert — ambivert — extrovert, where would you place yourself? What are some reason(s) you think you might place in that position? Does it change depending on context?
I’ve always thought of myself as an introvert. But, the real tea is that it depends on the setting.
I love being around certain people. They’re the ones that fill you with energy instead of drain you. When I feel comfortable, I transform into an extrovert.
But, since Ms. Rona, I’ve been deep in my introvert bag. But, once the gang gets fully vaccinated, I’ll get back out there.
[3] What is your relationship with sound? Whether you interpret this word to encompass awkward silences in interactions to the connection found through music, take us on a journey on how you relate to the external world through this sense.
Music is one of the greatest joys of my life. The right song makes me feel like a brand new woman. That’s one of the reasons why I miss concerts with my whole heart. All the good concerts ain’t coming back until next year at the earliest. Sad.
I have so many memories embedded within music. Some songs whisk me away to a particular time in my life. For example, I remember when I was at an elementary school dance and Usher’s “Yeah” was playing.
When he says “how the hell am I supposed to leave” the entire grade starts ooh-ing and ah-ing because “hell” is such a bad word. A teacher immediately runs over to the boom box and turns the song off. I miss those days when “hell” was the worst word I could think of.
[4] How has your culture or context shaped your beliefs about relationships and what they “should” look like? How much do you subscribe to those expectations?
Oh man, oh man, oh man. There’s a whole article in this — how Black media has portrayed Black relationships. Spoiler alert: it hasn’t been the best. Even in Black TV shows/movies, they only show a certain kind of Black woman as worthy of being loved. These women are usually light-skinned, slim, cisgender, and non-disabled.
How Black media shows relationships, and who’s “desirable”, has had a strong impact on the Black community — and me. I grew up in a mostly white town and rarely saw my extended family, so most of the Black relationships I saw were on TV/movies.
There were many times I thought that I’d never find a loving relationship— especially when I was dating in college. That was a hot mess. I spent a lot of time trying to prove my worthiness. If you’re interested in learning more about my dating struggles, check out this article:
And — I haven’t even gotten to the stereotypes surrounding Black women and relationships that Black media continues to perpetuate *looking at you Tyler Perry* AND how unhealthy relationships are shown as the norm. It’s a lot to navigate.
Now that I’ve realized it’s all BS I’m in a much better headspace. But, it’s been a journey.
[5] What is one food that reminds you of childhood?
Salsa flavored Doritos. They came in a black bag and were absolutely delicious. Now they have spicy-sweet chili and salsa verde — but none match the swag of the OG.
Another one that comes to mind is Lunchables. I specifically remember the chicken nugget shake-ups which were equally delicious and disgusting. Something about eating cold chicken nuggets doesn’t rub me the right way. But, I remember this commercial for the shake-ups vividly.
Top fives!
- Who are 5 of your favourite musicians/ bands?
6LACK, BROCKHAMPTON, J. Cole, SZA, and Ari Lennox. Each link is a surprise song recommendation from that artist — so have fun with that!
- What are your top 5 favourite fruits?
Grapes, grapes, tangerines, bananas, and apples.
- What are your top 5 least favourite vegetables?
This question is a head-scratcher. I love most vegetables. The only ones I remember not liking are the red/yellow peppers in these frozen stir-fry veggie bags I used to buy. They were wiggly and gross.
- What are 5 times in your life where you wish you took more time to celebrate?
Every time I’ve finished a writing book, college graduation, whenever I get rejected, whenever I get negative feedback, and birthdays.
- What are 5 reasons that get you out of bed each morning?
Breakfast, my gummy vitamins, clips from Desus and Mero on YouTube, my family, and sunshine
Speaking of Desus and Mero, here’s one of my favorite segments they’ve ever done:
Articles to share
- A piece that deserves more love: “Reading Children’s Books Helped Heal My Inner Child”
- A creative piece: “The Day the Mall Became a Battleground”
- A piece shorter than 2 mins: “Wash Day”
- An article from your favourite publication: “This Album Helped Me Overcome My Social Anxiety”
- A self-published piece: “Mini Movie Reviews #1: Black Movies Streaming Right Now”
Big shout out to Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) for the great interview questions!
Interested in doing your own? Awesome. Check out her post for the empty template.
Nia Simone McLeod is a writer, content creator, and pop culture enthusiast from Richmond, Virginia. She’s the creator and editor of the Medium publications oh, write and coiled. In her newsletter, she shares writing prompts, the best in pop culture, and sneak peeks at her upcoming work.
