Rita Maria Martinez

What is your process if for revisions?

My process for revision varies from poem to poem. I store difficult poems in a drawer for months or years before I look at them again to gain a fresh perspective. Others I revise in short spurts of energy. Sometimes I salvage old poems that weren’t working and transplant a couple of lines from those into newer poems. I always write my first draft on a notebook, because I feel that staring into a blank screen is psychologically intimidating. When I’ve finished scribbling in my notebook, I type the poem in the computer and start revising as I go along.

Do you find that you have a recurring theme in your poems?
 

Yes, I write about my obsessions. I have a series of poems based on Charlotte Bronte’s heroine, Jane Eyre.  I’ve also written many poems about adolescence and pop culture. Whenever I’ve written a poem that I feel has achieved some level of success, I try to recreate that success in another poem.  The theme I treat most often in my work is womanhood and coming of age.

What advise do you have for someone just starting out?

It’s important to have a good friend who will be available for mini-workshop sessions. This person has to be someone you can count on—someone who will provide honest feedback and criticism at all times. Most importantly, this person should believe in your potential as a writer, even when you are full of doubts or are in slump.