Bina Ruchi Perino & Dorothy Chan discuss titling books & poems, deadlines, art crushes, writing advice, & more for The Boiler.
From the interview:
Bina Ruchi Perino: What is a favorite piece of advice from a mentor of yours? How did it help you with your writing?
Dorothy Chan: Everything my poetry dad, Norman Dubie has ever told me. He is everything.
Here’s a piece of his advice that will help everyone (paraphrased): I remember the first day of Norman’s workshop, the first day of the MFA at Arizona State. He told us to stay healthy, to eat well, and to limit our drinking. He said it was important to stay healthy because staying healthy also ensures good poetry and longevity of career.
I always think about Norman’s advice. The poetry world can feel so competitive sometimes, but it’s also important to keep the big picture in mind, in more ways than one. So, it’s important to stay healthy. If you’re not healthy, you can’t write your best poems. You can’t organize full-length collections. You can’t keep a clear, calm, and steady mind.
