Interview with Stephen Honig

Author of Messing Around With Words

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

Born Albany NY. Raised Brooklyn NY. Live now in Newton MA.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

Came to Massachusetts for law school and found the Boston area beautiful, more mellow than NY and great access to beach and country. Easier to raise children also.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

After writing poetry for over fifty years I wanted to save it from oblivion and share it with children and grandchildren.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

People who like words rationally associated with ideas while also having affinity with emotion. And, I have found, acquaintances who are curious about what sort of poetry comes out of a seemingly “established “ corporate lawyer.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

That assumes I write about a defined set of topics. If there are identifiable differences in my work they are these: first I am free to mix classical poetic forms with the modern and, second, I write about everything based on broad experience and interests.

I write about emotions and death and vagaries of life as almost all poets do, and about beauty and nature as many do, but also history and war and geography and literature and myth and power and business and depravity and crime. And more. All subjects have stories to be told if the poet has had been around and widely exposed and experience. All subjects can be explored in words and all words have poetic potential. So in answer to the question: anyone who things or feels about any aspect of our universe.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

First and forgive the presumption in me answer but I find it easy. Perhaps my poetry is poor which is a result in many things of lack of sweat but I have been doing this all my life and for example I was on a commuter train yesterday and in about fifteen minutes I wrote two poems that I really like. Second and I suspect this is not uncommon, poetry helps work out problems and fears.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Live more fully and boldly because you will be happier and also have more things to write about.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

As many as will enjoy it. What is your reason for asking this question? I cannot wait to see what is coming next.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

The mechanics of publishing. That is slower and harder than writing as it is not artistic expression.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Publishing process and details of getting it right and accurate is biggest weakness. Writing is easy at least for poetry (my prose is harder). I am not concerned with marketing and am more into sharing when my other numerous life interests afford me the time. No old poets all of a sudden get rich or famous even if that were a goal. It is amazing how many service providers pitch methods to market and sell books and assume you would be willing to pay for that service.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

See prior answer x

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have at least two more books of poetry written along with perhaps a hundred short stories and 3 1/2 overs. I lack bandwidth to process these out into print because of the imperatives of the rest of my life: profession and family and writing mod. I hope for two books next year, one poetry and one short stories about crime and obsession. But that all depends on life.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Not sure how to describe my publisher except not “traditional and yes I wrote a check.