(S1: RITUAL) On the Creative Journey & Literary Inclusion

The Artist Inclusive Podcast

“I guess my ritual is beneficial procrastination, which is not something that looks good on a job application.”

— Benji Carr

Benji Carr, author of the upcoming novel Impacted, prefers not to write in his office or another quiet space.

Instead, he heads out to his local Dunkin Donuts or storefront cafe.

Benji believes that there’s no wrong way to write... so long as you end up productive eventually.

And a lot of the work of writing doesn’t involve writing at all.

“For the longest time, I couldn’t give myself permission to think. I kept thinking that if I wasn’t producing something, that if I didn’t have words on the page, that I wasn’t being productive or effective,” Benji explains. “But then all of a sudden, I realized that the amount of time that I was spending just brainstorming… and letting ideas marinate proved to have an effect on quality in the long run.”

There’s room in the writing scene for all types of writers and their methods — which is one of the reasons why Benji and I co-founded online literary magazine Gutwrench Journal.

Tune in for a great conversation about making space for new voices, the drawbacks of writing groups, and which soap operas reign supreme.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• Why we need intentional, inclusive spaces for new and underrepresented voices
• How your writing tools affect how you write — and exercises to help improve your craft
• The programs and tools Benji used while writing his novel

About Benji Carr

Growing up in the South with cerebral palsy, Benji Carr developed an eye for the bizarre and quirky, which provided the stories he told his friends and family with a bit of flavor. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ArtsATL and Pembroke Magazine. He helps run the online literary magazine, Gutwrench Journal. Impacted is his first novel.

Highlights:‌ ‌

• 01:53 “What is your ritual?”
• 04:05 Writing exercises & tools
• 09:11 Storytelling
• 12:26 The Waffle House story
• 14:00 Carapace
• 15:41 Inclusivity & Gutwrench
• 24:30 Impacted
• 28:17 Writing a novel
• 33:02 Tools used
• 36:42 Imposter syndrome
• 37:55 Productivity, pandemic & positivity

Links:‌ ‌

http://benjicarr.com
Twitter & IG: @benji_carr
https://eagleeyebooks.com/searchbysubject/index?subject=benji%20carr
https://foxtalebookshoppe.indielite.org/book/9781611883053
http://www.talltalesatlanta.com
http://www.carapacestories.com
https://www.gutwrenchjournal.com/2019/02/21/what-r-u-made-of
https://www.gutwrenchjournal.com/2015/11/28/the-american-legion-halloween-dance
https://www.gutwrenchjournal.com/2017/02/27/grouse-wing-barrel-a-letter
https://lizlerman.com/critical-response-process
https://ommwriter.com

Special thanks to the production team at The Ultimate Creative and our business manager Erika Macauley. Music for this podcast was recorded with producer Spencer Garn at Diamond Street Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more at www.hollandcreative.io/ritual