We recently connected with Selina Li Bi and have shared our conversation below.

Selina, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

As an adult I pursued a healthcare profession and went to Optometry School. For over fifteen years I practiced as an optometrist. “Which is better, one or two?” I asked my patients during an eye exam. Then one day, I found the question reflected back at me. “Which is better—one, this stable and secure profession or two—taking a risk and following my true calling—this burning voice deep within, longing to write?”

Since I was a child, stories and writing have been my way of connecting to the world around me. Writing has been a means of expressing myself, a safe place to explore the deep sea of my emotions. My sister told me about a book by Stephen Cope, The Great Work of Your Life. There’s a quote in the book, “If you bring forth what is within in you, it will save you; if you do not bring forth what is within you, it will destroy you.”

The words were profound and life changing. I decided to trust that voice. I went back to school and earned an MFA in Creative Writing. It was one of the most inspiring times in my life creatively. I found a community of writers and talented professors who guided and encouraged me. It was a wonderful and supportive place to learn the craft and I’m very grateful.

What I didn’t expect was that it also became a period of self-discovery. Through the writing I found myself digging and re-finding my roots and where I came from. My Asian culture became a treasure, a part of me I had buried for a long time.

For me, taking a risk and pursuing a creative path professionally meant breaking social, family, and cultural norms. It meant holding my ground and staying on the path for what I believed was true and right for me. It meant learning to really trust myself.

Selina, 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 write fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Growing up, I always felt like I lived in two different worlds. My parents are from the Philippines, and we lived in a small midwestern town, where there were few people that looked like us or had a similar cultural background. My sisters and I would gather around the dinner table and listen in awe as my dad and mom told stories of their homeland, sharing a trove of memories.

In my writing, I like to embrace different cultural perspectives. I love the lyrical and musical aspects of language and how words can create a sensory and alive experience for the reader. Stories have the ability to capture the human experience in all of its rawness.

I have an MFA in Creative Writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead. My work has appeared in Nonwhite and Woman: 131 Micro Essays on Being in the World, riksha: Asian American Creative Arts in Action, Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, Cricket, and Red Weather Literary Magazine. I’m the author of a poetry chapbook, Displaced, and I’ve written several books for the children’s educational market. My debut novel is forth coming the spring of 2025. As a second generation Asian American, the dichotomy of cultures in which I grew up in has weaved its way into much of my work.

I’m also a certified Creativity Coach. My goal is to help others follow their own intuition. It’s important for me to be relational and to create a safe space without judgment for one to explore their creativity. A big part of the journey is learning to trust the process.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I believe we are all creatives. But I think what some people may not realize is that it takes courage to be creative. There’s a huge vulnerability involved in just making the choice to explore one’s creativity. Sharing my work and trying to get my work out into the world has been intimidating and at times daunting. I think art is sort of a manifestation of the way we see the world. It’s sharing a part of yourself and that can be frightening.

For me, living a creative life means having the courage to show up. I feel like my creativity is who I am. My writing journey has been filled with great disappointment and lots and lots of rejection. But the deeper reward of the writing itself has kept me going. Staying true to the path.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the experience itself. I feel so grateful and so privileged to have the time and space to write. I find the creative process messy, mysterious, and fascinating. Writing is a sensory embodied mirror of life, with all its ups and downs, encompassing the broken heartedness to the joy. It’s finding the wonder and awe in even the simple things, capturing a glint of light through the forest of darkness. The reward for me is working through the highs and lows and not losing trust and faith along the way.

What I also find deeply rewarding is connecting with and supporting other creatives. I believe art has the power to inspire, connect, and awaken one’s sense of belonging in the world.

Thank you so much CanvasRebel, for this wonderful opportunity to share my story and to be in company with all the fabulous creatives and entrepreneurs. With gratitude—cheers and best wishes to all!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.selinalibi.com/

Image Credits
Tanner Bjorlie