Casey Dean is a true feminist and an exceptional Poet who constantly stands up against wrong or abusive treatment of women. Honestly, it’s obvious that Casey tries to make a world a better place via education as oppose to attacking or laying blame. Moreover, Casey is indeed a strong advocate for the acknowledgement of one’s individuality and not losing your sense of self regardless of how BONKERS you allow your life to get. Please feel free to check out Casey’s Etsy store where she currently has 3 hand bound zines for sale: Pretty Little Softness, Spicy Fruits Trio, and Relationship Status all ready for your wonderous optics. Casey can be found @caseywritesthings on Instagram.RMMW: What is your favourite childhood book?
CD: I read so much as a child, but the Harry Potter series really solidified the fact that I wanted to be a writer and create my own cool stories. I always admired those books.
RMMW: What do you feel is the most difficult aspect of the creative process?
CD: Creatively, I struggle most with finishing projects. I often get sidetracked or excited about another idea, and end up with nothing fully completed. (If anyone has any tips, let me know!)
RMMW: What does literary success look like to you?
CD: Literary success to me is when I\’ve created something wholeheartedly, that I\’m really proud of, that can resonate with someone. It\’s more of an inward feeling.
RMMW: Do you write long hand or go right to the computer? Did publishing your first book change your writing process?
CD: I have not written with a pen and paper since I was a kid! I really love being able to write and edit quickly on a computer. (Plus, my handwriting is atrocious!) With my zines, computers really help speed things along as well, so I don\’t think I will ever be a paper person again!
RMMW: Have you ever been creatively blocked? If yes, how did you overcome it?
CD: I find myself with writer\’s block all the time! I never try to force anything or have specific expectations. I will often take a few days off, open up a blank page, and see what comes out.
RMMW: We all have an inner critic; how do you contend with yours?
CD: I try to always be mindful of not being too hard on myself and not comparing myself to others. When you allow yourself to make art simply because it makes you feel good, it relieves some of that pressure of, \”am I good enough?\”
RMMW: Do you have any artist rituals before starting a new piece?
CD: I have no rituals or a specific process, but I don\’t like to take a lot of time to write after an idea strikes me. I like to get it out right away.
RMMW: I plan on eventually hand-binding all my books as opposed to going through Amazon. How do you find the quality of a handbound book verses a mass produced one? I tend to think it\’s more fulfilling to create and bind one\’s own — do you feel the same?
CD: I put together my zines by hand, and there is a level of pride there, knowing that everything is
DIY and made by me. However, there is a sleekness and a convenience to the more mass-produced books that I think is great and not something to ignore.
RMMW: What do you feel are the benefits of hand binding your own zine as opposed to going through self publishing sites such as Amazon?
CD: I like making my own zines because it gives my work a personal touch. It\’s definitely more time-consuming and less \”pretty,\” but it makes me feel productive and proud.
RMMW: Do you think both female and male writers receive equal exposure, or do you feel one receives more than the other?
CD: I don\’t know if gender affects the level of exposure, but I do think it affects the way that exposure is received. In Instagram\’s writing community specifically, I sometimes feel that female writers aren\’t often taken seriously, or they face harassment on the backs of what they write. But lately, I have been loving the strength and support of these women in the writing community there.
RMMW: Do you feel it\’s important to educate women with regards to issues surrounding their bodies and a healthy self esteem? And why?
CD: I think women start off their lives with little to no self-esteem, and must work their way up or else settle that way. Whereas, I feel men start off with a lot of self-esteem, and society makes sure it stays that way. It\’s important that women uplift each other and themselves, because overall, the world does not.
RMMW: HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention along with safe sex practices has become a very relevant issue of our day — what information do you want women to equip themselves with to ensure strength and not insecurity?
CD: I want women to take control of their sexuality. I want women to know they have the power to do what they want with their bodies. I want women to feel comfortable speaking up, and I want women to trust their gut.
RMMW: Tell us a little bit about your Etsy shop and the books you carry?
CD: I\’ve had my Etsy shop up for about a year now, and I try to put out a new zine every few months. So far, I have sold a variety of content from love poems to erotic fiction. It\’s really nice to have something tangible!
RMMW: What is your favourite theme to write about?
CD: My writing is almost always based off personal experiences and little life moments. It\’s usually love poems or seemingly small pieces of time that I wanted to capture in words.
RMMW: If you had a superpower what would it be?
CD: I would love to read minds, but only if I could shut it off when I wanted to!
CCIQ Press 