A Year of Writing: Reflecting on my residency, the impact of loved ones, and Boston train commutes
Along the walls of my office are pictures of family members. My younger sisters smile at me, their teeth bare and eyes squinting at the Polaroid flash. I see my aunts and uncles in the fields back home, harvesting corn during the fall season, to roast and sell on the side of the road. My father and grandmother sit together, arms linked, displaying clay art sculptures—black crows playing poker and white sheep with golden bells on their necks. These old photos, stuck to the wall with pieces of scotch tape bought from the CVS across the library, remind me why I write.
I spent the last year at the Boston Public Library drafting and revising a collection of short stories, all inspired by my culture, my past, my family, and my journey towards healing. My office became a place of solace, where I could hang pictures and notes and stories in progress on the wall; where I could take naps during the day, lounging on a sleek, dark armchair, listening to the sound of people and cars through the window; where I could read out loud to myself whenever words got lost or a sentences a little tricky. For the first few months, I made my office my second home. But after I returned from home for the holiday season back in January 2023, I realized that there’s a whole library and even bigger, a whole city, to explore outside of the small office I’ve become accustomed to.
As the Writer-in-Residence, I got to hold readings and creative writing workshops with the Boston Public Children’s Library. I loved using this as an opportunity to share my favorite Native and Indigenous authored books with, not only the librarians, but also the community. I got to create creative writing activities and short lesson plans, ranging from Spring Poems to Christmas Sheep Ornaments. This was a chance to engage with not just the aspect of writing, but also the teaching and sharing of creative writing. My time with the Children’s Library reminded me that storytelling impacts the community, just as community impacts storytelling. And I’m so grateful they’ve invited me to continue creative writing programming with the Children’s Library, even after my residency.
And, when I wasn’t leading workshops or meeting with other library staff to go over logistics or plans, I was writing, or doing my best to create something close to writing, whether it be through poetry or scrapbooking. In my office, I’d lean back on the rolling chair, typing on a pink keyboard gifted to me by a friend for my birthday, listening to Stevie Nicks and Johnny Cash through my laptop speakers. I loved coming out of an immersive writing session. It sort of felt like emerging from the deep end of a pool, arms to the sky, kicking off the ground, stretching my back, and walking over to the window. I’d lean against the window pane, and watch as life moved on, people with places to be and cars zooming in the streets below. Those quiet, but still loud because it’s downtown Boston, moments made my writing breaks almost meditative.
Riding the train, as a commuter from Providence, was filled with either listening to literary Podcasts or sleeping. The commuter rail runs every hour, for a little over an hour ride. Back Bay station became a home-base. I’d step off the commuter rail, or if the ticket sales were worth it, the Amtrak. My bag hiked over my shoulder, packed with snacks and books, to feed my hungry mind and even hungrier stomach. Most mornings, I was tired, just barely stepping off the train in time, before it continued to South Station. But other mornings, an idea struck me while I watched trees pass by the train car window, or my music sparked a piece of dialogue that I knew Character A would scream or perhaps whisper to Character B. The commute to The Boston Public Library was just as a part of my residency as the library itself.
Through the residency, I was able to attend so many valuable workshops and writing conferences. I got to take classes with GrubStreet and Hugo House, where I was able to successfully write the first few drafts of two stories now a part of my final collection. I attended [margins], a literary conference called The Word, A Storytelling Sanctuary. During the conference workshops and talks, we grounded ourselves in reclaiming space, truth, and context. I also got to connect with writers from the Four Corners area, near my homeland in Shiprock, New Mexico. I would have never been able to access these editorial and literary experiences without the support of this residency, and for that I am very grateful.
I’ve always dreamed of writing a short story collection inspired by home, by my loved ones, and Diné community and language, centering healing, rather than trauma or loss. Which are real and present, but also don’t encompass all that humans are—all that I am. The photos of family members, friends, and artwork on my walls are reminders that there’s joy and strength in voice, in our stories and experiences. The past year as the Writer-in-Residence reminded me why I write, why I want to keep writing and telling stories—because my voice matters, just as the voices of other writers who came before me, the voices of loved ones and grandparents on the makeshift porch, the voices of my siblings laughing and poking fun in the dirt, the voices of my cousins over the wooden dining table at shimasaní’s hogan, the voices of my parents on good days, the voices I grew up listening to and make up who I am. All those voices matter, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library helped me amplify them. My time as the Writer-in-Residence solidified, not only my writing philosophy, but also strengthened my resolve to keep going, to keep trying. And I look forward to where I land next.
Congratulations, Yssis! May your year at the Boston Public Library be just as, and if not more, rewarding.
Ahéhee' / Thank you.
Want to hear more from Danielle? Check out our YouTube!
In this interview by Communications Specialist, Vidisha, Danielle speaks about her writing process, how Boston has inspired her journey, and about the October 1, 2024, Writer-in-Residence Reception from the comfort of her office.
Find out more about the Writer-in-Residence program at www.Writer-in-Residence.org