We were lucky to catch up with Ray Berman-Schneider recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Ray thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?
Writing has always been an integral part of my life. It’s allowed me to process life-changing events, express myself artistically, and share my appreciation for the people closest to me. When I think back to a moment that transformed my outlook on writing I remember the 2018 California Association of English Teachers convention. A few of my high school friends and I were nominated to attend as guest poets. I spent every free moment I had leading up to the conference memorizing a piece written specifically for the theme “Literacy and Justice for All.” I stood and presented a poem fueled by dissent, frustration, and a little hope in front of over three hundred teachers and one man, my father. I don’t remember a single line from the poem. I barely remember how nervous I was leading up to the presentation. What I do recall is how effortlessly the words flowed from me in that crucial moment and the brief moment of silence after I finished. So quiet, so serene until the crowd erupted in astonished applause. But even then, that portion of the memory, now nearly six years old, has become blurry. However, I remember clearly that my father said nothing as I accepted the praise from teachers afterward. He said nothing as we ate dinner in the conference hall. But as we parted and made our way to the car, he stopped suddenly in the middle of the empty parking lot, turned toward me, smiled, and said, “Never stop writing.”
At that moment writing became more than just a tool to understand, navigate, and perhaps cope with the world around me. I realized how much I could impact people individually. How much emotion I could evoke. How much positive change I could bring. My father and I may not always see eye to eye, but I will always credit him for being the inspiration behind my ability to incorporate writing into my academics, my career, and my personal aspirations. He is also the reason I’ve successfully learned how to have a healthy and balanced connection between my ability to write artistically and my ability to write professionally. I’ve come to appreciate the months during which I can write, perform, and publish pieces regularly, and accept the periods during which I may find myself producing work less frequently. During those times especially, I have no doubt that those three words as well as the continued support from my close friends and family will drive me to create for years to come.
Ray , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember but throughout the past several years, I’ve begun to share my poetry and fiction with the public more frequently. In 2022, I published my original short story “Cobblestone Secrets and Hummingbird Pins” with The Plentitudes literary journal and am currently working on an additional short story. Throughout the past year, I have been performing and writing poetry with the intent of developing and publishing an anthology. My writing, regardless of the character or theme strives to depict the raw, unfiltered stories of the people and places in my community. I work to incorporate my own experiences and those of the people who’ve made an impact on me into the fictitious lives of the people we may pass on the street or make brief eye contact with at a local coffee shop. My pieces depict the good, the bad, and the mundane. They delineate the passage of time and provide a commentary on the loss, relationships, and formative events that make us human and make life worth living.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that it provides me with a platform to serve as a voice for those who may have been silenced or may not have had the opportunity to share their stories otherwise. It also allows me to shed light on both the critical and seemingly insignificant moments in peoples’ lives in a manner to which audiences can relate. In many instances, we may find ourselves lost in a sea of uncertainty and in a world that seems far too big or moving far too quickly. My main goal with any piece is for audience members to feel some sort of connection to the people described and to gain some level of comfort in the fact that we all feel a loss of control and go through similar experiences at some point in our lives.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I was directed to publishing resources such as the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses which hosts a large database of literary journals and publishers currently accepting submissions by one of my professors who encouraged me to publish “Cobblestone Secrets and Hummingbird Pins.” For anyone who is considering submitting their pieces for publishing but doesn’t know where to begin, I highly recommend that individuals confer with their mentors, ask questions, and submit their pieces to as many platforms as possible. The process requires time and discipline but is ultimately highly rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: raybs_writes
- Other: https://theplentitudes.com/piece/cobblestone-secrets-and-hummingbird-pins