Holly Eva Allen

My name is Holly Eva Allen and I'm a writer, editor, and educator currently living in the greater L.A. area. I grew up in Northern California and can confidently say that although it's all technically the same state, the two areas are very culturally and geographically different. I'm still not used to going for a walk and seeing yards filled with desert flora. I am the founder and EIC of Horned Things Literary Journal, the co-EIC of Foothill Poetry Journal, and an assistant prose editor for Passengers Journal. So, I have experience on both sides of the indie journal process and absolutely love it. I have too many hobbies for a person in graduate school who also works but at least I'm not bored! I spend a good amount of time reading and especially enjoy magical realism and early horror. My wife and I play chess together, though I'm not a particularly proficient player.

Question 1: How have your past experiences influenced you as a writer?

I tend to think that I write the best when I draw from past experiences, though I know this isn't the case for everyone. The combination of the famed "Catholic guilt" one obtains from being raised in a Catholic household while also growing up queer commonly plays a part in my work. While there are no religious references in "The Count", the flash fiction piece I had published with Livina Press, it does allude to either queerness or, at least, the intensity of some female friendships. I find that drawing from trauma or striking memories leads the production of more emotionally evocative work. The intensity and honesty of the language somehow seems more real.

Question 2: What have you written that you're the most proud of?

Well, there's the published piece I'm the most proud of and then there's the unpublished piece that I am most proud of. The aforementioned published piece is a flash fiction called "Sunday with an Old Friend" and can be found at the On the Run Fiction website. The piece deals with Multi-Level Marketing schemes and assumptions concerning work and gender. The number of women I once knew in school who turned to MLM schemes or drop-shipping scams in adulthood is tragically high and it seems to be in so small part due to the fact that they do not necessarily have time to foster their own legitimate careers or creative projects, especially if they prioritize their spouse or children. It fascinates me that these MLM schemes are mostly indulged by straight, white women (in my experience, at least) and I wanted to create a piece that discussed that phenomenon. The unpublished piece that I'm most proud of is a completed manuscript for a fabulist/ magical realist novel called The Burning of the Poppies. The novel is a coming of age story that follows a young woman living in rural California as she comes to terms with her sexuality and contends with a pseudo-mythical coyote that is intent on devouring her. Writing a full-length novel was a challenge but it gave me the space to explore complex topics such as generational trauma, female madness, and the history of the land a person lives on. I am currently looking for an agent. Anyone who has searched for an agent will understand that it is a long, arduous, and demoralizing endeavor but publishing smaller works in the meantime keeps me optimistic.

Question 3: What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you? 

To be honest, I don't really experience writer's block with prose. That's not meant to a brag. I still struggle with writing enough, though those struggles tend to be me attempting to balance graduate studies, work, academic writing/ research, and a social life with writing. Essentially, I sometimes have trouble finding the time to write. However, I do experience writer's block with poetry. The reason for the discrepancy is due to the fact that prose pieces are generally longer than poetry so a single short story might take me a few sessions to finish and a novel will take hundreds of sessions to finish, while a poem is something I typically finish in one, short sitting. So I burn through ideas much more quickly with poetry. I find that setting aside time to brainstorm new concepts, however, typically solves this problem.

Question 4: What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?

I'm definitely a plotter. Or, rather, perhaps it's more accurate to say that I produce significantly better work when I plan everything in advance. I find that planning out the development of the plot allows me to pace action or development accordingly and decide when to insert subplots in the case of novel-length work. I have written things without the benefit of prior planning but they always end up feeling slightly off in some way, usually due to pacing. I also find that another benefit of planning things out in advance is that you're able to construct foreshadowing or references that come up near the climax or close of a piece, adding a pleasant cyclical element that gives a sense of meaning. This is all in reference to prose work, of course. Poetry is an entirely different animal. Typically when I write poetry it is entirely off the cuff and while I do edit my poems for quality and a sense of cohesion, I don't think planning them out in advance would benefit them much. Those who write lengthy pieces of epic poetry would possibly disagree with me on the usefulness of such forethought.

Question 5: If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?

