Interview with Puerto Rican Poet Luivette Resto

My guest today is Puerto Rican poet Luivette Resto. Although Luivette was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, she was raised in the Bronx. She graduated from Cornell University with a BA in English Literature and a minor in U.S. Latino Studies. Later, she earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Currently, she teaches English at Citrus College and Mt. San Antonio College. Her poems have been published in publications such as Latino Today, Mija Magazine, Harpur Palate, The Furnace Review, and Falling Star Magazine. She most recently published her first collection of poetry titled Unfinished Portrait.

Thanks for being my guest today, Luivette. Do you consider yourself a born poet?

Not necessarily. I wanted to be various occupations (lawyer, stewardess, podiatrist) before realizing that poetry was something that I wanted to pursue.

Tell us about your creative process when you write a poem. Does it come in a flashy spark of inspiration, or does it simmer in your mind for a while before being put down on the page?

I think it is a combination of the two. I do get ideas for poems and jot the idea of them onto the page. Then I go back to my computer and try to flush out the entire poem. Some poems have taken me years to complete. It takes me a while to truly feel like the poem is complete.

You hear all the time about the need for writers to be disciplined and show at the page everyday. Does the same apply for poets?

Absolutely. As a writer you want to provide your best work and when you are putting together a manuscript you want every poem to be the best it can be. That's why the revision process is integral.

Describe your road to publication. Is it a tough jungle out there for poets?

I am still new to all of this but my experience was rather standard. It takes about a year for a writer to actually see their work on a book shelf. It is a tough industry for poets because poetry tends not to sell as well as fiction. But most of the poets that I know do not choose the life because of the money. We do it because we truly enjoy creativity.

What types of books do you like reading? Do you have any favorite authors?

Ironically, I tend to read a lot of fiction. Some of my favorite fiction writers are Julia Alvarez, Michele Serros, Helena Viramontes, Toni Morrison and Junot Diaz. As for poets, I enjoy Martin Espada, Julia de Burgos, Walt Whitman, and Dorothy Parker.

What tips would you offer aspiring poets?

To keep writing. Don't stop if you feel the urgency to create.

What's on the horizon for you?

I am writing new poems with the hopes that they could be read in the second book.

Thanks, Luivette, and good luck with your work!