what is your name?
Janeczka Dabrowski.
how would you describe what you do?
I write free verse poetry, mainly in English, but also in French and Spanish. Works of fiction are rare. I also make videos – I learnt editing on my own and I thoroughly enjoy it.
Lastly, I also make music and am trying to write more of my own stuff.
what are you currently working on?
A few poems and videos! I like to keep myself busy.
what has had the greatest influence on your work?
Music, definitely. The images it conjures up in my head. Studying other people’s videos and finding out how they achieved a particular effect. Where I live – my environment has a role to play in the way I make videos. The places I see in my mind.
what is the greatest misconception about you or your work?
That poetry is boring and should stay on shelves, or that it only interests old librarians.
People also think poetry should rhyme.
what do you see as the main strengths and weaknesses of the medium you work in?
About poetry, the main strength and weakness would be that it only interests a certain type of people, which makes it very limited.
About video-making, the main strength would be that it’s easily and readily accessible. Possibly also its main weakness – there is so much of it about.
how has technology impacted upon the work you do?
Now, when I write something, I’m not just thinking about the words, I also think about the way I’m going to film it, edit it. Which is only a natural continuation of the work, I think. Getting out the images you have in your head.
As far as writing goes, I always write my drafts on paper. It is very much engrained in me.
what’s the greatest piece of advice you would like to pass on?
As my long-time friend Lena would say: ‘You never know’ and ‘Stranger things have happened.’ I like that one a lot.
where can we find you online?
A bunch of places, but mostly on YouTube and FaceBook:
http://www.youtube.com/user/janeczka
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Janeczka-Dabrowski/110858389891
what are you reading at the moment?
I have to admit I’ve been slacking on the reading, mostly because I have so much to do – I have another life in the ‘real’ world… – but I’m slowly making my way through The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, as well as reading about Zen Buddhism.
what are you listening to at the moment?
I’m having a Beatles period.
anything else we should know?
I will definitely try to release a chapbook and/or CD of my work this year.