Hmm, Living or dead? If I could include dead authors then there are plenty of contenders. Plenty of frustrating authors, too. Frustrating in that I might love their work but hate their politics or personal agenda. For example, I do a lot of academic research and writing on H. P. Lovecraft as I find his particular brand of existential/ cosmic horror intriguing. However, his shameless racism pretty much guarantees that I wouldn't be able to spend an entire day with the man without completely losing my cool. So, for a deceased author I think I would have to go with Carson McCullers. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is perhaps my favorite novel and I'm intrigued by the way she weaves multiple forms of othering into her work with shifting narratives. As for a living author, I'd perhaps choose China Miéville. His writing is astoundingly verbose but absolutely gorgeous. He manages to make even the most fantastical of worlds seem believable, relatable, and gritty. Additionally, Miéville is rather active politically and I would certainly love to talk political theory with him, though I'm not entirely convinced that I could hold my own in such a conversation.

Question 6: What is your kryptonite as a writer?

I have a terrible short-term memory. So, in a single writing session I might use one specific piece of imagery or adjective phrase and then use the exact same wording the very next page. It's infuriating and the only way to deal with it is excessive editing.

Question 7: What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

Make it a habit. I've finished two full-length novel manuscripts and am over half way done with two more but I never would have gotten there without writing as frequently as possible. I know a few writers who insist on writing only when they're inspired. I, myself, tend to only write poetry when I'm really feeling it. However, if I relied on inspiration whenever I had to write prose as well then I would hardly ever get anything done. It's too irregular. If I sit down and write 3,000 words in a single sitting then that may feel good at the time. But imagine that I don't "feel inspired" for another five months. I might sit down and find that I can't easily conjure the same mood or voice I had previously. Too much time has passed and the narrative or tonal shift might be painfully apparent to readers.

Question 8: What do you think is the best way to improve writing skills?

I think some writers wouldn't like to hear it, but I sincerely believe that participating in critical writing and reading spaces is the best way to improve your craft. This comes in many forms- taking classes that involve literary analysis, joining a workshop for writers, finding a few experienced writing buddies, etc. You'll notice that all of these options include receiving feedback from other writers, editors, or professors. There are writers that rely on videos and books alone and while these can be helpful, it can be easy to dismiss any advice you dislike due to confirmation bias. When another person, particularly an experienced writer or literary professional, is critiquing your work face-to-face (or camera-to-camera), it is much more difficult to ignore. Plus, the benefits to the kind of customized feedback you'll likely receive in a workshop or class has innumerable benefits compared to the general advice given in books. So many writers are introverts. I am too but it's so, so worth going outside your comfort zone to better your writing.

Question 9: What do the words “literary success” mean to you? How do you picture it?

I think most writers would be split into two opposing camps on this one. Half would likely say true literary success is writing full time and getting paid a living wage or higher to do it. The other half would argue that literary success is defined by making an impact on your readers- writing work that is emotionally evocative, inspirational, or what have you. I honestly think it's a little of both. Getting paid to write means you're likely to truly devote yourself to your writing, to prioritize it as it determines whether or not you can afford to eat. However, there are plenty of writers who get paid to write work that is unoriginal, vapid, or too evanescent to continue drawing readers a year or two after it is published. In that case, you're getting paid to produce a consumable. A temporary work that probably won't leave a mark on too many. I think having an especially timeless or evocative quality is a better guarantee that your success is not merely "monetary" but also "literary".

Question 10: How do you feel about the current state of indie journals, authorship, and the publishing world in general?

On the one hand, the internet is obviously a magnificent resource and makes it rather simple for anyone to publish a journal online or submit their writing for publication. However, there are some major downsides that seem to be rather pervasive now due to the internet. The main one that concerns me is the importance of online influence. Often times, it seems that new writers have a much easier time finding an agent if they have a notable online presence- a glut of Twitter followers, a large YouTube audience, etc. While this isn't always a bad thing, I think that it naturally favors younger authors who write certain genres favored by younger audiences. The process of gaining a following online is also another task writers have to dedicate time to outside of actually bettering their writing. In other words, it takes time away from the actual craft and likely leads to a number of published pieces that simply aren't as good as they could be.