We met Dearly Beloved when she joined our Poet Possibilities family. She was about to publish her first book and was eager to learn more about the the endless possibilities for her author career. Although her Instagram isn't filled with all her wonderful words (yet) we got a sneak peek of her book and were blown away by her writing. Not only are her words relatable but, lovely and inspiring. We were thrilled to interview her and give you more details about her and her book. Here's our interview with her:
When did you start writing poetry?
I started diving into poetry when I was 7. Back then, I developed immense love for literature because I was curious with how words sounded, and how they're aesthetically pleasing when spelt out. The first poem I ever recited was in a science class, and it's all about a tiny seed. Meanwhile, the next poem that engaged me in was all about a tree. And I remember it started with the line, "...trees are the kindest things i know, they do not harm, they simply grow." I then recited too in a lot of poetry competitions after, and won essay writing contests I involved myself with, but it was only when I was eleven that I had written poems consistently. They were mostly haikus and sonnets.
What made you decide to start sharing your words on Instagram?
Lang Leav, Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace were the people who changed my perspective on poetry. I doubtlessly thought before that you can only call something a poem when it abides with the rules (it is important to note that my character as a person resonates with this as well- perhaps maybe I always am caged by the claws of rules.)
But in these ladies' writings, I found freedom. I knew free verse poems when I was still a kid, and to me before, these kinds of poems sounded shallow, so I took liberty on giving rhythmic poetry a higher rank, but it was only today I realized that I was wrong. Poetry is expression with or without rules. What's more important is the connection you build with the readers. And so I admired these three poets and found that they've built one of their bases on Instagram, inspiring me to follow their footsteps too.
What platform did you use to self publish your book? Was it an easy process?
Kindle Direct Publishing. I landed on a traditional publishing contract, but I turned it down for the sake of learning how to do my first book my own way. It wasn't an easy process, since I got a day job as an engineer and graphic designer. I can't manage to divide my time well, but I educated myself through lots of organizations I joined, videos I watched, podcasts I heard out which had motivated me to survive alongside my fear of exposure. I also met a lot of people along the way who made the publishing process an exciting one!
What advice would you give other poets wanting to self publish?
What advice would you give other poets wanting to self publish?
First of all, you gotta be 100% sure that this is what you wanted, because it would take a great amount of time and energy, especially when you've got other priorities, and when it is your first time, given no resources to start with. It is hard, but not impossible. Focus on doing one thing at a time. In this field, you got no other competition but yourself, so you gotta stay happy and motivated in order to have the most efficient use of your time. Keep a notebook and pen handy just in case an idea comes.You gotta have a wide set of skills if you want to do things organically. Lastly, learn the outskirts of designing, marketing, and website development.
Does your poetry book follow a theme? If so, could you give us details on what it’s about.
This book tackles the soul-twinging phases of love, from infatuation, unrequited attraction, down to heartbreaks, letting go, and moving forward. In quest of a fairytale-like happy ending, the girl embodied in my poems splurges on risks to look for the kind of commitment her heart desires and finds growth and purpose in the process of breaking and loving again the same person.
Do you have another occupation besides being an author?
Yes I am a civil engineer and a graphic designer. I build and design structures and I also do the 3D modelling, rendering, theming, and illustrations of the construction projects I'm assigned with.
Where can we find you and your book?
Where can we find you and your book?
Right now my book is available on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. (Other platform links like Ingramspark, Book Depository, etc... to follow.)
Here are the links:
Germany- https://rb.gy/2ayz3r
France- https://rb.gy/xujikq
Spain- https://rb.gy/zj7m1x
Italy-https://rb.gy/eqcmpk
Netherlands- https://rb.gy/lbmxgx
Japan-https://rb.gy/hxncr4
Brazil- https://rb.gy/babgrz
Canada- https://rb.gy/w3oq1e
Mexico- https://rb.gy/2bwfgf
Australia- https://rb.gy/7gctfy
India- https://rb.gy/emxrud
Instagram: @dearlybelovedpoetry
@dearlybeloveddiaries
Facebook: Dearly Beloved Poetry
Blog/ Website: www.dearlybelovedpoetry.com
