Today we’d like to introduce you to Raundi Moore-Kondo.
Hi Raundi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Fiction writing began as my guilty pleasure and my deepest secret. As a kid growing up in Southern California, I spent countless hours dreaming up screenplays and soap-opera dramas and listening to AM radio. Around the age of 30, I began formally (and secretly) writing a novel for the pure joy of playing words and characters and poetic devices. All the tell-take signs of addiction were rampant: writing was a compulsion, and regardless of the negative ramifications and loss of sleep, I wanted to spend every moment writing. Everything else in my life suffered: the housework, the grocery shopping, the child rearing. Who knew it was just the beginning of something more life changing than I could have imagined. Since then, I have published 2 poetry collections and a full-length novel. None of it would have been possible if I hadn’t fallen in love.
In 2009, after falling in love with poetry and the Los Angeles poetry community, I wrote poetry daily, participated in numerous writing workshops, and performed everywhere I could. Bars, libraries, college campuses, and coffee houses all over Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. Some of my fondest memories were performing at Da Poetry Lounge, Redondo Poets, Gatsby Books, Beyond Baroque, Two Idiots Peddling Poetry, The Basement, Harvell’s and countless other poetry haunts and parties.
Performing and collaborating with other poets combined with the pursuit of getting published became another addiction, but this time I wasn’t secretive about it. I began leading creative writing workshops for local groups and founded For the Love of Words: Creative Writing Collective, which quickly grew into a full-time coaching business and small press for writers aged 5 to 95.
Working with writers from all over the world (now via zoom), it is still a joy to help others produce work they are proud of and help them share it with the world. After a decade of working with countless writers and publishing poetry anthologies, in 2021, my tried-and-true writing games and prompts were published in a series of Creative Expression Workbooks. Currently, I am working on a classic poetry writing curriculum– JUST ADD POETRY: Lessons on Style & Form from the OG’s of Poetry (available in 2023).
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey has been a joyous one. The Southern California poetry community have been beyond kind and generous. Poets like Jaimes Palacio, Ben Trigg, Steve Ramirez, John Gardiner, Larry Colker, Jim Doane, R.D. Armstrong, Daniel McGinn, Lori McGinn, Kelsey Bryan-Zwick, Brendan Constantine, Rick Lupert, Peggy Dobreer, Derrick C. Brown, Eric Morago, members of Poets in Distress, Joanne, and Ed Baines of Pond Water Society (Covina) and countless others, have taken me under their wing and elevated me every step along the way. I have been blessed by the powers of poetry in the City of Angels and beyond, time and time again.
The greatest honor is when people asked me to work with their children. Writing with kids is the best part of my job. They never cease to surprise me with their wit, talent, and ability to remain playful and have fun with writing. For some, writing can feel like drowning in a sea of comma splices and paper cuts, but my personal goal is to leave my clients feeling surprised by how deeply satisfying and life affirming writing can be. A student once said to me: “If I can write about a personal problem, I usually don’t need to talk to anyone about it. Writing down my thoughts in poetry helps me work it out for myself.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Surprise is the name of the game. My clients never know what is in store for them when they log-in to a coaching session, but they know for sure it will be interesting, fun, and new, and they are going to write something unforgettable. As a full-time writing coach, for the past 12 years, I have worked with 30-50 writers per week (both individually and in small groups) on poetry, essays, short stories, screenplays, novels, manuscripts, memoirs, and song lyrics burning up their laptops. Helping them find a purpose for their work is incredibly fulfilling.
Whatever they are working on, I meet them where they are at. My usual first question is: How can I best help you with your writing right now? Perhaps it is preparing for an appearance on a radio show to talk about their latest book, or an English quiz, or a looming poetry publication deadline. Besides their main “project”, I have a slew of fresh writing prompts, creative project ideas, and publication/contest opportunities at the ready. An amalgam of my plans and their needs will ensue. I pride myself on never teaching the same lesson twice. My goal is to stay flexible and in tune with my client’s needs as a writer and help them delight themselves with their own ideas, words, and thoughts. Of course, ultimately the client is in charge. I don’t believe in coercion. I might offer them a challenge, but if the writer’s heart isn’t in it, then what is the point?
As all good coaches, I encourage my students to practice and challenge themselves to improve in every way they can. In some cases, it’s by adding more poetry to their prose; more punctuation to their poetry; a few similes to their song lyrics; or paragraph breaks to their short story. The art of writing requires understanding the rules, so we can use them to our advantage to impact our reader in the strongest way possible, as well as entertain ourselves. I advise my students to begin and end with a BANG, and make it memorable.
Ending with enthusiasm is a key trick to my trade: both in writing and in our time together. Leaving writers feeling empowered and inspired to take the next step is my goal. I love writing, and I want everyone to love it, use it, and be perpetually surprised by what a satisfying medium is to be creative with.
Writing is one of the most uniquely human things a being can do. As a writer of fiction, poetry, creative essay, spoken word, lyrics, and speeches, I pass on every ounce of my knowledge and experience to the writers and artists I work with and provide a safe space for them to practice and talk about their writing; giving them and their work the respect they deserve, just like my own mentors did for me. My clients invariably teach me right back and go on to teach others. Some of my former students are workshop leaders, poetry publishers, and still addicts after all these years. Writer’s addiction is contagious under the right conditions. The writing bug is worth spreading because… SURPRISE! It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My family and dearest friends have made my journey possible, cheered me on, and made me feel capable of moving mountains. My bandmates, my clients, and my roller skate buddies at FVSC all supersize my heart, mind, and soul.
Most of all… My husband who supports my every crazy creative endeavor with 110% enthusiasm. He is my head of research, IT-Guy, and world’s best roadie. Our children are both extraordinary artists and my mentors and gurus in all things. Hats off to my parents who allowed me the freedom to daydream, listen to the radio, and watch as much TV as I wanted.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheLoveOfWords.com
Website: www.RKKONDO.com - Instagram: RaundiKai
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raundikai.moorekondo
Image Credits
Michael Kondo
Dave Williams (Trumpet Player, Leader of Magic Bullet Theory)
