.Writers.on.Writing.
Get to know our authors, the foundation and heart of Yellow Arrow Journal, and what writing means to them through our monthly series.
.W.o.W. #3
Betsy Housten
How did you first publish your writing and what was it?
The first writing I published was in a zine of poems I made in my early twenties. I went on to publish about 15 more zines over the next 15 years, occasionally sending writing to friends' zines too, until I decided to pursue my MFA in poetry and put an end to that era. My first paid piece of writing was a fun piece for Little Red Tarot called "The Astrology of Buffy the Vampire Slayer," about which I'll always be tickled.
What word do you find yourself using most often in your writing?
Blood. I'm a massage therapist and I'm fascinated with bodies, and I'm constantly trying to find different ways to talk about blood without being repetitive.
What does your inner writing voice tell you?
To avoid stagnation by always trying new things—new forms, new styles, new subjects, new approaches.
You can see Betsy’s writing in Yellow Arrow Journal’s Vol. IV, No. 2 Freedom. Visit her at betsyhoustenwrites.com.