.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. #53
Darah Schillinger
What word do you find yourself using most often in your writing?
I write about god a lot, even though I’m not particularly religious. I also know I write about nature in almost everything. If it’s not directly about nature it has natural imagery. I can’t escape it, and I don’t want to.
What period of your life do you find you write about most often?
Present day. I tend to write what I know, and it’s almost always what I’m feeling or inspired by in the very moment (though it’s probably because I’m young).
What is your writing Kryptonite? Your most interesting writing quirk?
I can’t force myself to write. If I have an assignment and I don’t have time to wait for inspiration, I will almost always pull from my notes app. That’s where all of my ideas, good and bad, are kept.
What does your inner writing voice tell you?
“Writing is what you’re good at, but don’t stress yourself out of creativity. When you’re ready to write, I’ll be there waiting.”
Darah Schillinger is a Baltimore, Maryland, poet working toward her professional writing degree at Towson University. She has previously published poetry in the St. Mary’s literary journal, AVATAR, on the Spillwords Press website, in the Maryland Bards Poetry Review 2022, in Yellow Arrow Journal, and in the first edition of Empyrean Magazine. Darah’s first poetry chapbook, when the daffodils die, was released in July 2022 by Yellow Arrow Publishing, and her first full-length collection is currently a work in progress.
Darah’s incredible poem, “i walk home at 10:03 pm,” was included in Yellow Arrow Journal’s issue UpSpring (Vol. VII, No. 1). And for the month of October only, you can purchase a copy of when the daffodils die from the Yellow Arrow bookstore for only $12.00. Let’s celebrate its 12-month anniversary together; get your copy today at yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/daffodils-die-paperback.
Learn more about Darah on Instagram @darahschillinger or @brokewritersociety and Facebook @darah.schillinger.