Dani Burlson - Flash Nonfiction Funny survey responses
Fiction or Nonfiction?
Even though I am more of a nonfiction writer, fiction can be a fun way to process break-ups! For example, in most places it is illegal to destroy the soul of a former lover through human sacrifice involving biting flies, jumping spiders and other devilish insects. But in fiction, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Is it harder to write funny or sad?
With the current state of the world, it is easy to find 857,000 things to be sad about…
Long form or short form?
Lately, I like to get pulled in and carried along in long form work.
Poetry or prose?
I am so impressed with poets! I love being surprised by the way they organize their words into beautiful little universes.
Boxers or kickboxers?
I know I should use this opportunity to go on and on about Muhammed Ali and what a God he was (he was!) but right now I am dreaming about a world full of all female kickboxing gangs and how glorious it would be for us all to have each other’s backs while the patriarchy lashes out against feminism.
Piece that you read and said Wish I’d thought of that?
Sarah Smarsh’s essay, Poor Teeth, in Aeon (Oct. 2014).
Cloned or frozen?
I think the world has enough things already so maybe we can just freeze some of these things for later instead of duplicating?
Book you read and reread?
Either “Drawing Down the Moon” by Margot Adler or “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler
When writing is going well…
…I tend to fuck it up by thinking I have the super power to simultaneously work on 5 different stories and have them all turn out OK…
Desert Island Book?
Preferably something like “Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Island You’re Currently Stranded On.” Hopefully this handy book will have recipes for natural insect repellent, sunblock, and tea, as well as instructions on building shelters and boats and fishing spears. Also, it should be large print because I’d likely not have my glasses with me on said desert island.
Dani Burlison is the author of Dendrophilia and Other Social Taboos: True Stories, a collection of essays that first appeared in her McSweeney’s Internet Tendency column of the same name, and the Lady Parts series (Pioneers Press). She has been a staff writer at a Bay Area alt-weekly, a book reviewer for Los Angeles Review, and a regular contributor at Chicago Tribune, KQED Arts, The Rumpus, and Made Local Magazine. Her writing can also be found at WIRED, Vice, Utne, Ploughshares, Hip Mama Magazine, Rad Dad, Spirituality & Health Magazine, Shareable, Tahoma Literary Review, Prick of the Spindle, and more. Dani lives in Santa Rosa, California. DaniBurlson.com
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