Today we’d like to introduce you to Mehrnaz Sokhansanj.
Hi Mehrnaz, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My passion for poetry began in middle school and high school, where I was introduced to various writers such as Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Maya Angelou and much more. I would always write as a hobby and started writing poems in my journal from time to time. I didn’t think to pursue writing professionally until I entered college, and eventually worked my way to earn a Bachelor’s degree in creative writing and poetry from UCLA.
After I graduated, my passion for creative writing never diminished. I began hosting creative writing workshops, performed spoken word at various local poetry events in LA, and got my poems published in multiple literary magazines. Currently, I’m promoting my debut poetry chapbook and working on my next poetry collection.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think the greatest challenge for any writer is finding a readership and learning how to grow your audience. While trying to get my work recognized by publications, I had moments where I lost sight of my voice or often lost my inspiration to write because I was trying so hard to appease to the “general reader”. From my experience, I learned that all of my efforts in “finding a readership” was just a waste of time. Your readers will find you sooner or later, and that process will be very slow but natural. Another thing I learned is that there is beauty in specificity. I see no point in watering down my words so that it’s easily digestible to the “average” reader. People appreciate the unique details of a story, and I have become more conscious to zoom in on these details with my writing. The more I continue to practice this, the more insight I get to my personal writing style and voice, which inevitably allows me to grow as a writer/poet.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My debut poetry chapbook, “It doesn’t have to be this way”, is a personal and soulful collection of poems that takes readers on a journey of self-discovery and generational healing. Through verse, I share raw and intense moments of loss, grief, and self-acceptance. You will soon come to find that some of life’s most bitter moments can be overcome by the sweetness of solitude.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned or I should say accepted, is that writing is an act of reflection. And that act in its own nature is in constant resistance with the present moment. Having writer’s block, burnout, or even a loss of creative inspiration is usually a sign that you probably put yourself in a mental state that doesn’t allow you to reflect. Or vice versa, you’re in a state of constant reflection that doesn’t allow you to be present. There has to be a balance to always keep the flow. So live, fall in love, make mistakes, travel, take a break, do nothing, reflect, then repeat and allow your pen to flow with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mehrnazthepoet.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mehrnazthepoet/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mehrnazthepoet/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCpehi6B0qZNr5NsR-bZGw?view_as=subscriber
Image Credits
Please credit Philosopher’s Stone Poetry
