Bronson O’Quinn is everywhere. He is basically the internet and every cool person you have ever met. As blog Editor in Chief and intern for Accents Publishing, his posts have been in your house, on your phone, at your work. I think it is time you learned a little bit more about the ubiquitous Bronson O’Quinn.  

Why don’t we start with a little bit about Bronson the man. Who are you and what do you do when you aren’t writing, editing, posting and commenting on the Accents Publishing Blog?

I have a degree in English because I love the written word and a degree in linguistics because I love it spoken, too. I have been actively involved in the local literary scene for a few years now, but never to the extent that I am now. I quickly discovered the best way to learn is to help, so I’ve converted a thirst for knowledge into an interest in philanthropy. Mostly, I want to be able to print, bind, and publish the books that I personally write, but until my writing gets up to snuff (too many clichés, you see), I will continue to help hardworking artists whose work I admire.

I also enjoy good conversation and bad karaoke. I’m pretty outgoing, which tends to surprise folks. I think it’s because people expect extroverts to mug for attention. And don’t get me wrong, I love my time in the spotlight. But when my time’s over, I’m thrilled to pass the mic. After all, when you’re not on stage, you’re in the audience. And that’s half the fun.

What drew you to Accents? What made you say, “I’d like to dedicate my time to this particular press.”

Watching Katerina’s enthusiasm for and dedication to the poetry community really changed how I viewed the writing world. It had never occurred to me how much one person could make a difference in so many peoples’ lives. So when Katerina made the post asking for interns, I posted my CV an hour later. It wasn’t something I had to think about.

And this may sound shallow, but Accents makes pretty books. They’re hand-made but don’t look it, which is far more difficult to accomplish than you’d think. The textures are nice. The colors catch your attention without overwhelming your senses. There’s an elegant simplicity to the design that I admire. Sure, they aren’t the most jaw-droppingly beautiful books I’ve ever seen, but they aren’t trying to be. They’re not stressing the expensive, designer labels. They’re having a blast dressing from the thrift shop. For a bibliophile like myself, Accents Publishing’s books are the “girl next door.” Sorry if I just made this weird.

Tell us about the work you do as Editor in Chief of the Accents Publishing Blog.

I write for and run the blog. During Lexington Poetry Month, I formatted and posted everyone’s submissions onto the blog. Once June ended, I found myself with too much time on my hands, so I’ve been reaching out to local poets and figures in the literary community for writing prompts and interviews. I want to help the community, but most of the work I do is because I want to. I don’t want to pretend that I’m completely selfless, or anything. But rather than ask “How can this help me?” I like to ask “What would I want to see?” And as far as the Accents Blog is concerned, that means putting up content that generates discussion. That’s really what I’m excited about in the upcoming weeks.

Bronson reads at the Lexington Poetry Month gathering at the end of June 2013.

What can we look forward to in the coming weeks and months and years of the blog? Or even just with your collaboration with Accents?

I don’t want to give too much away, but I really want to encourage participation from Accents fans. The weekly writing prompts are an example of that. We also had a giveaway for Nettie Farris’s new chapbook, Communion, which was exciting, so I’d like more stuff like that.

But also, creating original and interesting content is important. We post a lot of Accents’ poems, which are great, but not really what the internet is designed for. We want to hear more from the readers. Accents Radio is awesome as far as learning about new artists and what’s happening around town. The blog shouldn’t be Accents trying to make noise, but rather a series of sparks igniting action bigger than us. Katerina inspired a lot of people with Lexington Poetry Month. I’m more concerned with what comes from that inspiration.

What have you learned so far from working on the blog?

I appreciate poetry more than I ever did. Loving language means experiencing it in all of its forms, and I had kind of passed poetry off as this one particular thing they teach you in school. And it’s not that. Not always, at least, and because I have to read so much poetry to post to the blog, I end up finding new definitions for what poetry can be.

But also, seeing the Lexington poetry community rise up the way it has… It’s really inspired me, both in my work but in life as well.

Tell us about your own work, your own writing. Don’t you have a published novella?

I write prose, mostly fiction. I strongly believe that a writer writes, so I spend a lot of time writing stories that will never see the light of day.

My novella, Dr Recluse, was an exercise in self-publishing that I am pretty embarrassed about. It’s hard to understand how gaining distance from one’s work is so important until you “perfect” a novel by combing through it 20 times in four days only to create something as legible as a first draft. Stephen King said you need to stash away your manuscript for six weeks before taking another look at it. I believe there’s truth to that. It took me nine months to write it and a week of editing it to make gobbledygook. It also helps to have beta readers, a professional story editor, a copy editor, and proof readers. Anyone who thinks writing is a solitary craft is doing it wrong.

What does Bronson O’Quinn’s future look like?

It’s hard to say. I have honestly made more progress in my literary career on a whim than I ever did through serious planning, so I’ll see where it goes. I just hope to create things that inspire, help my community as much as possible, and always have a third option when making lists.

Do you have any advice for aspiring bloggers and writers?

Sylvia Plath said, “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” And most self-doubt comes from nay-sayers or (even worse) the fear of other peoples’ doubt. I think a lot of it has to do with writers thinking too much about what other people will say or the consequences of their creative actions or some other self-conscious nonsense. To that extent, I would like to mesh a popular ad campaign for shoes with words from a fictional space Muppet: “Don’t think; do.” Momentum is so much stronger than talent. If you have both, nothing can stop you.

Parting words?

Merrily, merrily, merrily…