Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Weir.
Hi Courtney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always loved art, and I remember being deeply impacted by music, books, and paintings from a young age. I was often in awe of how feelings could be communicated in different formats and how I could begin to understand another person’s experience simply by hearing something as fleeting as a song or seeing something as still as a painting. Language, word choice, and storytelling are what captured me the most. I write every day, not because it is a promise I made to myself and a habit I wish to keep but because I have to, and I cannot sleep and go through life without it. Writing is just as essential as breathing. I didn’t realize it then, but I began writing poetry in high school. I didn’t realize my words were rhythmic, and it was only in hindsight I could see that the sentence structure felt intentional. I didn’t realize my run-off sentences and halfway lyrical writing style might be poetry. In the middle of the pandemic, I could read everything I had written over the years and piece it into my first book, Everyday Epiphanies.
I scattered the complete and unedited pile of 198 poems across my apartment floor in Buffalo, NY, and began arranging them into categories based on theme. After several weeks of stepping over papers, I finally narrowed it down to four categories: Anxiety, Dating, … I recruited the best graphic designer I know, Sarah Glagolev, to add another dimension to this project by illustrating each poem. Her empathy, intuition, and artistic capabilities helped bring Everyday Epiphanies to life. The process of creating Everyday Epiphanies was therapeutic for me. Every step of the way, I understood who I am, what I experienced, and even why I experienced it. I needed to share this healing process with others, not just by sharing my poetry but by encouraging my readers to write their poetry.
For this reason, Sarah and I added lined pages throughout Everyday Epiphanies to create space for each reader to write, reflect, and heal. It was through the process of publishing the first book that I clearly understood my purpose, which is to carve out a corner of the world where people feel safe to express themselves and where they can be honest about how they feel so that they can truly heal; to create a movement of authenticity. Writing poetry helped me move through many big emotions and difficult times. It was the reason I get out of bed some days. It helped me understand myself and led to many epiphanies, hence the name! It allows me to be who I am without judgment and shows me pieces and parts of me I didn’t know existed. I hope to connect with those searching for healing and my mission is to reduce self-doubt, anxiety, and shame through poetry.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Writing poetry is a very personal process, and it took me years to finally work up the courage to share my work with another person. And it wasn’t until a few years later that I finally decided to publish my work. Seeing the response from my readers is a lot of fun and is an excellent reminder that I am making a difference, no matter how slowly. Poetry is art, and how people interpret art varies, so you must be ready for all interpretations and reactions once you share your art with the world. It is both a beautiful and terrifying thing. Once I realized the impact I could have on the world through poetry, I made it my mission to ensure as many people see my work as possible. To do so, I’ve had to lean on another skill set entirely: Sales and Distribution. This is a skill I was unfamiliar with; it is something I’ve had to learn and a topic I continue. I’ve shared my poetry mainly through social media, but I’ve also been able to add my book to libraries and bookstores. I always seek new ways to share my work and connect with those seeking me. I look forward to hosting book signings and events dedicated to sharing poetry and how it can help to reduce self-doubt, anxiety, and shame.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a poet, writing to help people feel less anxious, more confident, and more secure. It is more complex than ever to be confident in who you are because, as a society, we are constantly comparing ourselves to other people’s highlight reels. Social media has changed our perception and raised our expectations to levels that set us up for failure. Poetry is the antidote to everything that is wrong with social media. Poetry is honest. Even if you try to avoid it, when you write, it always tells the truth. And reading other people’s truths helps us feel more connected and less alone. The more we write, the more we will be able to remain true to ourselves and release the burden of trying to be someone we are not. If we can share our truths with the world, this movement of authenticity and honesty will become contagious. When I wrote each poem selected for Everyday Epiphanies, I was in the depths of my emotions during whichever life event I was experiencing. Each poem is written from my heart and soul. I am most proud of the poem called Look. It’s about women’s endless beauty expectations, how we are overly critical of ourselves, and how if we could see ourselves through the lens of those who love us, we would love ourselves, too. “I want you to see what I see; I want you to look because if you don’t look now, you might miss your greatness; you might look back and wish you did.”
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I’ve found that writers are not raising their hands to be mentors because most of us are introverts and like to focus on writing! For this reason, I’ve found more success learning from other writers from afar simply by reading their work and keeping up with their new releases. I love seeing how their writing style changes and improves over time, and I keep a shelf of my favorite books. I also love traveling to new countries and finding local bookstores, picking up a book that calls me, and diving in. I learned a lot by reading the works of writers who are much different than myself, people who grew up on the other side of the world, people who are not from this period, and people whose life experiences took a completely different path. I enjoy seeing how I can learn from our differences, but I mostly love seeing how similar we are. It’s interesting to see that our thoughts and musings are often alike. From this study of other writers and their stories, I’ve created an imaginary mentor that has evolved and guided me to where I am today.
Pricing:
- 15.99
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Courtneymariepoetry
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Courtneymariepoetry
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-weir/
- Twitter: @Courtneympoetry
- Tiktok: Courtneymariepoetry
