Domenic Migliore
..my work is heavily influenced by my life experiences as an Autistic person
1. Tell us about yourself and your most current project/s?
I recently released a collection of short stories titled “Frame Story.” This book contains stories I’ve written over the past 10 years. The stories explore extreme emotional states, contemporary communication, and unconventional storytelling forms. Themes include the horrors of modern society, love, death, mental illness, and racism.
2.Where did the inspiration/idea come for this project?
I was inspired to start writing after first reading Stephen King’s book “Night Shift” in middle school. Then, later, I discovered writers like William S. Burroughs, Kurt Vonnegut, and Raymond Chandler. Aside from other writers, my work is heavily influenced by my life experiences as an Autistic person. I attended “special” schools as a kid where I was treated as “different.” I consider myself an outsider from society and my writing heavily draws from that.
3. What does the writing process look like for you?
I am constantly thinking up ideas for stories. I usually keep a pen and paper with me to write them down so I won’t forget them. I sometimes write at my laptop, but most of the time I start on paper. I get everything down first, then edit and move things around in digital form. I usually only produce a few paragraphs a day. I’m not sure if that’s slow or fast. Sometimes I feel frustrated that I can’t produce more in a sitting.
4. How do you handle writer’s block?
Not well. I get really frustrated sometimes figuring out how to end a story, or where to go next. Sometimes I stay up way too late because I can’t get an idea right. Then, I feel groggy the next day and regret it. But sometimes, the ideas just flow and it’s easy. But, more often, it’s a difficult process and I don’t know why I subject myself to it.
5. How do you feed your creativity when feeling drained?
I watch movies or read books. I am also a filmmaker and films greatly inspire me. I adore directors like Pier Paolo Pasolini, Abel Ferrara, Ingmar Bergman, and Werner Herzog. Their films show me that anything can be accomplished if you just keep at it.
6. What advice would you give writers who feel stuck or uninspired?
All I can say is, just keep at it. You can go months, even years, without writing anything. I went for 2 years without writing after suffering a great loss. But I kept at it. Depression kills creativity. Don’t listen to people who say “art is suffering.” I can tell you I can’t write when I’m depressed.
7. Have you ever thought about giving up writing? If so, what pulled you back?
Not really. My constant thoughts won’t let me. It’s the only thing that clears my head. Like I said, I stopped writing for 2 years at one point, but I never considered it giving up. If you feel like giving up, I suggest that you just take a break. A long break if necessary. Come back to it later with a fresh perspective.
8. How do you keep your voice or ideas fresh over time?
I don’t know. I try to thing of story ideas that people might find too taboo to write about. I feel that most of the writers i admire had works that were very controversial. I think controversial ideas make for good writing.
9. What do you wish more people understood about the creative process?
That it’s hard. Hard, hard, hard to write even a single paragraph. Writers struggle for years on just one idea. It’s easy to criticize something you don’t understand.
10. What is the most honest thing you’ve ever written - and did it scare you?
Probably my first film “Ashley,” which was based on a girl I knew. I wrote a character in that that was based on me. It didn’t scare me, it actually felt therapeutic.