A Wee Chat with Jennie Louise
Jennie Louise is a writer and poet from Hampshire, UK. She has been writing from a young age, but only began to experiment with poetry during her teen years as a form of self-expression. Jennie wrote and self-published her debut poetry collection, All The Things I Never Said, in 2020. When not writing, she can be found curled up on the sofa with a book and a cup of tea.
When did you become a poet? How did you know it was the right medium for your stories?
I have always been a really creative person. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been writing stories and creating my own art. As I grew older and started struggling with my mental health, I experimented with poetry as a form of self-expression. I had severe depression and felt like I couldn’t talk to anybody about it, so I turned to the only thing I understood: writing.
What are you currently reading?
I just finished reading ‘Before The Coffee Gets Cold’ by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, which is all about time travel. It’s very thought-provoking and makes you wonder what you would do and say if you could go back in time and speak to a loved one again.
What are you working on next/what was your last project?
For the last few years, I’ve been working on a YA dystopian novel. It’s something I’m really excited about, but have been procrastinating the editing process for way too long!
What are some common themes you see in your own work?
Mental illness is a strong theme in my poetry, mainly because I don’t think there is enough discussion around it. There is so much stigma and sharing my experiences and emotions with depression, raises awareness of the difficulties it faces and helps people feel less alone. Other themes include the importance and beauty of nature, family relationships and love.
How do you beat writer's block?
I get outside! I’m no stranger to writer’s block, and I always find that walking around in nature clears my head. It often inspires me, too, and I find myself writing about something I’ve just seen or felt when I sit back down to write. It could be the smallest thing, like a leaf in a puddle, but that is often enough to break me out of a writing funk.
Do you feel that sharing your poetry is a vulnerable process?
I definitely do! Any form of writing comes from the heart and whether realized or not, you’re putting a lot of your own emotions and experiences into that writing. Sharing that with the world can be challenging and scary because it becomes available for people to comment on. Everyone has their own opinions, and being confident enough to accept praise and criticism isn’t easy.
What/who influenced you to become a poet?
I find writing cathartic because it helps me make sense of what goes on inside my head. Opening up about my mental health is really difficult, so sometimes the easiest way is to write it down. For me, when thoughts and feelings are building up, the best way to release and understand them is on paper. That’s why I write poetry.
Do family and "real life" friends read your work?
For years, I kept my writing a secret because I was too scared to share my thoughts with anyone. Most of my poems tackle personal themes and are based from experience, like my mental health struggles. It was only a couple of years ago that I started showing my family and friends, which helped me realize that I’m not alone and there are other people that understand what I’m going through.
How many finished books do you have?
I have published one poetry collection, called All The Things I Never Said. It’s a collection of letters I always wanted to send but never did. I accumulated the poems over the past couple of years and only recently gained the confidence to publish my work. The book is split into four sections, exploring family tension, love and loss, mental illness and growth.
What does "good poetry" mean to you?
‘Good poetry’ to me, is anything that makes me feel something; whether that’s joy, sadness or anger, whatever the emotion. As long as it creates a response in me, then I think it’s ‘good poetry’ because that’s the reaction we get from reading other people’s work. We’re all just aiming to make people feel something.