Wilder is a poet and a creative whose work explores the light and beauty in our everyday lives and situations. She has two poetry collections, Nocturnal and Wild Is She. Her writing inspires readers to embrace the wild within and to embrace the wild beauty of the other souls surrounding us. Her work is stunning, both in subject matter and aesthetic, and she has an immense gift for making people feel heard.
I am honored to be conducting this interview with Wilder Poetry. She is just as lovely as she is talented, and I am excited to help our readers learn more about her. Her replies are so refreshing and genuine. The more you learn about her, the more there is to love. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Liz Newman: How long have you been writing poetry?
Wilder Poetry: I accidentally fell into poetry September of 2016. It has been the greatest, most unexpected gift.
LN: Your poetry is stunning, and I am so impressed with the way you have always been able to present your poems in such a visually appealing and beautiful way, both in your book and on social media. What has inspired your aesthetic?
WP: Before I found poetry, I worked for a company called Anthropologie. I was the display artist for one of their stores in the Chicago area. This position inspired me to look at everything differently—It challenged me to create something beautiful out of the ordinary (paper, foil, q-tips…you get the idea) and bring it to life in an unassuming way. This position taught me how to be a storyteller, not with words, but visually. It has been one of the biggest influences on my life and has helped shape me into the artist that I am today.
LN: What motivates you to continue writing and putting your content out into the world?
WP: I write for me. I write for you. I write for us. This is something I hold close to my chest, and it always keeps me present and motivated. So many people ask what the three dots symbolize that I include in every piece of writing (it also now rests under my skin in ink on my finger to live forever to remind) and this is exactly what it stands for.
When I started writing, it was to help heal my creatively broken heart, but then I realized that the writing was no longer just for me—it was for all of us. When you are home, then I am, too.
LN: What is something you can tell us about yourself that most readers probably wouldn’t know?
WP: Many readers and followers wonder why I am so private. Honestly, I am not an overly private person. Several years ago, when I was married and going through graphic design school, I started a lifestyle blog to document different stages of my/our life together. After a couple of years, I found myself divorced unexpectedly, and I felt like I had not only failed my marriage, but also everyone that had been following our journey. When I started Wilder Poetry, I didn’t want the space to feel like it was “mine,” I wanted everyone that found themselves there to feel like they had discovered a place that was meant for them—like home.
LN: What has been the biggest inspiration for your writing, and how has it shaped you as a writer?
WP: Surrounding my heart with others that put themselves out there so vulnerably, whether it be through words, painting, photography, yoga, jewelry making, interior design—whatever art form it may be—inspires me endlessly. I am fueled by passion and witnessing others who are fueled by their own passions makes me feel so unbelievably fulfilled. I am more me when others are more them. This is how I find the words to write.
LN: What is a message you hope to send readers with your poetry?
WP: I don’t hope to send a message, rather I hope they find one when they least expect it. I am a believer in us discovering things when we are meant to and if my poetry can be anything, I hope it can be one of those sun-in-the-middle-of-a-cloudy-day moments.
LN: Tell us a little bit about the revised edition of Nocturnal coming in May.
WP: After reading Nocturnal in its final stages, my editor sent me a message expressing that when she read this collection it felt like a homecoming—reading this was all I could ever hope for. Nocturnal for me is an open window. It’s dreaming with your eyes wide open while the rest of the world is hiding, and for those who happened to read the first edition, I am happy to say that this collection has 100 new pieces paired with artwork and a new section, which has become a favorite, called “Northern Lights.”
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Be sure to mark your calendars. Nocturnal will be released on May 7th with its highly anticipated new section: “Northern Lights.” I know that Wilder has so much magic in store for her readers, and we will get to experience familiar favorites as well as new pieces with the same artistic flair we have come to know and adore.
